Guns-N-Hoses Grappling Competition

The Guns-N-Hoses Submission Grappling Competition pits firefighters and law enforcement agents against each other for both sportsmanship and charity. The vision of Los Angeles Police Officer Mark Mireles and Orange County Fire Authority firefighter Ken Gabrielson, this sport combines the principles of wrestling and jiu jitsu, and brings first responders together to help the families of fallen firefighters and police officers. Recently, Guns-N-Hoses held their Conrad Salinas Patriot Cup tournament at the CFED Conference and Expo in Palm Springs, California. (cont. on site)

NFPA’s Risk Watch Program Helps Educators and Firefighters Teach Children About Safety

Injury is the leading health risk for children under 14. In the United States over 6,000,000 children sustain accidental injuries each year, and over 5,000 of these are fatal. In response to this the NFPA developed Risk Watch, the nation’s first comprehensive injury program that school districts and first responders can use to teach young children about safety. (cont. on Site)

Celebration of Women Firefighters in San Diego.

The San Diego Firehouse Museum recently hosted a gathering in celebration of the women of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. The event was attended by current and retired female members of the department, and it recognized the achievements of the women who broke the fire department’s all-male barrier in the late 1970’s. (cont. on site)

Fire Department Network News - National Fire News Videos.

Testimony in the penalty phase of convicted killer Raymond Lee Oyler’s trial could be completed by the end of this coming week.

Riverside County Deputy District Attorney Michael Hestrin has informed Superior Court Judge W. Charles Morgan that he has just three more witnesses to put on the stand when testimony resumes Monday.

Thirteen HME Ahrens-Fox Type 1 Engines Delivered to California Fire Departments Through OES Grants.

In January of 2008, HME Incorporated was awarded a multi-year contract from the State of California to build over 120 Type 1 fire engines. These vehicles were to be distributed to Cal Fire, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (OES), the Department of Corrections and the Sonoma Center. Models to be included in this contract were the HME Ahrens-Fox, Silver Fox, Wolf, CAT (City Attack Truck), RAT (Rapid Attack Truck), Rodent, and Arsenal. Since then and despite the economic downturn that the state has faced, thirteen of these new Type 1 engines have been delivered to fire departments throughout California through a grant awarded by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. (cont. on  site)

Firehouse World Expo and Conference.

Thousands of firefighters, EMTs, instructors, and fire service vendors gathered in San Diego, California for the Firehouse World Expo. One of the largest fire and EMS conferences on the West Coast, this convention was hosted by Cygnus Business Media, the publishers of Firehouse Magazine, www.Firehouse.com, EMS Magazine, www.EMSResponder.com and other first responder websites and publications. The conference and expo was held from February 15th to February 19th at the San Diego Convention Center, and attendees were able to experience a wide variety of training and information on the latest tools and technology available to the fire service and EMS personnel. (cont. on site)

NPFA Works With States to Pass Fire Safe Cigarette Laws

Cigarette fires are the leading cause of fire deaths in the United States, and the Coalition for Fire Safe Cigarettes has been working for years to help all 50 states enact fire safe cigarette laws. The first fire safe cigarette law was passed in New York in 2004, and since then 37 states and the District of Columbia have either signed fire safe cigarette legislation or have implemented the laws. As of January 1, 2009 five new states, Delaware, Iowa, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Texas, enacted laws requiring merchants to sell only fire safe cigarettes. (cont. on site)

Fourth Week of Testimony in Raymond Lee Oyler Arson Murder Trial

Editor’s note: 38-year old Raymond Lee Oyler of Beaumont, California faces five counts of first-degree murder as well as multiple counts of arson. He’s also charged with possession of fire producing devices thought to have been used in setting 23 fires between May and October 2006 including the Esperanza Fire that left five U.S. Forest Service firefighters dead. His trial, now entering its fifth week, is being held at the Riverside County California Hall of Justice. If convicted the former auto mechanic could face the death penalty.

Orange County Fire Authority Wildfire Action Plan Expo

The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) hosted a Wildfire Action Plan Expo on February 11th for the residents of Yorba Linda, a city that was hit hard by the Freeway Complex Fire in November of 2008. The state of California is prone to wildfires year round due to drought conditions, Santa Ana winds in some areas, and brush covered hills, canyons and forests throughout the state. Recognizing this problem, the Orange County Fire Authority, which serves 1.3 million residents in twenty-two cities and unincorporated areas of Orange County, California, has been proactive in forming wildfire defense strategies that include firefighters and the public. The goal of the Wildfire Action Plan Expo was to help homeowners prepare for future wildfire threats, giving them the tools they need to make the best decisions before, during and after a wildfire. (cont. on site) .