CFP News

While a helicopter hovering over a large-scale emergency scene isn’t an uncommon sight to most people, spotting a drone might be—but, it’s happening more and more.

Recently, ISO joined representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) to present the city of Palm Coast, Florida, with a plaque recognizing its recent achievement: earning a Class 4 rating from the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS).

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).

When most people think of municipal services, they probably don’t think of words like “easy,” “convenient,” or “customer-friendly.” Milpitas, California’s Building and Safety Department is changing that dynamic. Through modern technology, they’re streamlining processes to make them simpler, easier to use, and more accessible to customers and professionals who work with them.

A community’s investment in fire mitigation is a proven and reliable predictor of future fire losses. Insurers recognize this and generally offer lower premiums in communities with better protection. To determine a community’s fire protection ability, many insurers rely on ISO’s Public Protection Classification (PPC) program, which evaluates and rates municipal fire protection efforts in communities throughout the United States.

Having a reliable water supply to meet the basic fire flow needs of a community is a major factor in determining that community’s Public Protection Classification (PPC).

One of the many services ISO’s Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS®) program provides is presentations around the country on the program, how it works, and the importance of the classifications to community stakeholders. We do about 20 presentations a year and speak with building industry groups, floodplain managers, emergency managers, building officials, municipal officials, and others.

There are more than 1.3 million photovoltaic (PV) solar systems installed in homes and businesses nationwide, with 1.2 million of them on residential buildings. And the number is growing. The systems produce renewable energy through rooftop solar panels and are part of the green building movement. Renewable energy sources offer many benefits, but also present some additional safety considerations for firefighters.

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.