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| From the Editor's Desk... |
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A new email address for the newsletter!
In an effort to make things easier for our members, sending articles for the newsletter is now easier to remember.
Simply use the email address above and I'll receive your article. The same criteria still applies. Please put "newsletter" or "article" in the subject line to assure opening.
Please try to avoid PDF format for newsletter submissions.
Try it. You'll like it!
Puddin Race,
St. Lucie County
772-621-3450 |
| Member Section |
Members... join our Members only section. Click Here
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Many fire departments have taken special care this year in educating employees about avoiding the flu. This year, more than ever, it is important that you wash your hands often (at least once per hour) and take special precautions. Be sure to keep hand sanitizer in your vehicles and use it. Here in St. Lucie County, we are teaching each child who visits a fire station how to properly wash their hands. Often, tours are scheduled in the mornings after which the youngsters visit a nearby park to eat their lunch. We are being sure they wash those little hands before leaving the station to have a more sanitary lunch experience. They love using the large sink in the truck room and you can gather several children around it at once. For up-to-date information about H1N1 Swine Flu visit http://www.myflusafety.com This website has tons of information including flyers you can download, tips for your families and information about the vaccine. Stay safe and stay well.
Puddin Race, Chair
FAFLSE
puddin@slcfd.org |
| Important Notice Regarding Student ID's |
Remember... the association no longer accepts social security numbers when signing the sign in sheets at our seminars or conferences. You will need to go to the Florida State Fire College Website, get signed in and get your Student ID. This is the only number that will be accepted.
Article Provided by:
Chuck Akers Executive Director, FFMIA | |
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| Injury Data Peports Available from the Office of Injury Prevention, Department of Health |
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Writing grants? Here's a source to find some information you might need.
· NEW! 2005-2007 injury death plus 2005-2008 hospitalization and emergency department data for each of Florida's 67 counties is available on the Office of Injury Prevention website at: http://www.doh.state.fl.us/injury/injurydata.html.
· The Florida Injury Data Report: 2007 Surveillance Data is now available in a series of individual, detailed fact sheets. There is one, multi-page fact sheet for each of 12 major injury indicators (Drowning, Firearms, All Injuries, Hip Fractures, Homicide/Assault, Motor Vehicle, Poisoning, Suicide/Self-Harm, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Unintentional Injuries, Falls, and Fires). The fact sheets are available on the Office of Injury Prevention website. The 2005 and 2006 data reports are also available.
· 1970s-2007 injury death data is available on the Florida CHARTS website at http://www.floridacharts.com/charts/Domain2.aspx?Domain='04'.
· County-level School-Aged Child and Adolescent Profiles, which include injury indicators, are available on the Florida CHARTS website at http://www.floridacharts.com/charts/SpecReport.aspx?RepID=1031552 .
· County-level Pregnancy and Young Child Profiles, which include injury indicators, are available on the Florida CHARTS website at http://www.floridacharts.com/charts/SpecReport.aspx?RepID=1013450
· 1999-2007 injury death, 1999-2008 injury hospitalization and 2005-2008 emergency department data, customized for specific projects, is available upon request.
For more information, please contact our Injury Epidemiologist, Kyla Shelton, at (850) 245-4440, ext. 2729, Kyla_Shelton@doh.state.fl.us
Article provided by:
Flordia Department of Injury Prevention
Department of Health
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| From the Director's Chair |
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Well here we are, another year almost gone by and the association have once again lived up to its commitment of 16 hours of free seminars within each district. With the formation of our new Florida Fire Investigators Association (FFIA) section, we now bring another educational opportunity to our membership.
Our 64th Annual Florida Arson Symposium is just around the corner and with our continued partnership with the Florida Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators (FLIAAI) the conference will be a huge success. In fact, the FFIA and the FLIAAI will be partnering throughout Florida and offering investigator related classes in each of the districts. If you have any ideas of the types of investigator classes you would like to see within your district, please contact myself at 772-260-9026 or Kerry Barnett at 813-714-6326. REMEMBER, INSPECTOR CEU'S WILL BE OFFERED AT THE CONFERENCE!!
