Posted by Mary Ellen Shea on Thu, Dec 02, 2010 @ 08:06 AM
In 2009, based on feedback from the communities that they serve, Clifton Springs Fire Department acknowledged the need to expand their Fire Prevention educational programs. The 50+ member volunteer fire department in Ontario County, NY responds to an average of 300 fire calls per year serving the Village of Clifton Springs along with portions of the Towns of Phelps, Manchester and Hopewell. The village, located between Syracuse and Rochester, is a mixed demographic of both urban and rural settings encompassing numerous farms, schools, hospitals, senior citizen communities, an active industrial area and a growing tourism profile.
For many years the department’s ability to provide live fire extinguisher training to the members of their community was limited to using a burn barrel and gasoline. This method was generally considered unsafe, unfriendly to the environment and inconvenient for both the department and for the trainees. Suitable outdoor space for live burn training was limited and required the trainees to travel to the department to partake of the extinguisher training program. Fire prevention programs in the local elementary and high schools consisted primarily of discussions and handouts about fire safety.
The department recognized that a hands-on fire safety training program would be more effective in long-term memory retention for the trainees. Based on that need, the department researched various training system vendors and ultimately determined that the BullEx I.T.S. Xtreme would provide the widest range of fire prevention programs suitable for their specific needs. First Lieutenant Amanda Spence explained ,“We knew we needed to grow our fire prevention program, but we had very limited funding, most of which was allocated to other departmental budget items, so if we wanted to expand our fire prevention activities, we would have had to come up with the money out of our own pockets.”
In 2009, the department submitted an application and was awarded a Fire Prevention and Safety grant to purchase a BullEx I.T.S. Xtreme live-fire extinguisher training system. The prior year’s effort to obtain the same grant was denied because the department sought funding for a “laundry list” of items rather than focusing specifically on one particular purchase. After they were denied in 2008, the department tightened the scope of their grant request and were successful in obtaining the necessary funds. Lt. Spence stated, “Our salesperson, Matt Monroe, was a great source of information regarding the grant application process. He was available right from the start to provide product specs and resources for information-gathering that proved helpful in collecting the necessary data for the grant application.” Using NFPA and NVFC statistics to support their narrative, the department provided specific steps in their application that would be followed to quantify the success of their fire prevention programs, including pre and post-training testing and evaluations.
Clifton Springs Fire Department received their I.T.S. Xtreme in November of 2009. The department opted to upgrade their propane-fueled portable fire extinguisher training system to include a variety of props which simulate a trash can (Class A), a stove top (Class B) and an electric motor (Class C) fire scenario. “We felt that the variety of fire simulator props would appeal to a larger segment of our population, particularly the electric motor for our industrial businesses,” said Lt. Spence.
To date, the department has provided approximately one training session per month since receiving their I.T.S. Xtreme. The most recent group of trainees was a local Boy Scout pack. Lt. Spence explained that although the group was initially hesitant about handling a fire extinguisher and confronting live flames, after instruction, “They had a blast. They were competing with each other and the instructor to see who could put out the fire the fastest. They learned some really important fire safety lessons at the same time, so it was a successful training session all the way around.”
The department has also experienced an unanticipated benefit with the purchase of their BullEx training system. In years past, the department would have to take their fire extinguishers off of their apparatus to provide the necessary training. Now, the department doesn’t have to worry about the expense of recharging their extinguishers after every fire prevention training session or having to take potentially life-saving equipment out of service. Lt. Spence went on to give their BullEx I.T.S. Xtreme a 10 on a 1-10 satisfaction rating scale, “It’s safe, it’s portable, it’s effective, it’s easy to use and it’s saving us time and money. We highly recommend the I.T.S. Xtreme.”
The Fire Prevention and Safety Grant application period will be opening soon. Contact BullEx today for product specifications or to obtain resource information relevant to grant procurement.
Posted by Mary Ellen Shea on Thu, Nov 18, 2010 @ 10:37 AM
It was Christmas, 2008, and Deputy Fire Marshal E. Keith Chambers, as part of a Fire Investigation Unit, was on the scene of a structure fire that destroyed a residence. After reviewing the scene and interviewing the residents, a consistent theme emerged; inappropriate actions on the part of the residents escalated what might have been a small, extinguishable fire into a conflagration. It occurred to Keith Chambers that what was needed to avert similar tragedies was more extensive fire prevention programs brought to more residents. “This was really a very small fire that one person who knew how to use a fire extinguisher could have easily put out, but attempts to extinguish the fire by the wrong means meant an entire home was lost during what is supposed to be a joyous time of year,” said Chambers. “I knew we could do better.”
Chesterfield Fire and EMS in Chesterfield, VA encompasses 21 firehouses, 450 paid firefighters and responds to more than 35,000 calls per year; combined they provide fire protection service to more than 311,000 residents. Located in Central Virginia, Chesterfield County consists of 446 square miles of suburban, urban and rural areas.
