CFP News

Community Fire Protection News would like to pay our respects to a good friend of ISO and the mitigation community. Dr. Harry E. Hickey passed away on January 29, 2017. Dr. Hickey was an important member of the fire service community and a tireless advocate for effective fire protection for insurers and property owners alike. He served in multiple key roles in the fire service, and his career spanned 52 years.

Fire hydrants located in geographic areas that experience severe and prolonged winter climate conditions need additional attention to prevent failure. Making sure of their operation year round requires constant maintenance and a comprehensive fire flow testing program. As national water resources manager for ISO Community Hazard Mitigation, I’m privileged to travel the country and work with water resource professionals and emergency services departments on a wide range of water issues—and hydrants are a primary topic.

By all accounts, the fire service is in the midst of a revolution driven by many factors, such as better risk reduction programs, new technology, changing fire risks, and health concerns. Fire departments must adapt to these changes to fulfill their mission of protecting communities. To get his perspective on the future of the fire service, Community Fire Protection News interviewed Fire Chief Michael R. Duyck, EFO, CFO, MIFireE, of Tualatin Valley (Oregon) Fire & Rescue (TVF&R).

Imagine the following scenario: Firefighters are dispatched to a local residence where fire is showing from the second-story front window. Arriving on the scene, the firefighters begin to evaluate potential water sources, spot a fire hydrant on the street, and head toward it to establish a water supply. As they reach the hydrant, they realize it’s not operational—it’s completely consumed by a tree and vegetation! They’ll be lucky if they can open just one of the outlets, especially after noting a red tag displaying “out of service” in faded letters.

An interesting current trend in the fire service is that fire frequency is down nationally, but fire severity has increased.

The fire service is often a risky and dangerous profession. Modern technology holds a lot of promise in making it safer for firefighters, emergency responders, and the public. Community Fire Protection News wants to share information as often as we can on the new devices and systems being developed.

The fire service is known for its traditions. One such tradition is the time-honored commissioning of new fire apparatus with a good old-fashioned wetdown.

The ISO Public Protection Classification (PPC) program works with fire departments to analyze and measure their performance in the community.

) program rates the effectiveness and enforcement of building codes in communities throughout the United States.

Over the years, you’ve come to know ISO Community Hazard Mitigation for our data collection and analysis, particularly related to our Public Protection Classification (PPC) and Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS) programs.