Lynch Signs Law Banning Burning Of Demolition Debris

Governor Says Burning Poses Health Risks

CONCORD, N.H. -- Gov. John Lynch signed a law Tuesday permanently banning the burning of toxic construction and demolition debris.

Vermont has a similar ban, and Maine allows the debris to be burned with some restrictions.

New Hampshire's ban takes effect Jan. 1. Communities can continue to burn untreated wood at their transfer stations until 2011 if it's supervised by a solid waste facility operator.

In signing the law, Lynch kept a campaign promise to permanently stop the debris from being burned and from being imported from other states for incineration.

"The burning of toxic construction and demolition debris poses an unnecessary and unacceptable danger to New Hampshire," said Lynch. "With this new law, we are protecting the health of New Hampshire's people and the health of our state's environment."

Lynch said the state is working to reduce many toxic substances, such as mercury, from entering the environment in other ways, and it makes no sense to do that and then allow it to enter through a smokestack.

Last year, Lynch signed a law extending a moratorium on burning the debris, which was set to expire Dec. 31, but called for a permanent ban because of the health risks posed by airborne pollutants. Lynch said a temporary moratorium was not sufficient protection.

"The risks are too great to rely on temporary measures," he said.

Lynch and Environmental Services Commissioner Thomas Burack are working to find alternatives for the materials' disposal. Burack said a special task force will issue its preliminary report by the end of the year.

The ban is a first step in the long-term effort to dispose of the debris in better ways, which Burack called the "three Rs."

"The three Rs are reduction, reuse and recycling," he said.

Meanwhile, Regenesis Corp., formerly Bio Energy LLC, which operates a co-generation plant in Hopkinton, Lynch's hometown, is appealing to the state Supreme Court to be allowed to burn the debris.

Regenesis had obtained state permits to burn wood chips from construction and demolition debris in 2003, but the permits were later revoked. It then sued for the right to resume burning the same type of wood chips it had previously used, without going through a new permitting process.

Lynch and other burn opponents said a ban was needed to prevent the state from becoming a dumping ground for out-of-state construction and demolition waste.

Of New Hampshire's neighbors, only Vermont has a similar ban.

In Vermont, it is illegal to burn the debris or any type of home or commercial refuse. Yard waste and other organic matter can be burned with a permit, according to Darren Allen of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.

Massachusetts bans burying pavement, brick, concrete, metal and wood in landfills, but does not ban wood from disposal in municipal incinerators.

Last year, Maine Gov. John Baldacci signed a law imposing new restrictions on burning the debris, which is imported into Maine by the ton and is used as a cheap biomass fuel. The law limits the volume of wood from construction and demolition debris that may be substituted for conventional fuel in boilers to 50 percent per year. The law also established a standard to make sure the debris is as clean as technically possible.

Some 600 million pounds of construction and demolition debris were burned in biomass boilers in Maine in 2004. The state Department of Environmental Protection said more than 80 percent of the total came from out-of-state sources.

Simply blocking waste from being imported into Maine isn't an option because such restrictions have been deemed unconstitutional.

Many fire volunteers fail to stay safe: Unbuckled seat belts can turn would-be rescuers into victims themselves

Bryan Chu, Albany Times Union, N.Y.

Apr. 22--An emergency radio scanner crackles. An alarm sounds. Fire police officers suit up, jump into their vehicles and rush to the scene.

The only problem is that fire police, and their fellow firefighters, often forget to do the very thing they ask of other drivers -- buckle their seat belts.

Then, instead of being the rescuers, they can become the victims.

Take the case of Edgar Scott, a 75-year-old Menands volunteer fire police captain, who died when his box-van collided with a propane tanker while making a U-turn on Interstate 787. Scott, who was not wearing a seat belt, was tossed from his vehicle.

Scott and other fire police -- who are in charge of crowd and traffic control at emergency scenes -- account for the largest percentage of on-duty deaths for those in the fire service industry, including paid and volunteer.