Keith Chambers, in addition to being a Fire Marshal, is currently a Captain with Chesterfield Fire Department. In the years prior to the purchase of their two BullsEye™ digital fire extinguisher training systems, the department provided a classroom-style fire prevention presentation to neighboring businesses, organizations and schools. Chambers believed that a hands-on training approach would be more effective in driving the fire prevention education message home. After researching a variety of companies who provide fire extinguisher training systems, Chambers was most impressed with the realism of the BullEx products.
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Because the department’s fire prevention training budget was limited, Chambers resolved to submit a Fire Prevention and Safety Grant application in 2009. Utilizing population demographics and fire event statistics to support the need stated in their grant narrative, Chesterfield was awarded the funds to purchase extinguisher training systems. They received their BullsEye extinguisher training systems in July of 2010 and in addition to providing bi-annual fire prevention training sessions at local schools and assisted living facilities, the department is also providing training on-demand to anyone within their protective area who requests it. They have already brought their two BullsEye extinguisher training systems to an annual summer workshop for school teachers, at which they gave hands-on fire extinguisher training to more than 300 elementary and high school teachers.
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“I think one of the greatest things about using our BullsEye fire extinguisher training systems is that it’s safe for anyone to use because there’s no live fire. And it’s easy to teach the other members of our department how to instruct on the BullsEye. I can train someone to use it properly in five minutes. That means there’s more time to teach the residents of our community,” said Chambers. “I’ve found that when we are at public events with smaller crowds, once someone has gone through one training evolution, they come back and want to try it again, only this time they want us to make it more difficult for them.” As Chambers explained, an increase in the comfort level of someone who may have to use a fire extinguisher someday means a safer community overall. The BullsEye training system has become so popular in the community that the department was booked solid for the entirety of Fire Prevention Week.
The Fire Prevention and Safety Grant application period will be opening soon. Contact BullEx today for product specifications or to obtain resource information relevant to grant procurement.
Posted by Mary Ellen Shea on Thu, Nov 11, 2010 @ 08:51 AM
Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue (CKFR), located in Silverdale, Washington, first learned about BullEx Digital Safety while observing the U.S. Navy’s Federal Fire Department’s use of a BullEx portable fire extinguisher training system at a naval base demonstration. Theresa MacLennan, Public Information and Education Officer for CKFR, was searching for an Earth-friendly fire extinguisher training system for the department’s ongoing fire prevention education programs. “Washington is known as the Evergreen State. Residents across the state are deeply involved in ecological issues and they support initiatives and products that are not detrimental to the environment. The department felt that it was our responsibility to provide “green” alternatives for our fire extinguisher training programs instead of spewing chemicals from CO2 and dry chemical extinguishers into the environment every time we trained a segment of our community.” MacLennan was impressed with the entire BullEx product line, and particularly so with the BullEx I.T.S. Xtreme live-fire extinguisher training system. The I.T.S. Xtreme features propane –fueled flames which interact with a compressed air and water extinguisher. The system does not harm the environment, there is no chemical waste or residue to clean up afterward and it provides a safe yet very realistic fire extinguisher training experience.
Prior to considering the purchase of a BullEx training system, the department’s Public Safety Officers used a burn pan and a diesel/gasoline fuel accelerant to provide live-fire training programs. PIO MacLennan used a traffic cone and fire extinguisher when demonstrating fire suppression techniques to the public. As she explained, “I wanted something that was significantly more realistic, that would be safe to use, and that would eliminate the mess associated with traditional extinguishers yet still capture the imagination and engage the public.” The department’s limited fire prevention budget created the need to locate an outside funding source for the purchase of new equipment and they submitted an application for a FEMA Fire Prevention and Safety Grant, which they were awarded in 2009. They took delivery of their BullEx I.T.S. Xtreme in June of 2010.
CKFR is one of the largest fire service providers in Kitsap County. Within its boundaries and contracted areas CKFR provides Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) response to approximately 115 square miles of land and serves a population of 72,000 citizens. In addition, CKFR is the County's fastest growing fire agency as a result of a series of mergers, consolidations and contracts for Fire and EMS protection services. They responded to 7,115 fire and emergency calls in 2009. The area is home to more than 20 mobile home parks.
Their grant application focused on the need to provide life-saving fire prevention education to the most vulnerable segment of their population; the residents of the mobile home parks. Officer MacLennan explained, “These are our highest-risk residents in terms of residential fires. The majority fall below the National Poverty Guidelines and most are either senior citizens on a fixed income, or low-income families with children. In 2007, I was on the scene of a mobile home fire and it was a classic case of what not to do in a kitchen fire. The resident walked away from the kitchen while cooking, and when the fire started they threw water on the grease fire, which then spread and caused a delay in calling 911, resulting in a total loss of the home. I knew right then that we needed to ramp up our fire prevention education efforts.”
