Free Republic

The Local Government Association (LGA) has said that at at least 15 per cent of those in operational roles should be female. That means they will fill one of the five or six places for crew on each engine.The LGA said an increased number of firewomen is necessary "to meet the needs of local people".But critics warned that political correctness was being put above the ability to save lives.Susie Squire, of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "Introducing this sort of quota to the fire service is a big mistake. "If ever there was a job that should be awarded on...

During the last week of July, fire officials in the Bay Area city of Campbell reported that two men had been seen videotaping routine activities at a fire station. The men were reportedly in their 20s or early 30s, and one was using a sophisticated news media-style camera. When firefighters attempted to talk with the men, they reportedly jumped into a waiting car and sped off. The incident prompted the Sacramento Regional Terrorism Threat Assessment Center to send out a request for Northern California fire stations to watch for similar incidents, and report them immediately. The day the request went...

This situation report is meant as an update to IAFC members on IAFC's activity regarding the Katrina recovery efforts. Additional reports will be filed as information becomes available. PLEASE NOTE: Updates are posted regularly to our Web site, www.iafc.org , and will be e-mailed daily this week after 4pm EST. Please visit the IAFC Web site at http://www.iafc.org/hurricane to find out the latest information rather than relying on e-mailed updates. The IAFC is providing at NOFD request, several association members in key command and control positions in the NOFD Emergency Operations Center in City Hall NOFD logistics and housing are...

Assistant Chief Monte Leonard Fitch was a Montgomery County, Maryland firefighter and Maryland Task Force One USAR member who retired in October 2000 after over 35 years of service. Last August, however, he received a phone call offering him the mission of a lifetime; to help rebuild the Iraqi fire and rescue service. The offer took him completely by surprise. A county fire official had recommended him for the mission, and he was soon hired by the Department of Defense for a six-month deployment to Iraq to train, equip and modernize the fire service. He found himself on a flight...