Firefighting

February 10, 2008 -- RICHMOND – Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine today declared a state of emergency in the Commonwealth of Virginia, directing state agencies to take all necessary actions to aid in the response to multiple wildfires that have broken out in numerous areas across the Commonwealth.

A declaration of emergency allows the Governor to immediately deploy state personnel, equipment, and other emergency response resources, and to coordinate state and local response to the event.    » read more »

February 4, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – International Association of Fire Fighters General President Harold A. Schaitberger issued this statement today on President Bush’s proposed Fiscal Year 2009 budget:

“As the end of the president’s term in office mercifully draws closer, his proposed budget is another example of his words not matching his deeds.    » read more »

January 30, 2008 -- Washington, DC – International Association of Fire Fighters General President Harold A. Schaitberger issued this statement today on the decision by former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani to drop out of the 2008 race for president:

“Rudy Giuliani’s decision to end his campaign for president of the United States is good news for our country and is a clear repudiation of his shameless effort to profit – politically and financially – from a national tragedy.    » read more »

Mailer Explains Why “Rudy Giuliani isn’t qualified to be President.” ; Part of ‘Fire Brigade’ Educating Voters About Giuliani’s Real 9/11 Record

January 25, 2008 -- Boca Raton, Fla. – Rudy Giuliani “was unprepared to protect New York, and he is unprepared to lead our country.” That’s the message Florida Republican voters are receiving in the mail this week from the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF). The IAFF is sending a new direct mail piece to 128,000 Republican women between the ages of 40 and 80, a.k.a. Security Moms.    » read more »

Clinton Urges President to Award Glenn Winuk the Medal of Valor for His Heroic Sacrifice

January 26, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today announced that she will be inviting Jay Winuk to be her guest at this year’s State of the Union Address on Monday, January 28. Jay Winuk is the brother of Glenn J. Winuk, a Manhattan resident, originally from Jericho, NY and volunteer firefighter who lost his life on 9/11.    » read more »

01/25/2008 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued the following statement after a Blue Ribbon Task Force released their report on the devastating Southern California wildfires of 2007. The Governor requested the report in November to help assess how federal, state and local level governments can better prevent and fight future fires.    » read more »

State-of-the-Art Simulator Will Provide Realistic Firefighter Training, as Promised in 2008 State of the City Address

January 23, 2008 -- New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta, Denis Leary of the Leary Firefighters Foundation and FDNY Foundation Vice Chair Andrew Guarino today broke ground on a new high-rise simulator at the FDNY Fire Academy on Randall's Island.    » read more »

19 December 2007 -- A fire broke out Wednesday in the Executive Office Building in the White House compound, but Washington fire fighters quickly had the blaze under control.

Smoke billowed from the historic building as emergency crews rushed to the scene. Fire fighters broke windows, moved furniture to a balcony and sprayed water as they fought the blaze.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino says the source of the fire may have been an electrical closet or telephone bank. She says the blaze was put out in 30 minutes.    » read more »

Funding Comes as Thousands of Patients are Seeking Treatment for 9/11 Related Illnesses, with Numbers Rising

December 17, 2007 -- Washington, DC – Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton, Charles Schumer, Frank Lautenberg, and Robert Menendez, along with Representatives Jerrold Nadler, Carolyn Maloney, and Vito Fossella today announced that the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have approved an additional $108 million in federal funding to address the mounting health needs of those individuals who were exposed to environmental hazards released as a result of the September 11, 2001 a    » read more »

December 14, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today announced that four New Jersey fire departments will be receiving funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grants. The senators reiterated the need to improve the operations and safety capabilities of New Jersey first responders’ to subsequently enhance public safety across the state.    » read more »

Legislation would provide benefits for contract firefighting pilots and air crews

December 5, 2007 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today joined with Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) to introduce the Aerial Firefighter Relief Act, which would extend federal death and disability benefits to contract pilots and air crews killed or injured while flying official firefighting missions for State or Federal agencies.    » read more »

Clinton: President's Cuts Would Have Drastic Impact on New York's Homeland Security Efforts

December 1, 2007 -- Washington, DC – Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today, amid recent reports the Administration plans to drastically slash homeland security funds for first responders, called on the President to reconsider these cuts, and to provide information regarding how any reduction to homeland security funding would make our nation safer.    » read more »

On the same day 9/11 firefighters and families are in New Hampshire rebuking his failure to prepare New York City for a terrorist attack, Rudy Giuliani launched an ad that ironically touts his so-called leadership credentials. While Giuliani talks about "being tested" during "times of crisis" in the new ad, he has yet to answer questions from the 9/11 group who say he failed to protect firefighters and recovery workers from debilitating toxic air at Ground Zero.    » read more »

Of Top Scoring Test-Takers Most Likely to be Appointed New York City Firefighters, Percentage of Minorities Has More Than Doubled

November 27, 2007 -- New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta and Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Martha K. Hirst today announced the results of this year’s written firefighter exam, which was administered by DCAS on January 20, 2007.    » read more »

25 November 2007 -- Firefighters battling a fast moving wildfire in southern California say the blaze is now about 40 percent contained, and should be fully under control by Tuesday.

When the fire began Saturday in the beach community of Malibu, strong winds and high temperatures helped spread the flames rapidly, forcing more than 10,000 people to leave their homes. Los Angeles County fire officials say the blaze has destroyed nearly 50 homes and scorched about 2,000 hectares of land.    » read more »