The department has successfully delivered their fire prevention message to more than 900 individuals in the four months since they received their I.T.S. Xtreme. They initiated a marketing blitz with a mailed announcement about the new training system sent to 40,000 homes and have plans to distribute information regarding their fire prevention programs twice per year to those same residences. In order to fulfill their reporting obligations to the government for the grant money received, the department collates statistics after every training session with pre and post training testing and according to Officer MacLennan; they are demonstrating an average 25% improvement in test scores in the post-testing stage. MacLennan believes that they were successful in their grant pursuit because they did their research ahead of time and gathered the necessary quantitative data. MacLennan advised “I would absolutely encourage anyone who is applying for federal grant money to devise a plan to document your successes, steps you are going to take to do that, and a method for gathering and reporting those numbers. The government wants to know how that money is going to be spent and who it’s going to benefit and how.”
The Fire Prevention and Safety Grant application period will be opening soon. Contact BullEx today for product specifications or to obtain resource information relevant to grant procurement.
Posted by Mary ellen Shea on Mon, Nov 08, 2010 @ 12:41 PM
The Town of Colonie (TOC) Emergency Services wanted to test their fire response capabilities to a large high occupancy structure, namely Colonie High School. The challenge lay in finding smoke generators capable of producing smoke that was dense enough to create zero visibility conditions and realistic enough to simulate a structure fire. TOC Emergency Services Deputy Coordinator Gerald Paris, Jr. chose BullEx Smoke Generators for the exercise.
The BullEx generators are capable of rapidly filling large training areas with heavy training smoke in a short period of time. The smoke has a similar density and appearance of smoke generated from an actual fire and behaves as fire-generated smoke would while leaving little, if any residue.
At the high school, one Smoke Generator was set up in each wing of the building, while another was placed in the atrium. The purpose was to provide a realistic Large Area Search drill to focus on accountability challenges in a zero visibility environment as well as fire suppression techniques in a large space. “Three fires were simulated in the building with the use of traffic pylons and box lights, and three rescue dummies were placed for extrication purposes,” said Instructor Paris. The school has been the site of previous fires and the local responding departments wanted to obtain realistic training to familiarize them with the layout of the building and identify response challenges.
Approximately 30 firefighters from Fuller Road Fire Department and West Albany Fire Department assembled with their apparatus to await the call. Instructor Paris wanted to maintain the realistic integrity of the drill, and therefore did not provide a pre-exercise briefing to the responding officers or firefighters. As the call came out, Fuller Road Chief Kevin Terry arrived and began scene size up. As the firefighters arrived on scene, the smoke produced by the generators was already pushing through the front doors of the high school. The alarm was elevated to a structural fire, mutual aid was requested and the firefighters donned their SCBA’s. “The amount of smoke coming through the front doors threw the guys for a loop,” said Instructor Paris, “a massive amount of smoke was literally pouring through the doors. I don’t think anyone expected that kind of smoke volume.”
The responders were divided into search-and-rescue and fire suppression teams. Closely monitored by Instructors Gerald Paris, Jason Geary and Richard Haack, the search and rescue team moved down the corridors utilizing zero visibility search techniques. Instructor Paris said, “The smoke was already pretty thick in the atrium entry area. As the search team went deeper into the building, the smoke became so heavy that the Thermal Imaging Cameras had to be held directly up to the lens on their face pieces to see any readouts.”
The fire suppression team was experiencing identical difficulties advancing dry hose through the building. The training smoke was so dense that locating the simulated fires was becoming difficult. Two firefighters became separated from the team due to the intensity of the smoke, “The smoke conditions were so realistic, and just like it can happen in a real fire, they got disoriented and got lost. This is why we train. There is a need to learn what to do when you get separated, “said Instructor Paris. An unanticipated problem arose when the disoriented firefighters had difficulty transmitting through the trunked radio system from inside the structure. “A technical radio glitch like that can happen on a real fire call. This is why we train over and over about using pass alarms and calling for help when you’re lost,” said Paris. “The mistake made here was that the guys who were lost didn’t call a Mayday. I hope that they learned a critical lesson which may save their lives in a real fire. Better that they learn it on the training ground and not inside a real structure fire.”
At the end of the day, after the hoses were packed up and the evolution successfully completed, Instructor Paris talked about the realistic nature of the smoke produced by the BullEx Smoke Generators. “As the smoke generators began filling the structure, visibility was crystal clear up to around six feet, but above that level, it was pea soup.” He went on to add, “In a real structure fire, the smoke builds up in the ceiling area first, then “mushrooms” and begins layering down toward the floor as more smoke accumulates. The smoke from these machines did exactly that, and the density and quality were identical to structural fire smoke. That’s about as real as you can get your training ground without setting something on fire.”
Lessons learned? Expect the unexpected every time, recognize that mistakes may be made, have a fallback plan in the event of a mistake, and know when to call for help. Accountability matters on the fireground. Training firefighters in realistic conditions gives them the chance to make mistakes, the opportunity to learn from those mistakes, and allows them to sharpen their skills without risking their own lives or the lives of those they have been charged to protect.