Our 61st Annual Fire Prevention Conference is just a month away and once again the conference committee has put together another excellent program. We even have a trip planned Tuesday night and will be announced at the conference.
Even with the current economic climate, it seems that both conferences will be a success and I would like to take the opportunity to thank the Fire Chiefs for allowing their fire prevention and fire investigator personnel to attend. We know that ceu's are very important and that the departments must spend their money wisely, which is why we now offer an inspectors track at the arson symposium.
Our membership continues to grow and we look forward to another successful year and possibly setting another record. On behalf of the Executive Board, we would like to thank you for your continued support and we want you to always remember, THIS IS YOUR ASSOCIATION!!
Article Submitted By,
Chuck Akers
Executive Director
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| Technically Speaking - Addressing Technical Code Issues |
While we have seen postings on our respective Florida Fire Marshal and Inspectors' Association (FFMIA) and Building Officials' Association of Florida (BOAF) Web discussion groups to the effect that, technically, we in Florida are very advanced in our understanding of Codes and Standards, it never hurts to review our knowledge and possibly revise our understandings.
The information provided in this article and subsequent articles will reflect requirements from both the Florida Building Code (FBC), 2007 Ed. w/ 2009 Revisions and Florida Fire Prevention Code (FFPC), 2007 Ed. These articles and the combined information are intended to provide a broader spectrum and view to both groups of Code professionals certified under FS 468 for Building and FS 633 for Fire. I would like to take a moment and remind our readers that unless they are cross certified they may not be able to use some of the information put forth in given situations. Still, it is very important that we know each other's Codes to help alleviate past foibles.
There is a saying from an unknown individual, "The truly educated never stop learning". With that, let's launch this article and perhaps many more in the future.
The basic concept for our first installment deals with fire alarm system requirements for new alarm systems and system design documents. Now I know some are going to say "we know all this" but we do have new folks in our organizations, there have been changes made to some of the existing requirements, and we must start somewhere.
As you may already know, section 13.7.1.1 of the 2006 Edition of NFPA 1 as published in the 2007 Edition of the FFPC and section 907.2 of the Building Volume in the 2007 Ed. with 2009 Rev. of the FBC require fire alarm systems to be installed in accordance with NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm Code. Currently the 2002 Ed. of NFPA 72 is recognized by the Florida Fire Prevention Code, 69A-60, 69A-60.005 and the Florida Building Code, Building Volume, Chapter 35, Referenced Standards. While, NFPA 72 deals with the functions, installation, and working plans for new systems, it does not establish the need for a system in a given facility.
The National Fire Alarm Code itself states that it is not the source document for when a fire alarm system is required and explains in Chapter 1, NFPA 72, Section 1.2.4, "This Code shall not be interpreted to require a level of fire protection that is greater than that which would otherwise be required by the applicable building or fire code." The supplemental information in Annex A states, "A.1.2.4 Some building and fire codes include requirements that imply NFPA 72 requirements that do not exist. The intent of this paragraph is to make it clear that the protection requirements are derived from the applicable building or fire code, not from NFPA 72."
So to establish the need for a fire alarm system in a given building, either the Florida Building Code or the Florida Fire Prevention Code must require it. Section 13.7.2, of the 2006 Edition of NFPA 1 and/or the applicable Chapter(s) in the Life Safety Code, 2006 Ed. as adopted in the FFPC and Section 907,FBC, 2007 Ed. w/ 2009 Rev. set the requirements for when a fire alarm system is needed in a given occupancy or facility. Some jurisdictions may have applicable local amendments to Code as allowed per Florida Statute, but, for this article we will be dealing with base Code requirements.
Once it has been established that a facility must be equipped with a fire alarm system, both the Florida Building Code and Florida Fire Prevention Code require details be provided in the construction documents. The Florida Building Code stipulates in Section 106 that plans and details be submitted for review and the FFPC requires plans be submitted in Section 1.14.1, of the 2006 Edition of NFPA 1 as adopted therein.
