Posts tagged firefighters
Boulder Global Wildfire Awareness Week: ‘Your Home…Your Responsibility
May 3rd
‘MISSOULA, MT, May 3, 2011 –/WORLD-WIRE/– The International
Association of Wildland Fire (IAWF) announces Global Wildfire
Awareness Week, from May 1-7, 2011 in the Northern Hemisphere, with a
theme of “Your Home…Your Responsibility.
Association of Wildland Fire (IAWF) announces Global Wildfire
Awareness Week, from May 1-7, 2011 in the Northern Hemisphere, with a
theme of “Your Home…Your Responsibility.
Wildfire affects residents, businesses and governments on every
continent and we are using our resources to link and assist those
groups,” said IAWF President Chuck Bushey. “This is a key time to
share wildfire prevention information with the world,” he added. The
IAWF’s full proclamation and a growing body of resources are available
on a new website — wildfireworld.org — orientated towards
homeowners, firefighters, communities and governmental organizations
throughout the world.
We are excited to globally link wildfire professional to share
information, research, and practical tools in the effort to reduce
wildfire impacts,” said Bushey. This dynamic site allows sharing of
community wildfire profiles, fire prevention materials and real-time,
global fire occurrence information. “The site will build as time
goes on and will become more vibrant with submissions from all parts
of the globe,” he continued. The Southern Hemisphere Awareness Week
kicks off October 1.
This initiative grows from IAWF’s mission to foster leadership and
communication for the wildland fire community. This bi-annual
campaign seeks to expand IAWF’s commitment to wildfire prevention
around the globe. As the Proclamation notes, “Our vision is a
global society that is not only vigilant but also knowledgeable on
how to live in fire-prone environments. We ask for your
participation, not only through this week, but throughout the
year.”
“Wildfires are a growing problem, globally and locally,” said
IAWF Board Member Ron Steffens. “The first year of Global Wildfire
Awareness Week we are building a clearinghouse of current, evolving
information.” The new site showcases community profiles such as
Greece, home to massive wildfires in 2010, and Washington state
(USA), with more profiles being added over the coming months. Fire
prevention and home safety evaluation resources are available along
with links to global wildfire news. Wildland firefighters are
encouraged to upload their “Community Profile” as we observe
globally how each local community prevents unplanned wildfires.
About the International Association of Wildland Fire.
The IAWF is a nonprofit, 501(c) (3) professional association
representing members of the global wildland fire community
(www.iawfonline.org <http://www.iawfonline.org/>
and http://wildfireworld.org <http://wildfireworld.org/>
) and is uniquely positioned as an independent organization whose
membership includes experts in all aspects of wildland fire
management. IAWF’s independence and breadth of global membership
expertise allows it to offer a neutral forum for the consideration of
important, at times controversial, wildland fire issues. IAWF produces
Wildfire magazine, the International Journal of Wildland Fire, and
FireNet.
1418 Washburn Street
Missoula, MT 59801 USA
www.iawfonline.org <http://www.iawfonline.org/>
Contact:
Paula Nelson,
Public Affairs Officer
publicaffairs@iawfonline.org
or 406-821-0042
22 Boom – Left Hand Canyon Fire – Episode 33
Mar 20th
Jann Scott hosts this 22 Boom special all about the Left Hand Canyon Fire March 11th -14th, 2011. Jann gets behind the blockade and an up-close look at the fire and the Heroes of West Metro Fire Department who helped stop it from spreading. Then we get in on the Press Conference with Mary Beth Pecotte and Rick Brough who inform us of the progress of the team and we wrap up the show with a special music video by Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Wake Up Call at NASA.
Videos in this Episode
-
22 Boom Intro -
Left Hand Canyon Fire -
Division Bravo -
Heroes of West Metro Fire Department -
Left Hand Canyon and Old Stage Road -
Press – Mary Beth Pecotte -
Press – Rick Brough -
Home Owner – Marsha Flint -
Heroes Walking into Harms Way -
Big Head Todd – Wake Up Call at NASA -
Outro
Firefighters rescue three dogs from icy waters in two days
Jan 18th
Boulder Fire Rescue personnel would like to remind the public that there are significant dangers associated with venturing onto lakes, ponds and creeks that appear frozen. While most people understand these dangers, pets do not. Owners are reminded to keep their dogs on leashes to prevent them from going onto the ice.
In the past two days, Boulder fire crews have responded to three animal rescue calls: one at Admiral Arleigh A. Burke Park at Mohawk and Pawnee drives and two at a lake near Table Mesa and South Loop drives. In each case, dogs that were not leashed walked onto the ice and fell through. All three were rescued with the help of firefighters who had to go out on the ice to pull them out. In each case, divers were mobilized in the event that they were needed.
The Front Range is susceptible to rapidly fluctuating temperatures, which can lead to unsafe ice conditions. Although ice may appear to be thick in some spots, it is likely to be much thinner over other parts of the water and may not be capable of supporting weight. Ice that was thick one day may melt significantly with just a few hours of warmer weather.
“Just one day can make a big difference. Making the rescues today was much more difficult than yesterday,” said Battalion Chief Gil Espinoza. “We care about dogs, but every time a firefighter goes out onto the ice, we are taking a risk.”
Firefighters would like to ask pet owners to keep their dogs out of harm’s way in the first place, by leashing them around bodies of water this time of year.
If your animal falls through ice, call 9-1-1 immediately so that emergency personnel can respond. If the ice was not thick enough to support your pet, it will not be thick enough to support you.
Do not attempt to go onto the ice or rescue your animal yourself. You are risking hypothermia which is a life-threatening condition. After even just a few minutes in cold water your heart, lungs and kidney functions can be compromised and even fatal. Even after a person has exited the water, hypothermia symptoms may exist.
Remember, by trying to save your dog, you are risking your own life. Call 9-1-1 for fire rescue response instead.
People are urged to stay off ice on any natural bodies of water in the City of Boulder unless the area has been posted and approved for ice-related recreational activities.