Train Like You Fight.
Posted by Mary ellen Shea on Thu, Nov 04, 2010 @ 09:53 AM
The Cardinal Joint Fire District in Canfield, Ohio had a specific goal in mind when they applied for a Fire Prevention and Safety Grant in 2009. They wanted to educate as many members of their community as possible about what to do in the event of a fire. Three months after they accepted delivery of their BullEx Fire Safety Trailer, purchased with the funds awarded from that grant, they have taught their fire prevention program to more than 1100 residents, students and local businesses.
The incorporated district includes three fire departments; Cardinal Joint Fire Department, Green Township Fire Department and Austintown Township Fire Department. Each department is responsible for providing fire protection for their communities, for a total of 75 square miles and 60,000 community members. Knowing that larger population numbers would be advantageous in their grant application, CJFD teamed up with Green and Austintown, who will share the trailer. Their combined fire prevention public education training hours statistics also contributed to the success of their pursuit of the FP&S grant.
Cardinal Joint Fire District Deputy Chief Don Hutchison said that after a series of major structure fires that he believes could have been averted with the use of a fire extinguisher in the early stages, the district determined that there was room for improvement in their public fire prevention education program. CJFD researched and priced several fire safety trailers, but were most impressed with the realism of the BullEx trailer. Deputy Chief Hutchison said, “It’s a very realistic simulation of an actual structure fire.”
Inside the trailer is a kitchen-fire scenario in which the oven prop catches fire, spreads to a stove-top burner and then to a nearby trash can. Interacting with the simulated flames, trainees must call 9-1-1, extinguish the digital fire with a laser training extinguisher and turn off the oven and stove to prevent re-ignition. Fire is simulated with digital LED "flames" as smoke and heat fill the room. The unit can be powered with an optional generator, or it can be hooked up to an electrical outlet. It has a portable widescreen TV monitor that shows four different angles from cameras inside the trailer. Also designed into their mobile fire prevention trailer is an industrial fire scenario with paint locker, trash can and parts-washer props which interact with a simulated electrical fire.
Prior to the purchase of the fire safety trailer, CJFD provided extinguisher training with a burn pan filled with cardboard. As Hutchison explained, “On a windy day, and we have a lot of inclement weather in Canfield due to our proximity to Lake Erie, that type of live fire training is not only impractical, it’s unsafe.”
To date, they have brought the trailer to numerous community events including a county fair and a church festival, and have scheduled ongoing training at middle and high schools within their protective area on a regular basis. “We have the trailer scheduled at the local high schools every nine weeks and at the middle schools every six weeks. The students are more attentive during the training than I ever imagined because it’s so realistic,” said Hutchison. “Watching them learn how fast a fire can escalate and seeing them take appropriate safety measures, whether it be to use an extinguisher or call 9-1-1 and evacuate, is very gratifying.” He also discussed the results of the methodology used to measure the effectiveness of the fire prevention program, which is a short test given before and after the training. “Before going in, the majority of the trainees scored an average of 60% out of 100%. After going through the trailer, the scores increased dramatically to an average of 90%.”
The Fire Prevention and Safety Grant application period will be opening soon. How do you plan on enhancing your Fire Prevention programs for 2011? Share your grant success stories with us, we'd love hear them!
Posted by Mary ellen Shea on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 @ 07:41 AM
When CEO Ryan O’Donnell unexpectedly pulled the entire Sales and Marketing team into the conference room at BullEx headquarters in the middle of a work day in October, the buzz, already palpable, escalated when the team spotted the firefighting helmets and other turnout gear in the room. Comments ranged from “What’s going on?” to “Who gets to be the firefighter?”
As it turned out, that second comment ended up being a pretty good guess. “How does everyone feel about getting some hands-on experience using our training products?” asked O’Donnell. “We’re putting together a one-day training program taken straight from the Firefighter 1 curriculum and we’re going to spend that time training to perform a coordinated fire attack with search and rescue at an actual fire training facility.” There were mixed reactions from the employees as the announcement sunk in; some trepidation was evident on the faces of the non-firefighters. O’Donnell immediately put everyone at ease by explaining that there would be a healthy mix of classroom and hands-on training, and that while he hoped everyone would test their boundaries, no one would be expected to participate in any activity that they were not comfortable doing. O’Donnell further elaborated, “Safety on the training ground and on the fireground is paramount, and we will be conducting these exercises with personal and team safety as our number one priority.”
There is a strong culture of support for the firefighting industry in the BullEx offices. Besides designing and building fire extinguisher and other specialized training products for a broad spectrum of organizations and businesses, BullEx manufactures training products specific to firefighter and first responder training. Coincidentally or not, BullEx employs a handful of volunteer firefighters; among them, Chief (Executive Officer) Ryan O’Donnell. He has years of experience in the fire service where he was a decorated chief officer responsible for developing fire prevention programs, overseeing training operations as well as acting as incident commander at emergency scenes.