And, among both fire police and firefighters killed, failing to wear seat belts already has been cited more often this year than last, according to the United States Fire Administration. Of nine killed this year, six were not wearing seat belts and were thrown from their vehicles. Of the eight who died in 2006, two were not wearing seat belts. The worst year in the past five was in 2003, when 30 were killed, eight of whom were not wearing seat belts.

"This is a huge problem," said Kelvin Cochran, second vice president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, a nonprofit professional association of more than 12,000. "We've seen enough deaths this year. We need to take drastic measures to change this trend."

A seat belt mandate is not on the books for fire departments in New York. Actually, the state is one of 37 that does not mandate seat belt use for all firefighters, according to 2003 figures from Critical Incident Stress Management Perspectives Inc., a training and consulting practice that prepares fire departments for deaths among its membership.

The state's seat belt laws include an emergency responder exemption that excuses firefighters and fire police from buckling up. According to the Fireman's Association of the State of New York, the exemption exists because every second counts and being held up by a seat belt could cost a life.

But the anti-seat belt use rationale could be deeper than that. Members of fire departments believe they are immune to injury, said Daniel McGuire, president of Critical Incident, which was recently hired by the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs to give three-hour workshops to every county in New York until 2008.

"They think nothing is going to happen to (them)," he said. "There's a real machismo attitude."

That occurs against a backdrop of New York having more on-duty fatalities overall than any other state last year. Fourteen died, accounting for 13.3 percent of deaths nationwide, the national fire administration reports. From 2001 to 2006, there were 59 on-duty fatalities in New York (excluding deaths during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001).

Among fire service deaths nationally, some 25 percent occur when firefighters and fire police are responding to or returning from incidents, the national fire administration reports.

In a November 2003 poll by Firehouse.com -- a Web site used by firefighters and fire chiefs -- more than 11,000 people responded to the topic of seat belt usage. Forty-five percent answered they don't wear seat belts at all times when responding to emergencies. In the same poll from April, 36 percent of 8,000 people said they don't wear seat belts.

Wynantskill fire police Capt. Richard Trumbull, who requires seat belt usage at his fire department, doesn't understand why this is happening.

"It's common sense," he said. "If you want to survive, then you need to wear a seat belt."

Nationwide campaigns are pressing fire departments to require seat belt usage.

The "Everyone Goes Home Tour," started by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, aims to reduce the number of fire service on-duty deaths by urging such safety protocols as seat belt usage. The nonprofit foundation based in Emmitsburg, Md., was created by Congress.

Dr. Burton A. Clark, a volunteer firefighter in Laurel, Md., started another campaign pushing fire departments across the nation to wear seat belts. Clark started the National Seat Belt Pledge after Christopher Brian Hunton, 27, of the Amarillo, Texas, fire department died in April 2005 from injuries suffered in an accident. He was not wearing his seat belt. So far, 28,000 firefighters have signed the pledge vowing to buckle up.

"This is something we can stop overnight," Clark said. "Most fire departments have rules, but they don't enforce, they just ignore it. Consequently, it creates a culture of unsafe behavior."

Cochran's solution for seat-belt awareness at his fire department in Shreveport, La., is a three-strike rule that could result in a fine or suspension by the third infraction. No one has received a third strike.

The National Fire Protection Association -- an international nonprofit organization that advocates fire prevention and public safety out of its Quincy, Mass., headquarters -- has a national seat belt policy that many fire departments have adopted. The policy states: "All persons riding in fire apparatus shall be seated and belted securely by seat belts in approved riding positions at any time the vehicle is in motion."

While the Capital Region continues to mourn the death of Scott, many fire police and firefighters are voicing a need for change and more safety awareness among their peers.

"You need to be safe yourself before you can help others," said Brooke Wagner, a fire police officer at the Averill Park & Sand Lake Fire Department. Chu can be reached at 454-5080 or by e-mail at bchu@timesunion.com.

BLACKOUT SAFETY TIPS

Top Safety Tips for a Blackout

• Only use a flashlight for emergency lighting. Never use candles!
• Turn off electrical equipment you were using when the power went out.
• Avoid opening the refrigerator and freezer.
• Do not run a generator inside a home or garage.
• If you use a generator, connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator. Do not connect a generator to a home's electrical system.
• Listen to local radio and television for updated information.

