The Department of Fire Service presents the first of the 2008 - 2009 Senior Fire Officer Forums

Subject: The Art of Reading Smoke Speaker: David Dodson, Battalion Chief, Eagle River Fire District, Colorado

MA SS D e p a r tme n t o f F i r e S e r v i c e s
2008 Senior Fire Officer Forum
Special Presentations for Massachusetts Senior Fire Officials
Register online at www.mass.gov/dfs or fax a DFS/MFA student application to (978) 567-3229.
If interested in the hot buffet luncheon, please contact MFA at (978) 567-3200 to pre-register no
later than October 1, 2008. Hot buffet luncheon is available for $16.00 each.
The Art of Reading Smoke
David Dodson, Battalion Chief
Eagle River Fire District, Colorado
Often smoke issuing from a building is the only clue available to predict fire
behavior and the likelihood of a flashover or rapid fire spread. First arriving
officers, incident commanders, and safety officers MUST know how to rapidly read
smoke – this class explains the reading-smoke process and gives participants
practice using actual fireground video.
Thursday, October 9, 2008 from 1000 to 1500 hours
Devens Common Center, Devens, MA
www.DevensCommonCenter.com
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Executive Office of Public
Safety and Security
Department of Fire Services
P.O. Box 1025, State Rd.
Stow, MA 01775
October 9, 2008 Senior Fire Officer Forum
Register Online
www.mass.gov/dfs

MFA Student Enrollment Western MA Programs

The following programs are in need of students

Fri 9/19 -1730 hours and Sat 9/20 09:00 hours @ Williamstown, Pumps and Hydraulics- 18 openings

Sat Oct 4 & Sun Oct 5- 09:00 hours @ Chester ,Pumps and Hydraulics- 21 openings

Sat Oct 25 & Sun Oct 26 - 09:00 @ Lee, Rural Water Supply- 21 openings

Sat Nov 8 & Sun Nov 9- 09:00 @ Sandisfield, Protective Breathing Search and Rescue, 26 Openings

Student enrollment #'s as of today.

Thank You

Jim

James Potts Assistant Coordinator- District Delivery Programs
Department of Fire Services Massachusetts Fire Academy
PO Box 1025, State Rd
Stow, MA 01775Office phone number and voicemail: 978-567-3216 Fax: 978-567-3121
james.potts@state.ma.us

Current Course List for Berkshire County from Mass Fire Acadmey

http://db.state.ma.us/dfs/mfa_courses/courseAndSectionsList.asp?filterCoursesBy=section_county&filterCoursesValue=berkshire&curr=1

The Mass DEP announces School Chemical Management Training

The MassDEP announces School Chemical Management training. Please refer to the attachment for further guidance on training and registration procedures. ********************************************

Coming Out of the Closet - Managing School Chemicals from Cradle to Grave If there was ever a situation where the adage "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" applies, it would be to chemical safety in schools. Properly managing the chemicals in your school chemistry lab, facilities department, art department (and others) can limit a school's liability, prevent a fire or explosion and help avoid a costly clean-up. Register today for MassDEP's School Chemical Management Training For the last several years MassDEP's Municipal Sustainability Grant Program has offered communities assistance in establishing a sustainable chemical management plan for their schools.


As part of the grant program we offer a four-hour training session on school chemical management, which is open to all interested municipalities, regardless of their grant status. If you apply for this grant next year, and are awarded, your municipality will need to form an Environmental Health and Safety team and send at least three people to this training. Applicants who have already fulfilled the training requirement will be favorably evaluated during the grant review and award process. When we offered this training earlier in the month registration filled in less than a week and we had to turn people away! This will be our last training for the fiscal year and will again be held at the Public Safety Building in Natick. Who: Principals or Asst.

Principals, Business Managers, Science Department Heads, Science teachers, Art Department Heads, Directors of Vocational Education, Facilities Managers, Head Custodians, Fire Chiefs and Fire Prevention Officers. When: Tuesday June 24, 2008, 9:00am to 1:00pm Where: Public Safety Building 22 East Central Street Natick, MA RSVP: Registration is limited to 50 people. To register please send an email to: Mercedes.Mitchell@state.ma.us. The School Chemical Management grant, valued at $12,200, provides a municipality with up to $5000 toward the cleanout of obsolete and unneeded chemical stock-piles and up to 90 hours of assistance from a consultant specializing in school chemical management. For more information about the grant program, a two-page fact sheet about the program can be found at http://www.mass.gov/dep/service/compliance/schlchem.htm

DFS - Available Seating NEW CHIEF FIRE OFFICERS Orientation.