The BullEx sales representatives are familiar with firefighting operations as they pertain to the BullEx products, but Ryan O’Donnell felt it was time for the team to strengthen their knowledge of the products they talk about every day with hands-on training in a realistic emergency scenario. At 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 23rd, 2010, the BullEx team descended on the fire training center to begin their Firefighter 1 Bootcamp. The training topics and hands-on exercises would be covered in a mere nine hours and would cover a comprehensive range of topics:
- Fire Department Organization, Command and Control
- PPE and SCBA
- Search and Rescue Procedures
- Nozzles, Fire Streams and Foam
- Vehicle Extrication
- Ventilation and Ladders
All of which would culminate in a coordinated fire attack evolution during which the combined learned skills would be put to the test. Teams would be assigned to fire suppression, search and rescue, and ventilation. That’s a daunting task for any Firefighter 1 recruit, and this team of newbies was going to face this unprecedented corporate challenge in ways they could not possibly have imagined.
The first order of business was to split the group into Battalions. In the interest of leveling the playing field, no Battalion was staffed with more than one volunteer firefighter. Safety measures were reviewed with the assembled employees by the team of instructors led by CEO O’Donnell. The instructors, all BullEx employees and long-time volunteer firefighters, included Director of Training Josh Lare, Sales Manager Anthony Ruggiero, and Sales Team members Grant Roberts, John Prescott and CJ Heinbach.
After receiving instruction on fire department structure and command, and the elements of Personal Protective Equipment and an SCBA, the Battalions gathered in a nearby classroom for donning and doffing drills with firefighter turnout gear.
With the trainees feeling more comfortable in the bulky attire, they returned to the classroom for Search and Rescue instruction. Meanwhile, the other instructors were setting up the multi-story training tower for the hands-on search evolution. A BullEx Smoke Generator was placed on the second floor and another on the third floor.
As the Battalions gathered outside of the training tower, the Smoke Generators were started and in moments the second floor was set up with light smoke for Search and Rescue without victims, while on the third floor, zero visibility was maintained with thick, billowing smoke and BullEx SmartDummy rescue manikins were strategically placed throughout the second floor, awaiting retrieval. The first floor was used as a no-smoke space for basic search skills training.
One by one the teams first entered the first floor to learn and practice their Right-Handed Search techniques, and after successful completion, “graduated” to the second and third floors for an adrenaline-fueled search exercise. Equipped with axes and Halligans, in teams of two they crawled through the smoke-saturated environment. On the third floor, unable to see beyond their own hands, they rose to the challenge; locating and rescuing the positioned SmartDummies and bringing them to safety.
The remainder of the morning flew by as hands-on practice followed classroom instruction in hose streams, hoseline advancement and fire suppression. The BullEx Magnum live-fire training system generated a wall of flame for the trainees to garner experience with Class B foam application. One after another, each Battalion practiced various stream methods; the rain-down, roll-on and bank-down. Sales team member Kathy Plant knocked down the fire in short order, exclaiming, “Look at how I knocked down those flames with this inch and three quarter!”
After a brief lunch, the crew moved on to Vehicle Extrication, cutting apart donated vehicles with hydraulic tools, including the “Jaws of Life”. Account Executive Kristen Thatcher dispatched the side windows of a car with a window –punch and a huge smile, clearly enjoying shattering the glass.
The Battalions continued on to the next evolution of throwing ladders and utilizing a hose line to practice hydraulic ventilation from the second floor window of the tower. At one point, Instructor John Prescott had to pause the Smoke Generator because the enormous volume of heavy smoke was impeding the ventilation exercise, “We had to turn down the Smoke Generator 4000 during hydraulic ventilation because the hose lines couldn’t force out the high volume of smoke that the generator was producing.”
Daylight was beginning to fade as the team gathered for the final exercise of the day. They were hot, they were dirty, they were exhausted, and after a long day of back-to-back hands-on training, they felt like firefighters.
Ryan O’Donnell rallied the troops as he explained the upcoming evolution that would tie in every piece of knowledge learned. A simulated fire call would be sent out over the radios; a first alarm structure fire with the added complication of possible trapped victims. The Battalions were assigned to their duties, the tones dropped and the BullEx Sales and Marketing team shed their professional titles, donned their firefighting gear and swung into action like a well-oiled machine. Smart Dummies were rescued, hose lines were advanced, smoke was ventilated, and 25 BullEx employees discovered a new level of respect for the emergency services personnel that they talk to every day.
They learned a lot about each other, pushed through their own fears and formed new bonds. Thanks to the Firefighter 1 Bootcamp, the BullEx Team is walking the talk.
So what did you do on Saturday?
How important is it to you that when you talk to a salesperson you know that they have rescued a victim in heavy smoke from the third floor of a fire tower?
