4 minute read
Industry News
REGISTRATION NOWOPEN FOR FDSOA 2023 HEALTH AND SAFETYCONFERENCE
The Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 2023 Health and Safety Conference. The Health and Safety Conference will be held in conjunction with the First Responder Center for Excellence (FRCE) Health and Wellness Symposium January 17-20, 2023, at the Tradewinds Island Grand in St Pete’s Beach, Florida. Pre-conference programs will be held January 15-16. Registration for the Apparatus Conference, held January 8-10, 2023, at the Gilbert Fire Academy in Gilbert, Arizona, will be available soon.
The FRCE has held successful cancer and behavioral health symposia over the last five years and aims to take a more holistic approach with this year’s event. Combining the two events provides for a more robust group of speakers and allows participants to attend both conferences for one great price.
There are other significant additions to the Health and Safety Conference in three co-sponsors. F.I.E.R.O., Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN) and the Science Alliance, a new community of scientists and fire service professionals dedicated to improving the health and safety of first responders, have all signed on as sponsors of the event to participate in some way and expand the reach of the conference.
As firefighter health and safety has become a topic at the forefront of the fire service, including these organizations expands our pool of subject matter experts.
Pre-conference events include Health and Safety Officer (HSO) and Incident Safety Officer (ISO) 2-day academies, Response to Battery Emergencies, Infectious Control, Accident Investigation, a F.I.E.R.O PPE Workshop and The 5 Reads. Schedules are now available at https://www.eventsquid.com/event.cfm?id=17130, an assemblage of notable and highly-skilled instructors. General session speakers include Dr. Richard Gasaway, founder of Situational Awareness Matters!; Dr. Lori MooreMerrell, US Fire Administrator; and Chief Dennis Compton, Mesa, Arizona (Ret.). Registration is available for these great classes and events. A10-percent discount applies to all registrations until October31, 2022.We look forward to seeing you at one of these great conferences!
The 5th Annual Firefighter Health & Wellness conference is coming soon to Beavercreek, Ohio, on October 26, 27 and 28, 2022. The Firefighter Health and Wellness Conference is the most affordable health and wellness conference in America! This year’s speakers include Former Firefighter, Police Officer, Author, and Comedian Travis Howze, Save-a-Warrior Founder Jake Clark, FDNYDeputy Chief Frank Leeb, Retired FDNY Captain Mike Dugan, Retired OKCFD Major Chris Fields, Dr Sara Jahnke, Dr Jeff Burgess, and more! Visit our website to view our entire lineup and purchase your tickets! https://events.brothershelpingbrothers.org/ffhw2022
Couple Reunited with TheirRescuers
Acouple rescued from their burning East Northport home on April 22, 2022, were reunited with their rescuers on July 5, 2022, at the Commack firehouse.
Evelyn and Harold Cohen have yet to move back into their home, which was severely damaged, but during the visit to the firehouse they thanked the Commack fire chiefs for the work of their department to rescue them. According to Chief Kiernan Keane, on April 22 at 0319, the Commack Fire Department was called out to the Penfield Drive house fire. At 0324, a neighbor and Commack Firefighter Andrew Spiler arrived and advised Chief Keane there was a working fire and confirmed there were two residents trapped.
Third Assistant Chief Chris Ciaccio arrived and quickly donned his bunker gear and SCBA. At the same time Suffolk County Police Second precinct Police Officers Shane Wild and Steven Capongna were trying to pull one of the victims out a top floor window. Simultaneously, Firefighter Spiler forced entry into the front door. Chief Ciaccio, without the protection of a hoseline and with impending flashover signs present, quickly began a targeted search in effort to make it to the bedroom where the victim was last observed. Chief Ciaccio, found Mrs. Cohen semiconscious. With interior fire conditions rapidly deteriorating, Chief Ciaccio, in coordination with the police officers who were on a ladder, was able to lift the victim up to the windowsill, allowing the two officers to pull her to safety. With a victim still in the burning building, firefighters began to search for the second victim. Within seconds Chief Ciaccio and Firefighter Jerome Quigley found Mr. Cohen conscious and hanging out of a bedroom window on the top floor.
The victims were treated at the scene by Commack Ambulance members then taken to the hospital by ambulance. They both suffered smoke inhalation and minor burns. They were treated at the hospital and released later the same day and have both since made full recoveries.
“It is to be noted that the first victim was removed within approximately four minutes and 14 seconds of Chief Ciaccio’s arrival and the second victim removed within one minute and 43 seconds after the first victim,” according to a report by Chief Keane, who is recommending Chief Ciaccio and Firefighter Quigley for honors in the appropriate grades. - Fire News photos by Joseph C. Sperber & Commack FD (photo of fire scene with Chief Keane 2-11-30)