On June 12 & 13, 2008, the Department of Fire Services will present the New Chief Fire Officer Orientation. The following attachment contains the program itinerary and registration information. On June 12 ** NEW ** CHIEF FIRE OFFICER ORIENTATION The purpose of this two-day presentation is to provide Executive and Administrative Fire Officers, who are new to their positions, an opportunity to learn of the assistance available from a number of public and private sector agencies and entities with which they will interact.


As a participant in this orientation, the chief fire officers will have the opportunity to ask questions of and receive critical contact information from a number of key organizations that serve the Massachusetts fire service. In addition, there will be experienced fire chiefs present to assist the new chief fire officers in making the most of the day while expanding their contact network. Day 1 - The presentation has been designed to provide the new chief fire officer with the most critical information sources and contacts that will result in a positive impact on the administration of their organization. Day 2 – Will begin with a presentation by David Statter from WUSA 9 Washington, DC, “The Role of Media in Today’s Fire Service”. Since 1972, David Statter has covered the news. A good deal of David’s reporting has focused on how fire and emergency medical services are delivered in and around Washington and Baltimore. Along the way, David was also a volunteer firefighter, an emergency dispatcher and a cardiac rescue technician. He maintains a website: www.Statter911.com. Course #: 200-039-594


Session A Date: June 12-13, 2008 Time: Day 1: 0900-1700 Day 2: 0900-1300 Location: Devens Conference Center, 31 Andrews Parkway Devens, MA Registration Fee: $25.00 per person (purchase order, money order, bank or personal check) This course is a priority selection. Payment can be made payable to the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy Trust Fund, which includes lunch and coffee on day 1 and coffee on day 2. Please include a completed DFS / MFA standard application with your payment. Mail to: Registrar Massachusetts Firefighting Academy State Road, P.O. Box 1025 Stow, MA 01775 (978) 567-3200 The schedule will be as follows: Day 1 Day 2 0900 Welcome and Introductions • Kurt Schwartz, Undersecretary EOPSS • Stephen D. Coan, State Fire Marshal, • Chief Gerard Dio, FCAM 0900 Keynote Speaker • David Statter 0930 Laws, Regulations, & Liability • DFS Chief Counsel, Steven Rourke 0945 DFS Presentation • DFS Division Heads 1030 Agency Presentations • Partnering Agencies 1045 Partnering Agency Fair 1200 Lunch/Motivational Speaker • Leadership 1300 Conclusion 1300 Agency Presentations • Partnering Agencies 1430 Break 1445 Presentations Resume 1700 Presentations Conclude PARTNERING AGENCIES (* Indicates speakers) * The Executive


Office of Public Safety and Security – Fusion Center * The Department of Fire Services * Department of Public Safety * Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency * Massachusetts National Guard Statewide Emergency Telecommunications Board * Department of Conservation and Recreation Bureau of Forest Fire Control * Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection * State Ethics Commission State Inspector General * Commonwealth of Massachusetts Human Resources Division – Civil Service Joint Labor Management Committee * Department of Public Health Office of Emergency Medical Services Massachusetts Correctional


Industries Mass Highway * Executive Office of Administration & Finance/Operational Services Division * FEMA Region 1 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue United States Coast Guard Massachusetts Municipal Association * Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts – Massachusetts Mobilization Plan * Massachusetts Corps of Fire Chaplains * CISM Teams American Red Cross * Juvenile Firesetters Committee

MA State Weekend at the National Fire Academy October 10 - 12, 2008

To: MC/VFA Members From: MC/VFA Training Committee Date: June 3, 2008 Subj: MA State Weekend at the National Fire Academy, October 10 - 12, 2008. The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy has sent out advanced notice that the MA State Weekend at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland will be held October 10 - 12. Registration for the 230 slots is on a first come - first served basis. The Registration period will close September 5. This weekend is well worth the trip and is very rewarding on both an educational and personal level. These weekends fill up fast, so don't delay your application if you wish to attend. Applications have been mailed out to your chief and/or training officer by DFS.