This week's newsSelected links to firefighter workplace, industrial, technology and OHS news stories across the last seven days.
Australia:Vic: UFU win over privatised training attemptMFB drops EO bypass plan.
Vic: Bushfires Royal Commission roundup:
- Commissioners question CFA education campaignCommissioners Bernard Teague and Ron McLeod question a favourable assessment of the CFA's new community education campaign.
- Nixon denies misleading Royal CommissionAs police chief, Christine Nixon, the now head of Victoria's bushfire recovery taskforce, went out for dinner with friends as the state burned on Black Saturday.
- Wine industry 'on its knees' after Black SaturdayNew study finds the Black Saturday bushfires cost the Victorian wine industry over $368 million.
- Wombat mauls bushfire survivor Black Saturday survivor feared for his life during a ˝ hour wombat attack at Flowerdale.
NSW: Restaurant evacuatedLeederville restaurant fire causes $100,000 damage.
Vic: MFB an 'intractably sick' organisationChairman's comments following resignation.
Qld: Body found after shed blazeBurnt out shed near Gin Gin in the Wide Bay region.
InternationalUK: Fire control room plans condemnedFirefighters not been consulted; a poorly executed and badly managed project say MPs.
Select Committee Report shows FireControl project should be abandoned says FBU.
USA: Firefighter's HazMat HandbookCovers over 13,000 chemicals and their characteristics.
UK: Sofas to go at fire stationsSofas, comfortable chairs, snooker tables and dart boards to be removed from all West Midland fire stations to make the service seem “professional”.
USA: Firefighter, county end shirt disputeCounty backs down after initially rejecting long sleeve protective shirt request says Union.
Canada: Vancouver firefighters remove grim reaper muralCivil Liberties Association called a news conference to protest about the mural.
USA: Jeffersonville firefighter fitness standard disputedThe amount of exercise depends on the age and sex of the firefighter.
UK: South Wales fire alarms being ignored No working fire alarm in more than 62% of the household fires tackled.
USA: Mexico/SoCal QuakeDust shaken from mountains ringing the Coachella Valley north of the Mexican border.
UK: Blair's burnt breakfast calloutFour engines were sent to ex-PM's 17th Century building.
USA: NYC fire department gets boat to fight chemical spills, terroristsNamed 'Three Four Three' after the 343 firemen and women who died in the 9/11 attacks.
http://dvice.com/archives/2010/04/nyc-fire-depart.php
USA: Sidewinder firefighting helmet looks straight out of spaceSelf-contained breathing apparatus.
Indonesia: Jakarta firefighters left high and dry as blaze guts marketHamstrung by an inadequate water supply.
USA: Emergency responders, firefighters at a higher risk for heart attackAlso, obesity can be a cause of sleep apnea, making for drowsy, less-alert firefighters and paramedics.
USA: Flint (Michigan) laying off 69 police officers and firefightersFirefighters Union says if any Flint firefighters die in the line of duty, it will be the mayor's responsibility.
USA: Landslide kills 20 in the Peruvian AmazonsFirefighters retrieved eleven bodies from a river in the zone.
USA: Indian River County's first female firefighter celebrates 20 years"A total of, I think 26 women in the department, including myself, are paramedic/firefighters …"
India: More fire stations planned but not enough land to put them onThe fire and emergency department strategy in Bangalore questioned.
USA: 'Coots' Matthews, famed oil well firefighter, diesFamed oil well firefighter was part of a trio who inspired the 1968 movie "Hellfighters" starring John Wayne.
USA: Union fights to keep paramedicsPhiladelphia's firefighters union up in arms over mayor's to remove paramedics from the Union.
