Roger Sylvestre knows first hand the ins and outs of fire safety, technology homeland security, emergency procedures, and investigations. He’s also a staunch advocate for the work and needs of volunteer fire departments.  As a former fire chief, and part time instructor for the top ranked Connecticut Fire Academy, he brought a wealth of experience to bear during a recent “Shattered Lives radio show.

Please Listen and Learn: CLICK HERE

Topics Discussed Below:

What it’s all about…..

Check out this Cool Video- It will make you tired just watching!  Whew!

Connecticut Fire Academy Recruiting Video – YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApyygVhWKNA;

• Technology used for safety and security of interior structures;
• What is the difference between working as a firefighter in commercial and industrial settings versus residential settings?
• Determining accidental deaths versus those involving criminality; Assessing the “Why” of the fire. .Close collaboration with Police investigators and Forensic Analysis
• Safety inspections;
• The need for sprinklers in private residents and political influence;
• The good  done by Senator Edith Prague;
• Lack of funds spells cuts in fire inspections and education;
• Tragedy in Stamford Connecticut December 24, 2011 – Twin children and grandparents killed in unpermitted house due to improper disposal of fireplace ashes.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/26/nyregion/house-fire-kills-5-in-stamford.html?_r=1;

• Another Tragic Fire Residential Fire, New London, CT, December 1990;
• Discussion of Roger’s Neighbor – a very preventable fire – Dangers of Staining and “Spontaneous Combustion.”
• High Risk populations- The Elderly and Children;
• Elderly with Alzheimer’s Dementia – begins with leaving the stove on…
• Statistics- Preventable Fires versus others;
• Discussion of Domestic Violence and threats – “Domestic Terrorism”
• What’s happening at the local level?  Example: Cuts in New London – Proposed decrease from 70 to 30 fire fighters;
• The plight of volunteer fire fighters … the danger, the human toll
• Fascinating 60  Minute Video on need for sprinklers and “The Station “Nightclub fire such in West Warwick , Rhode Island et al; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1pzuMtUiCQ&feature=related
• The accomplishments of Senator Joseph Lieberman regarding Homeland Security;
• Roger’s advice to check your home alarms and CO2 detectors.

Data from the Connecticut Fire Academy: http://www.ct.gov/cfpc/site/default.asp

 

How many fire fighters are there in the U.S.?  (How many career, how many volunteer?)

 

A: According to estimates based on the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) 2002 National Fire Experience Survey (released January 2004); there were approximately 1,108,240 fire fighters in the U.S. in 2002, an increase of 2.8% from the previous year.

 

The information comes from the annual survey sent out to fire departments and a weighting formula used by NFPA in their estimate equation.  In this survey, career fire fighters were defined to include full-time fire fighters regardless of assignments (e.g. suppression, prevention/inspection, administrative).

 

This survey defined career fire fighters who work for public municipal fire departments; it does not include career fire fighters who work for private fire brigades.

 

Most career fire fighters (76% of the 291,650) work in communities that protect 25,000 or more people.

 

The survey defined volunteer fire fighters as any active part-time (on-call or volunteer) fire fighters.  Active volunteers were defined as being involved in fire fighting.  Of the total number of fire fighters, 74%, or 816,600 were volunteers.

 

Most of the volunteers (95% of the 816,600) are in departments that protect fewer than 25,000 people.  More than half of the volunteers protect fewer than 2,500 people.

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