Florida Statute 553 also requires construction documents be reviewed for both Building and Fire Code compliance prior to issuance of a building permit. This is contained in section 553.079 (2) which states, "In addition, an enforcing agency may not issue any permit for construction, erection, alteration, modification, repair, or demolition of any building until the appropriate firesafety inspector certified pursuant to s. 633.081 has reviewed the plans and specifications required by the Florida Building Code, or local amendment thereto, for such proposal and found that the plans comply with the Florida Fire Prevention Code and the Life Safety Code. Any building or structure which is not subject to a firesafety code shall not be required to have its plans reviewed by the firesafety inspector."
The Florida Building Code provides further guidance and details in section 105.3.1.2 "No permit may be issued for any building construction, erection, alteration, modification, repair or addition unless the applicant for such permit provides to the enforcing agency which issues the permit any of the following documents which apply to the construction for which the permit is to be issued and which shall be prepared by or under the direction of an engineer registered under Chapter 471 Florida Statutes:
Any specialized mechanical, electrical, or plumbing document for any new building or addition which includes a medical gas, oxygen, steam, vacuum, toxic air filtration, halon, or fire detection and alarm system which costs more than $5,000.
Documents requiring an engineer seal by this part shall not be valid unless a professional engineer who possesses a valid certificate of registration has signed, dated, and stamped such document as provided in Section 471.025, Florida Statutes."
While plan details vary depending upon the complexity of the system proposed for installation, there are some requirements provided so that a certain amount of information is available for the local plan reviewing authorities.
Guidance is found in the Florida Administrative Code (FAC) which governs what information the design professional must supply to the local authority. FAC 61G15-33 governs the layout of electronic systems and the fire alarm requirements are contained in 61G15-33.006 Design of Alarm and Signaling Systems which states,
(1) Alarm and signaling systems include motor control systems, emergency alarm circuits, activation of life safety system controls and remote signaling of emergency conditions (See Rule 61G15-32.008, F.A.C., for Fire Alarm Systems), surveillance and access control systems, temperature control, and systems related to energy conservation and facility management systems. The design documents shall be based on standards set forth in NFPA 72, the Florida Building Code, the Florida Fire Prevention Code, or as required by the local authority having jurisdiction.
(2) The Electrical Engineering Documents for alarm and signaling systems construction documents shall at a minimum indicate the following:
(a) Description of the control system functions, or a functional diagram.
(b) Equipment legend.
(c) System riser diagram.
(d) Cabling and conductor types and requirements.
(e) Installation, identification and testing requirements.
(f) Back-up power.
(g) Location and characteristics of surge protective devices.
(h) Details and requirements indicated by Rule 61G15-32.008, F.A.C.
(i) Complete requirements for operations and maintenance procedures, manuals, system documentation, and instruction of Owner's operating personnel, as needed to operate the systems as intended over time."
As can be seen in Item (h) above, 61G15-32, the Florida Administrative Code that governs design documents for fire protection systems is also referred to and specifically 61G15-32.008 Design of Fire Alarms and Detection Systems which requires;
"(1) Fire alarms and detection systems include fire protection supervision, emergency alarm circuits, activation of life safety system controls and remote signaling of emergency conditions.
(2) The design specifications shall be based on the Florida Building Code (2007), the Florida Fire Prevention Code, or as required by the local authority having jurisdiction.
(3) For fire alarm plans on small systems below the threshold requirements for mandatory use of professional engineering services, the Engineer of Record shall specify the minimum system requirements.
[Please take note here, if the fire alarm system proposed for installation is under the $5,000 value as reflected in section 105.3.1.2 , FBC, the Engineer of Record may simply specify the minimum requirements, this may be as simple as a written outline, explanatory DRM]
(4) To ensure minimum design quality of Fire Alarm and Detection Systems Engineering Documents, said documents shall include as a minimum the following information when applicable:
(a) The plans shall be clear, with a symbols legend, system riser diagram showing all initiation and notification components, and cabling requirements. Indicate locations where fire ratings are required as determined by the system's survivability requirements. Identify the general occupancy of the protected property, and for each room and area unless it is clear from features shown.
(b) Locate initiation and notification devices and connections to related systems on the floor plans and sections when needed for clarity. Related systems include elevator controls smoke control systems, dampers, and doors.