How Can I Prepare Before a Blackout Happens?
Assemble essential supplies, including:

• Flashlight
• Batteries
• Portable radio
• at least one gallon of water
• a small supply of food.
• Due to the extreme risk of fire, do not use candles during a power outage.

If you have space in your refrigerator or freezer, consider filling plastic containers with water, leaving about an inch of space inside each one. (Remember, water expands as it freezes, so it is important to leave room in the container for the expanded water). Place the containers in the refrigerator and freezer. This chilled or frozen water will help keep food cold if the power goes out, by displacing air that can warm up quickly with water or ice that keeps cold for several hours without additional refrigeration.

If you use medication that requires refrigeration, most can be kept in a closed refrigerator for several hours without a problem. If unsure, check with your physician or pharmacist.

If you use a computer, keep files and operating systems backed up regularly. Consider buying extra batteries and a power converter if you use a laptop computer. A power converter allows most laptops (12 volts or less) to be operated from the cigarette lighter of a vehicle. Also, turn off all computers, monitors, printers, copiers, scanners and other devices when they're not being used. That way, if the power goes out, this equipment will have already been safely shut down. Get a high quality surge protector for all of your computer equipment. If you use the computer a lot, such as for a home business, consider purchasing and installing an uninterruptable power supply (UPS). Consult with your local computer equipment dealer about available equipment and costs.

If you have an electric garage door opener, find out where the manual release lever is located and learn how to operate it. Sometimes garage doors can be heavy, so get help to lift it. If you regularly use the garage as the primary means of entering your home upon return from work, be sure to keep a key to your house with you, in case the garage door will not open.

If you have a telephone instrument or system at home or at work that requires electricity to work (such as a cordless phone or answering machine), plan for alternate communication, including having a standard telephone handset, cellular telephone, radio, or pager. Remember, too, that some voice mail systems and remote dial-up servers for computer networks may not operate when the power is out where these systems are located. So even if you have power, your access to remote technology may be interrupted if the power that serves those areas is disrupted. Check with remote service providers to see if they have backup power systems, and how long those systems will operate.

Keep your car fuel tank at least half full because gas stations rely on electricity to power their pumps.

Follow energy conservation measures to keep the use of electricity as low as possible, which can help power company(ies) avoid imposing rolling blackouts.

Specific Information for People With Disabilities
If you use a battery-operated wheelchair, life-support system, or other power-dependent equipment, call your power company before rolling blackouts happen. Many utility companies keep a list and map of the locations of power-dependent customers in case of an emergency. Ask them what alternatives are available in your area. Contact the customer service department of your local utility company(ies) to learn if this service is available in your community.

If you use a motorized wheelchair or scooter, have an extra battery. A car battery also can be used with a wheelchair but will not last as long as a wheelchair's deep-cycle battery. If available, store a lightweight manual wheelchair for backup.

If you are Blind or have a visual disability, store a talking or Braille clock or large-print timepiece with extra batteries.

If you are Deaf or have a hearing loss, consider getting a small portable battery-operated television set. Emergency broadcasts may give information in American Sign Language (ASL) or open captioning.

Using a Generator
If you are considering obtaining a generator, get advice from a licensed professional, such as an electrician. Make sure the generator is listed with Underwriter's Laboratories or a similar organization. Some municipalities, Air Quality Districts, or states have "air quality permit" requirements. A licensed electrician will be able to give you more information on these matters. Always plan to keep the generator outdoors -- never operate it inside, including the basement or garage. Do not hook up a generator directly to your home's wiring. The safest thing to do is to connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator. Connecting a cord from the generator to a point on the permanent wiring system and backfeeding power to your home is an unsafe method to supply a building during a power outage.

For more information about using generators safely, see the Generator fact sheet.

What Do I Do During A Blackout?
Turn off or disconnect any appliances, equipment (like air conditioners) or electronics you were using when the power went out. When power comes back on, it may come back with momentary "surges" or "spikes" that can damage equipment such as computers and motors in appliances like the air conditioner, refrigerator, washer, or furnace.