Posted by Mary ellen Shea on Thu, Oct 28, 2010 @ 07:00 AM
Chief J.R. Wheeler of the City of Altus Fire / Rescue Department in Altus, Oklahoma wanted to find a way to provide cost-effective fire prevention education programs that could be offered regardless of the weather. As Chief Wheeler explained, “Temperatures climb higher than 100 degrees during the summer and you can bet the wind will be blowing no matter what season we are in. We are usually in some sort of burn ban at least a portion of the year; not the most conducive atmosphere for live-burn outdoor fire extinguisher training.” Department Secretary Tara Davis said that the department researched a variety of fire extinguisher training simulation equipment vendors while remaining mindful of concerns regarding the availability of funds to purchase the equipment necessary. They determined that they wanted to purchase a BullEx BullsEye extinguisher training system. “It offered the most realistic fire extinguisher training scenarios and was more cost-effective,” said Ms. Davis. To facilitate the process, the department submitted a grant application for a Fire Prevention and Safety Grant in 2009.
Altus Fire/Rescue is a professional fire-rescue service in the city of Altus. The department is comprised of 33 first responders at two fire stations. On average, over 700 emergency calls are responded to annually. Although their immediate coverage area falls within city limits and offers protection to 21,000 residents, they also provide automatic mutual aid service to the entire county for any reported structure fire. The department offers approximately 30 annual community projects, one of which is their fire prevention program. Prior to receiving the grant funds and purchasing their BullEx laser-driven extinguisher training system, the department relied on visiting schools and businesses with a classroom program, and for those businesses which required annual OSHA hands-on fire extinguisher training, an outdoor training session with a live-fire burn pan and dry chemical and CO2 fire extinguishers. Although the training is provided at no cost to the community, the department could not fund the supplies used during training. “It would cost the city a tremendous amount of money every year to recharge our fire extinguishers used during the training programs,” said Ms. Davis, “and the community programs just don’t have the money either so we had to look at other alternatives for training”.
In an effort to ensure the success of their grant application, the department completed an informal assessment and created a basic pre-test and post-test questionnaire to satisfy the quantitative analysis requirements of their proposed fire prevention training program in the Federal application. They also included information regarding the income levels of the county residents, 32% of which fall below the National Poverty Guidelines, thereby limiting access to fire prevention training programs in fixed locations. Chief Wheeler said, “We worked closely with community programs to obtain statistics regarding areas of concern to identify a focus for portable fire prevention training opportunities.”
Since taking delivery of their BullsEye extinguisher training system just two months ago, the department has provided hands-on fire extinguisher training to more than 50 individuals. They are currently publicizing the program and are scheduling ongoing fire prevention education programs at nursing homes, assisted living facilities, schools and businesses. Tara Davis said, “Initially, I was skeptical that a simulated extinguisher scenario would be realistic enough to provide adequate levels of instruction, but the BullsEye is as close to the real thing as you can get without using live fire.”
The Fire Prevention and Safety Grant application period will be opening soon. Contact BullEx today for product specifications or to obtain resource information relevant to grant procurement.
Posted by Lori Gicewicz on Mon, Oct 18, 2010 @ 07:42 AM
On September 30, Cub Scouts from Ravena -Coeymans-Selkirk District arrived at BullEx headquarters in Albany, NY to receive fire extinguisher training in a BullEx Fire Safety Trailer. The 12 scouts belong to Pack 81: Den 5, and are Webelos, which is a more advanced rank for 7-10 year olds within the organization. As Den Leader Joe Hildenbrand gathered the group outside the trailer, BullEx Director of Training Josh Lare briefed them about what to expect once they entered the 20 foot self-contained Fire Prevention training environment.
The BullEx mobile fire prevention trailer is equipped to simulate a Kitchen and Bedroom fire . Participants must “extinguish” the flames with a laser-driven BullsEye fire extinguisher, which will douse the digitally simulated flames if used properly. The realism of the training scenario is elevated with the use of training smoke, heat generated from overhead heating elements, and sound effects which emanate from surround-sound speakers. BullEx SmartProps round out the hands-on effectiveness of the simulated emergency training.
The SmartProps are designed to appear as normal household appliances and accessories, but with one push of a button by the instructor, the oven ignites, leading to a stove-top fire. If left unchecked, the fire escalates to an over-the-stove cabinet blaze as smoke fills the kitchen and the heat from the “fire” rapidly intensifies. The nearby trash can will suddenly combust, adding to the ever-expanding emergency.
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In the bedroom, an air conditioner malfunctions and begins to glow red and emit electrical sparks as smoke seeps from the vents. The door to the bedroom is warm to the touch, signifying possible fire on the other side as the trainees learn how to keep smoke from spreading by stuffing a nearby towel under the door.
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The decision to evacuate is made, and an E.D.I.T.H. (Exit Drills In The Home) window is opened as the participants climb out and down the attached ladder.
And that’s just ONE of numerous training scenarios offered by a BullEx Fire Safety Trailer
So what happens when you mix 12 parts Cub Scout to one part Fire Safety Trailer? You end up with a recipe for a slightly chaotic mix of inquisitive youngsters, interactive realistic fire simulations and a healthy dose of fire prevention education. They watched, they listened, they were suitably impressed by the simulated heat, smoke and fire, and one by one, they learned important lessons on how to respond in the event of a life-threatening emergency in the home.