(c) Strobe intensity and speaker output ratings for all notification devices.
(d) Identify the Class and Style of circuits as listed in the NFPA 72.
(e) Identify the functions required by the alarm and control systems including the transmission of emergency signals being monitored or annunciated.
(f) Indicate whether the fire alarm is conventional or addressable, and indicate all zoning.
(g) Locate surge protective devices and required protective features.
(h) Locate system devices that are subject to environmental factors, and indicate requirements for the protection of equipment from temperature, humidity or corrosive atmospheres, including coastal salt air.
(i) The plans shall include a site plan of the immediate area around the protected building, structure or equipment when alarm devices are required outside the structure.
(j) In buildings were smoke detection will be obstructed by walls, beams or ceiling features, the Engineer of Record shall provide applicable design and details to direct the installer to mitigate the obstructions. In buildings with smoke detection under a pitched roof, the plans shall indicate the roof pitch and a building section shall be provided as part of the Engineering Design Documents.
(k) Fire detection systems utilizing smoke detection in situations where smoke stratification is anticipated, the design shall provide the necessary criteria to mitigate the detection problems.
(l) Systems designed using Performance Based criteria shall be identified and referenced to design guides or standards approved by the local authority having jurisdiction consistent with standards adopted by the Florida Fire Prevention Code and the Florida Building Code (2007).
(m) The system design must indicate if the system is to provide a general evacuation signal or a zoned evacuation for all high-rise buildings or multi-tenanted properties as defined in the Florida Building Code (2007).
(n) Wiring requirements for underground, wet locations, campus style wiring, protection against damage and burial depth shall be specified or indicated on the engineering design documents.
(o) Requirements for operations and maintenance procedures, manuals, system documentation, and instruction of owner's operating personnel, as needed to operate the systems as intended over time.
(5) In the event that the Engineer of Record elects to specify specific equipment and to show the required wiring, battery and voltage drop (circuit analysis) calculations shall be completed. The calculations shall be completed using the equipment manufacture's data and applicable NFPA 72 procedures.
(6) System test requirements shall be noted on the Engineering Design Documents.
(7) When the engineer determines that special requirements are required by the owner, insurance underwriter or local fire code amendments these requirements shall be documented or referenced on the Engineering Design Documents.
We can now see that what absolutely has to be included in a fire alarm design documents. Accordingly, these documents must illustrate or have nomenclature that is much more detailed than what has been provided in the past. Most of these detail changes have occurred relatively recently with updates to 61G15-32 taking effect March 26, 2009 and updated to 61G15-33 taking effect November 13, 2008.
For our next installment, we'll deal with the installation or working drawings.
Hope this helps.
Article Provided by:
Dennis Marshall CET, FCO, Fire Marshal
Maitland Fire Rescue Department
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| Florida Department of Health Awards Funding |
The Florida Department of Health (DOH), Office of Injury Prevention's Florida Bicycle Helmet Promotion Program, Florida Special Needs Occupant Protection Program , and Safe Kids Florida Programs have been funded through the Florida Department of Transportation's Highway Safety 2010 Grant Cycle. This funding, includes 11 DOH programs, including two statewide programs (Special Needs and Bicycle Helmet Promotion), and 9 health departments in rural counties, which will receive a grand total of $631,445. This total includes $197,840 awarded to six Safe Kids Florida Programs for Child Passenger Safety. The funded Safe Kids Florida Programs are: N.E. Florida, Suncoast, Brevard, Greater Tampa, and Broward.
For more information on the above DOH Programs, contact Towana Bonnett, Office of Injury Prevention (850) 245-4444, ext. 2452 or by email at Towana_Bonnett@doh.state.fl.us. For more information on the Office of Injury Prevention, please visit: http://www.doh.state.fl.us/demo/InjuryPrevention/
Article Provided by:
Florida Department of Health
Office of Injury Prevention
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| Clown Corner |
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For all you clowns and wanna be clowns out there - one of the more intensive annual workshops will once again be offered: 23rd Annual Educational Characterization Through
Clowning & Puppetry Camp, February 1 - 4, 2010 in Bullhead City, Arizona.
