USFA LODD: California Fire Captain On-Duty Death Notification 11.30.2015

Fire Captain Scott Carroll, 48, on November 28, 2015 fell ill while working a duty shift that had included one cooking fire and two EMS calls. Captain Carroll left the station for his personal physician’s office and then home to rest where, two days later, on November 30, 2015, he was found by his wife having suffered a fatal brain aneurysm.

Our condolences to the Carroll Family & Friends, City of Oxnard Fire Department and to all affected by Fire Captain Scott Carroll’s passing.

To date, 78 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2015. Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online at U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) Fatality Notices page. 

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.) 

USFA LODD: Illinois Firefighter/Paramedic On-Duty Death Notification 12.04.2015

Firefighter/Paramedic Mark Zielinski, 49, on December 4, 2015 at 1445hrs, responded to a medical incident for a male who was in cardiac arrest at a local retail store. While performing CPR on the patient, Firefighter/Paramedic Zielinski suffered a medical emergency. A second ambulance was summoned and Firefighter/Paramedic Mark Zielinski was taken to Franciscan St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields where, despite all efforts, Zielinski passed away from a reported cardiac related injury. 

Our condolences to the Zielinski Family & Friends, Matteson Fire Department and to all affected by Firefighter/Paramedic Mark Zielinski’s passing.

To date, 77 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2015. Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online at U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) Fatality Notices page. 

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.) 

USFA LODD: Kentucky Fire Captain On-Duty Death Notification 12.05.2015

Fire Captain Zach Chase Clevenger, 30, worked a structure fire in the evening of December 4th returning home near midnight. Firefighter Clevenger was found unconscious by his wife in the morning and emergency assistance was summoned. All efforts to revive Fire Captain Zach Chase Clevenger were unsuccessful and he passed away from a nature and cause of fatal injury still to be reported.  

Our condolences to the Clevenger Family & Friends, Estill County City Fire Department and to all affected by Fire Captain Zach C. Clevenger’s passing.

To date, 76 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2015. Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online at U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) Fatality Notices page. 

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.) 

USFA LODD: Kentucky Assistant Fire Chief On-Duty Death Notification 11.24.2015

On November 12, 2015 at 2200hrs, while responding to a fire call, Assistant Fire Chief Terry “TC” Culver, 65, became ill with heart attack like symptoms causing him to fall from a piece of fire apparatus onto a concrete floor. Assistant Fire Chief Culver was treated and transported to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries almost two weeks later on November 24, 2015. The nature and cause of fatal injury is still to be reported.  

Our condolences to the Culver Family & Friends, Calvert City Fire Department and to all affected by Assistant Fire Chief Terry “TC” Culver’s passing.

To date, 75 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2015. Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online at U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) Fatality Notices page. 

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.) 

USFA LODD: New Jersey Fire Police On-Duty Death Notification 10.14.2015

On October 14, 2015 at 0816hrs, Fire Police Officer Gerald "Bear" Celecki, 70, collapsed while directing traffic at an emergency incident. Fire Police Officer Celecki, who was also chief of the Middlesex County Fire P, was treated on-scene by fellow responders and transported to the hospital but succumbed to a nature and cause of fatal injury to be determined  

   

Our condolences to the Celecki Family & Friends, South Amboy Fire Department, and to all affected by Fire Police Officer Gerald "Bear" Celecki’s passing.    

   

To date, 70 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2015. Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online at U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) Fatality Notices page.   

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.) 

USFA LODD: Ohio Fire Captain On-Duty Death Notification 10.13.2015

On October 13, 2015 at 0720hrs., Fire Captain Charles "Chuck" Horning, 54, was found deceased, slumped over the steering wheel of a vehicle, approximately eight hours after responding to a fire call with his department. The nature and cause of the fatal injury is still to be determined. 

Our condolences to the Horning Family & Friends, Townsend Township Fire Department, and to all affected by Fire Captain Charles "Chuck" Horning’s passing.   

    

To date, 69 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2015. Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online at U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) Fatality Notices page.

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.) 

USAF LODD: Tennessee Fire Lieutenant On-Duty Death Notification 10.07.2015

On October 6, 2015 at 1900hrs., Fire Lieutenant Antonio Smith, 46, fewer then 24 hours after responding to an emergency call with the Memphis Fire Department, was found deceased near his residence inside his personal vehicle. The nature and cause of Lieutenant Smith's fatal injury are still to be reported.
       
Our condolences to the Smith Family & Friends, Memphis Fire Department, and to all affected by Fire Lieutenant Antonio Smith’s passing.

To date, 68 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2015. Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online at U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) Fatality Notices page. 

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.) 

Traffic Incident Management...

USFA, Federal Highway Administration Complete Study of Traffic Incident Management Systems

 (USFA Press Release) 

Updated Traffic Incident Management Systems manual contains technical information and training programs for fire and emergency service providers

Emmitsburg, MD. – The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Highway Administration, working in partnership with the International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA) have, through a study of current traffic incident management practices and policies, updated the 2008 edition of the Traffic Incident Management Systems (TIMS) (PDF, 5 Mb) manual.  The 2012 edition provides the most current technical information and training programs in traffic incident management for fire and emergency service providers in this area as well as guidance to local fire departments on compliance with the latest edition of the DOT Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).

"Effective traffic incident management can enhance roadway safety for firefighters and other emergency responders of which too many have been killed on duty from being struck by vehicles," said U.S. Fire Administrator Ernest Mitchell. "The USFA was pleased to work with the DOT Federal Highway Administration and IFSTA towards reducing this number."

This project included research into effective roadway operations safety and management examining such technology and practices as:

• roadway safety vests and other personal protective equipment,
• effective distance of placement of roadway warning signs,
• correct amount and type of emergency vehicle warning lighting (e.g., intensity, color, etc.), and
• roadway operations safety training.

"We're committed to enhancing the safety of firefighters and emergency responders working on our nation's roadways," said Victor Mendez, Federal Highway Administrator. "We must provide for the safety of these men and women who act selflessly to risk their lives to protect and assist the motoring public."

The updated TIMS manual includes case studies of roadway incidents that have taken the lives of firefighters, highway scene safety survival basics, incident command for roadway incidents, and examples of effective traffic incident management programs.

"Traffic incident management is an important operational and safety issue for today's fire service," said Mike Wieder, IFSTA Executive Director.  "IFSTA was proud to work with USFA and the U.S. Department of Transportation in this initiative to protect firefighters operating on the roadway."

Further information about this study and other roadway safety projects may be found on the USFA website.

The following YouTubes are presented by Maj. (Ret.) Thomas E. Melville, served 34 years with the Indiana State Police and as chair of IN-TIME, Indiana-Traffic Incident Management Effort. He presented Traffic Incident Management (TIM) best practices at a workshop held in Oklahoma City on Feb. 21, 2012:

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)