As Josh Lare ignited the kitchen scenario, the group was instructed on the following training elements:
- 9-1-1: If it safe to do so while still in the home, dial 9-1-1 and calmly explain to the operator that there is a fire, clearly give your name and address, hang up and proceed quickly to the nearest exit. If it isn’t safe to remain in the house, exit immediately and call 9-1-1 from a neighboring residence. The BullEx Fire Safety Trailer is equipped with an interactive 9-1-1 phone.
- If you know where your fire extinguisher is located and you know how to use it, use the P.A.S.S. method to extinguish the fire before it escalates: Pull (the pin on the fire extinguisher), Aim (the nozzle at the source of the fire), Squeeze (the trigger on the extinguisher), Sweep (the nozzle back and forth). The BullEx Fire Safety Trailer utilizes laser-driven BullsEye training extinguishers which sense where the user aims and sweeps the extinguisher and automatically varies the LED driven digital flames in response. The boys took turns fighting the simulated blaze with a BullsEye extinguisher utilizing the P.A.S.S. method.
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In the bedroom, the pack of Cub Scouts listened intently as Josh explained that one of the leading causes of injury or death in a house fire stems from residents returning into the home to rescue personal items after they’ve already safely escaped. At the E.D.I.T.H. window, as they prepared to climb out the window to safety, the boys learned an invaluable lesson:
- In the event of a fire in the home: get out, stay out, meet at a pre-determined spot outside the home to verify that everyone is out, call 9-1-1 from a cell phone or neighbor’s home and do NOT re-enter the residence once you have evacuated. Your life is far more important than a memento.
- For more information on Evacuation Drills in the Home, go to http://www.bullexsafety.com/news.aspx to see BullEx CEO Ryan O’Donnell demonstrate evacuation tips and tactics on The Today Show
As a result of their fire prevention and extinguisher training, the boys earned credit toward their Science activity badge and pin. As stated on the Boy Scouts of America website, the Cub Scout program emphasizes shared leadership, learning about the community, family understanding, character development, citizenship training, and personal fitness.
Posted by Lori Gicewicz on Mon, Oct 04, 2010 @ 09:55 AM
During the hours that most families might be relaxing together, gathering around the television screen to watch a football game or sleeping, on Sept. 13th, the Cannavo family from Guilderland, NY allowed BullEx Digital Safety and the entire production crew from the Today Show into their home with cameras in tow to demonstrate proper home evacuation techniques in the event of a home fire.
Frank Cannavo, his wife Lisa and their children, 14 year- old Lucas and Sarina, 12, agreed to play out their unrehearsed reactions to the shrill beeping of a home fire alarm while they lay in their beds as though they had retired for the night. The family dog, Nico, was placed in his sleeping kennel in the attached garage while the family donned pajamas and proceeded to their respective bedrooms. The BullEx team, led by CEO Ryan O’Donnell, worked with Today Show producer Michele Leone and her camera crew to set up a simulated residential fire, all without striking a single match.
In the first of three fire drills, BullEx placed their demo smoke detectors, which would be activated manually, throughout the home. The team verified that the family members were situated in their beds, and turned off all the lights in the home as the news team turned on the cameras. Outside, in the front yard of the residence, Today Show host Janice Lieberman explained to the camera what was about to take place. On the street, the bright yellow fire truck “dispatched” by Guilderland Fire Department stood by, as the firefighters assembled nearby in their turnout gear under the guidance of Chief Don Gaitor.
The stage was set, the family was in place, and the cameras began rolling as the first strident tones of the fire alarm filled the air. Within seconds, 22 to be precise, the entire family, including the family pet, were gathered on the front lawn, having successfully exited the home in a timely fashion. Curious neighbors peered from the windows of their residences as this tidy community of well-maintained homes was placed squarely in the epicenter of a simulated residential fire.
Immediately after the dry run, the family returned to their beds, presumably to see if they could “better” their time. Unbeknownst to the Cannavo family, Mr. O’Donnell and the Today Show had something unexpected up their collective sleeves. Two BullEx portable smoke generators were brought inside, as a BullsEye digital fire extinguisher training system, placed to render the front door unusable as if behind a wall of fire, illuminated the scene with its digital orange glow.
The smoke machines pumped dense, heavy simulated smoke throughout the home, reducing visibility to near zero in a matter of moments and triggering the hard-wired fire alarm detector in the upstairs hallway.
And then the family discovered what the production team had planned for them. The house was suffused with dense smoke.