While space doesn't permit us to include entire flyers for other organizations, this is one of the premere annual clown events and I wouldn't want you to miss knowing about it. There will be speakers and vendors from all over the country, including puppet makers, makeup artists and more. For registration and information go to www.afbea.org. Hugs. |
| Smokey Bear Turned 65 This Year |
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Smokey Bear turns 65 this year. Since 1944, Smokey has educated generations of Americans about their critical role in wildfire prevention through his enduring message, "Only You Can Prevent Wildfires." The Division of Forestry and firefighting agencies across Florida are throwing birthday parties to celebrate this milestone. Smokey's message about wildfire prevention has helped to reduce the number of acres burned annually by wildfires from about 22 million (1944) to an average of 7 million today.
However, wildfire prevention remains one of the most critical environmental issues affecting our country. Many Americans believe that lightning starts most wildfires. In fact, on average, 9 out of 10 wildfires nationwide are caused by people. The principle causes are campfires left unattended, trash burning on windy days, arson, careless discarding of smoking materials or BBQ coals, and operating equipment without spark arrestors.
Florida is no different. Between 70% and 80% of wildfires in Florida are caused by people, with arson and escaped debris burning being the top two causes.
For information and photos about the birthday parties held in your part of Florida see the Division of Forestry's Website at:
Article provided by:
Melissa Yunas, Wildfire Mitigation Specialist
FL Division of Forestry, Okeechobee District
(Martin, Saint Lucie, Indian River, Okeechobee, Highlands & Glades Counties)
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| Pride, Professionalism and Passion - The Next Issue |
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By this time of year each year, many of us are looking forward to, even excited about attending our annual FFMIA Conference. I certainly know that's how I've felt for some 23 years now. This will mark our 61st year conferencing together.
Do you remember your first conference? I'm certain many of our readers indeed remember that and if you've attended these gatherings for more than 10 years, you would have to testify how they've improved over the years, each one better than its predecessor.
Why mention that now some might ask? Well the reasons are two-fold: One, to highlight what is expected to be another exciting and riveting gathering of professionals who continue to seek to improve in their life safety skills, thus keeping our state ahead of the life safety curve so to speak. As the conference chairman, I would like to whet your appetites for the week of November 2nd through the 5th. Look at what's in store:
Sponsors out the wahzoo, whom we can't thank enough and without whom, such gatherings would not be possible.
Then the topics which include presentations about leadership; various kinds of planning; inter-personal dynamics; state law, code and rule programs, as well as implementation of those matters; light truss information, a visit with our SFMO; and perhaps as important as any of this is our renewing longstanding friendships. Of course we can't forget the hard work of Chuck and Juanita each year either, right?
Remember there are many hours of CEU's to be had so as to comply with our recertification requirements, but I'm certain that after attending the conference you all will ultimately agree that the course contents will far outweigh the CEU's in importance and tangible value.
The second reason this post comes to you now is the theme of this year's conference - "Pride, Professionalism and Passion". This article adds a suffix to that title, "The Next Issue" in honor of the theme. Look at why that is said.
That theme may sound familiar to you and if it does, it should, because it comes from a friend, a peer and professional whose life was cut short far too soon. It was our late friend H.A. "Pete" Tucker who first coined that topic in an FFMIA article one year ago this month, October 2008. Here is the link if you haven't already read the piece (http://www.ffmia.org/news/Newsletter_Oct2008.htm). It's well worth the brief time to go there and read it.
While those words have come to be representative of Pete, as well as his recognizable "nickel's worth", Pete's goal wasn't that he be recognized. His goal was that the phrase be recognized and representative of every fire/lifesafety inspector inclusively throughout our association and state.
No greater honor can I think of to bestow upon that goal, not just Pete, but the goal, than to have every member of our association do all they can within their power daily to show deference to that intent by attending all or any portions of the week's activities at the Sheraton Orlando North Hotel.
Hopefully that suffix addition to the "P, P and P" will demonstrate that Pete's intent wasn't lost and that even though he's not with us to see it through, indeed, the 'next issue' is underway and will no doubt be followed by many 'next issues'.
In closing I would like to say how honored I am to have shared with Pete and this group and how privileged, as well as benefited we will be to be present in November to see all the things spoken of here and perhaps even a few not yet revealed. I'm looking forward to seeing you all in November.
Article provided by:
Bart Wright, Assistant fire Chief/Administration
Maitland Fire Department
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| Rural And Suburban Water Supplies |
One of the most challenging items I have dealt with is how do I get water to a remote location where there is no viable water source? Polk County is a very large county and property is of course less costly if it does not have the total infrastructure built. It's common practice for a developer to come in and plat property to build a development. People purchasing their property may get roads, but certainly no public water or sewer and they feel they have gotten a bargain base cost deal. 1142 Standard on Water Supplies for Suburban and Rural Fire Fighting is the code of choice.
To determine how fire protection will be handled, it must be tackled early on, during and prior to "Development Review" if possible. Typically a developer wanting to build at minimum cost will pass much of their costs to people buying their lots. The purchaser of the property gets ready to build a home but now has forgotten what agreements were in their original covenants with regard to fire protection. The seller of the property is pretty much out of the picture now and you find yourself dealing with the new owner of the property and explaining why they must now have fire protection. When the new owners realize what the additional costs will be, all heck breaks loose. The deal that the new owners thought they had for the purchase of their property is now out the window and reality hits them in the face. At this point, the fire department's response time, distance, and water supplies are all explained to the new owners in detail, further emphasizing that had the developer initially installed the water supply, it no doubt would have led to much higher costs up front to the purchaser of the property. Sometimes these explanations work.
NFPA 1142 gives the AHJ standards on water supplies for suburban and rural firefighting and provides latitudes based on each fire department's capabilities. But no matter what you decide as an AHJ, you should have a good foundation as to how you reached your decision. We have used swimming pools, tanks, underground water supplies, and long ago allowed for some dry fire hydrants. Dry hydrants may seem adequate up front, but their continued maintenance may prove to be a nightmare.
There needs to be some changes to this problem. Having dealt with this for so many years in so many different ways, I think it is time to change our codes to read that if there is no viable water system, then a minimum of a 13D fire sprinkler system shall be installed. Swimming pools will work according to code, but guess what? Insurance companies will not recognize them as a viable water source.
The long and short of it is that fire sprinklers are an excellent alternative to fire hydrants, where there is no viable water source. Obviously there is no need to mention all the positives of fire sprinklers to such a distinguished group. But I will throw to you the necessity of bridging fire sprinklers to rural areas by use of new code or perhaps statutory language. It is my learned opinion that a change to NFPA 1142 needs to take place.
Article Provided by:
Wesley Hayes, Fire Marshal
Polk County Fire Service
Office: 863 519-7363
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| 64th Annual Florida Arson Seminar |
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It is still not too late to register for the 64th Annual Florida Arson Seminar which will be held on October 19th through the 22nd at the Rosen Plaza Hotel, 9700 International Drive, Orlando, Florida. The Florida Fire Investigators Association (FFIA), the newly formed section of FFMIA, has partnered with the Florida Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators to present a comprehensive program consisting of a four-day symposium that features a wide spectrum of topics ranging from basic skills to advanced techniques of fire and arson investigation presented by specialists and experts from around the nation. The program of speakers and topics that will also include courses for required Florida Municipal Fire Safety Inspector re-certification credits (24 CEU's available) is posted on the FFMIA website.
The FFIA will conduct the first business meeting during the seminar on Tuesday, October 20th at 5:00 PM. The agenda will address the FFIA mission to support fire investigators' current issues, challenges and concerns they face in the performance of their duties. The FFIA Executive Board would like to invite members of FFMIA that have fire investigation responsibilities to contact Chuck Akers <info@ffmia.org> and request enrollment to become involved in the new FFIA section. Associate Membership is also available for private sector fire investigators and inactive or retired fire investigators.
Article Provided by:
David R. Hollenbach, Jr.
Inspector, Office of the Fire Marshal
Osceola County Fire-Rescue & EMS |
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