Surprised, confused and blinded by the smoke, the family reacted much the same as the majority of people do when confronted with a real fire in the middle of the night; they panicked. Chaos reigned as mother, daughter and son attempted to navigate the stairwell leading to safety, uncertain as to each other’s location, while Frank stumbled toward the garage entry in an attempt to locate the dog and gain freedom from the smoke-saturated residence. One full minute and 48 seconds later, significantly slower than the first evacuation drill, the family reunited outside, showing visible signs of the stress levels they experienced while faced with the unexpected. Janice interviewed the family to discuss their immediate reactions to the surprise smoke scenario they discovered during the evacuation drill. The younger child, Sarina, was clearly unnerved by the experience and spoke excitedly into the camera, her eyes wide, as she talked to Janice about how scary and confusing it was to rush into the hallway only to discover that she couldn’t clearly see her way to the stairs.
As the clock continued its march past midnight, the entire production team and the BullEx CEO gathered the family together to review evacuation techniques, including how to “get low” in a home fire, minimizing exposure to eye level smoke saturation and low-lying toxic fumes that are a natural by-product of fire. Michele proposed that Ryan O’Donnell bring the family back inside the home and demonstrate how to crawl and avoid the most harmful levels of smoke. The Cannavos watched intently as the BullEx CEO crawled along the hallway, ably practicing what he had preached only moments ago. The family then took turns navigating the stairwell practicing their “get low” stance, commenting how much easier it was to see and breathe while crouched down on floor level.
As the fire department finished ventilating the home of lingering accumulated smoke, the family once again reassembled on the front lawn. This time, they were told to create an evacuation plan, and discuss amongst themselves their plan of attack for evacuating the smoke filled environment in a timely fashion. This time, the family knew what they were up against and huddled together to discuss their tactics.
For the final evolution, the family returned to their bedrooms, Janice Lieberman and the camera team took their places, and the BullEx Smoke Generators were pressed into service. As the smoke detectors were triggered, a concerned neighbor walked over to the firefighters and said “Is there anything going on that I should be concerned about?” It was a fair question. The entire neighborhood was swathed in clouds of lingering smoke that had been ventilated from the home, and the street appeared to be staged for a Hollywood disaster movie. The family raced out of the home, gathering at their prearranged meeting spot for a head count to make sure everyone was out of the house. The timing clock was stopped at 58 seconds. Their time wasn’t as impressive as during the smoke-free drill, but clearly the “get low” strategy and evacuation plans were successful as the family shaved almost 60 seconds from their previous low visibility drill. That may not sound like much on paper, but it can literally mean the difference between life and death in a fire. Janice asked the family what they thought about their actions during the evacuation drills. Sarina replied “It’s important to get low!” Lisa Cannavo expanded on that thought and said “It’s important to have an evacuation plan in place.”
Had the Cannavo family been awoken by a smoke detector in the pre-dawn hours, and there were no television cameras, no simulated smoke and no digital fire, if their family home had indeed been engulfed in flames and thick choking smoke, would they have been prepared? Based on their performance this night, the answer, prior to practicing an E.D.I.T.H. drill, was “probably not”. But now, after experiencing a simulated fire and reviewing their plan with the BullEx and Today Show teams, the family has an evacuation plan in place that may one day save their lives. Does that apply to most families around the world? How many people actually plan and conduct evacuation drills in the home? How many know alternate means of escape if their planned route is blocked? How many are overcome by smoke before they can get to a door or window because they didn’t know to “get low”.
The Cannavos are lucky. They’ve been exposed to a very realistic fire simulation and will be better prepared if there ever is another “next time”. Fire Prevention strategies are not just for Fire Prevention Week. Review E.D.I.T.H. planning with your community. Make sure that your residents know where their fire extinguisher is and how to use it. Discuss checking and replacing the batteries on their smoke and CO detectors twice a year. Teach them how to get low and get out. Teach them the skills they need to stay alive.
Posted by Lori Gicewicz on Mon, Oct 04, 2010 @ 09:54 AM
The 12 residents of Lakeland, TN who received CERT (Community Emergency Response Training) training from the instructors at the Shelby County Office of Emergency Preparedness had the opportunity to get hands-on with the BullEx HotShot digital fire extinguisher training system.
CERT training gives community members the survival skills needed to assist and rescue their neighbors in the event of a catastrophic emergency when first responders may be initially overwhelmed.
Fire extinguisher training is an essential component of the required 16 hours of training, and the BullEx HotShot digital fire extinguisher training system was the training product of choice for the Shelby County CERT instructors.
In fact, BullEx Fire Extinguisher Training Systems are used world-wide by thousands of emergency management and training organizations due to the cost-effectiveness, safety and portability of the entire product line. These systems are designed to be trainer-friendly, featuring easy-to-set-up training modules which provide fully realistic hands-on scenarios, without harming the environment or jeopardizing the safety of the user.
HotShot's realistic, self-generating digital flames respond directly to the trainee's actions. Using BullEx's compressed air and water SmartExtinguishers, users interact dynamically with HotShot's digital fire. If trainees fail to use the proper technique, the flames respond accordingly. Flames can diminish, grow gradually or even reignite.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/photos/2010/sep/01/184704/