Leave one light turned on so you'll know when your power returns.

Leave the doors of your refrigerator and freezer closed to keep your food as fresh as possible. If you must eat food that was refrigerated or frozen, check it carefully for signs of spoilage. See the Red Cross brochure called, "Help The Power Is Out" for more information.

Use the phone for emergencies only. Listening to a portable radio can provide the latest information. Do not call 9-1-1 for information -- only call to report a life-threatening emergency.

Eliminate unnecessary travel, especially by car. Traffic signals will stop working during an outage, creating traffic congestion.

Remember that equipment such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and elevators may not work during a power outage.

If it is hot outside, take steps to remain cool. Move to the lowest level of your home, as cool air falls. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Drink plenty of water, even if you do not feel thirsty. If the heat is intense and the power may be off for a long time, consider going to a movie theater, shopping mall, or "cooling shelter" that may be opened in your community. Listen to local radio or television for more information. Get more tips on the preparing for a heat wave.

Remember to provide plenty of fresh, cool water for your pets.

If it is cold outside, put on layers of warm clothing. Never burn charcoal for heating or cooking indoors. Never use your oven as a source of heat. If the power may be out for a prolonged period, plan to go to another location (relative, friend, or public facility) that has heat to keep warm.

Energy Conservation Recommendations

• To conserve power to help avoid a blackout, the power industry recommends:
• In heating season, set the furnace thermostat at 68 degrees or lower. In cooling season, set the thermostat at 78 degrees or higher. Consider installing a programmable thermostat that you can set to have the furnace or air conditioning run only when you are at home. Most power is used by heating and cooling, so adjusting the temperatures on your thermostat is the biggest energy conservation measure you can take.
• Turn off lights and computers when not in use. This is especially true about computer monitors - avoid using a "screen saver" and just simply turn the monitor off when you won't be using the computer for a while. Turn the computer off completely each evening. It is no longer true that computer equipment is damaged from turning it off and on.
• Close windows when the heating or cooling system is on.
• Caulk windows and doors to keep air from leaking, and replace old windows with new, energy-efficient windows.
• Clean or replace furnace and air-conditioner filters regularly.
• When buying new appliances be sure to purchase energy-efficient models.
• Wrap the water heater with an insulation jacket, available at most building supplies retailers.
• If you have to wash clothes, wash only full loads and clean the dryer's lint trap after each use.
• When using a dishwasher, wash full loads and use the "light" cycle. If possible, use the "rinse only" cycle and turn off the "high temperature" rinse option. When the regular wash cycle is done, just open the dishwasher door to allow the dishes to air dry.
• Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent lights.
• Use one large light bulb rather than several smaller ones.

For More Information
If you would like more information about rolling blackouts and how to deal with them, contact the power company that serves your area.

School Bus Accidents

By Leigh T. Hollins

Since I first wrote about school bus extrication in the December 1997 and January 1998 issues of Fire Engineering Magazine, not much has changed concerning school buses themselves. School buses are built to federal, state, and local standards that have stayed mostly the same, which is that school buses must be designed and built tough enough to withstand significant impact while protecting our children inside the passenger compartment. This is accomplished through a design that uses heavier-than-normal vehicle construction techniques, a high-profile chassis, seating compartmentation, and various safety features.

Seat belts on school buses continue to be an issue nationwide, with laws that vary state by state and local decisions that may or may not require their use. With that said, our approach to the rescue and extrication side of responding to a school bus incident remains mostly the same as in the 1990's. Since the 1990's, responder training and the equipment used has changed. The Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) and other regional and national conferences have greatly enhanced responders' knowledge of heavy extrication. Just considering the FDIC conferences at which I have taught and the group with which I travel the U.S., we have instructed about 2,500 emergency responders in school bus rescue in the last 10 years. Couple that with the 2001 release of Fire Engineering's School Bus Extrication video (now available on DVD) and the number of responders nationwide with an enhanced knowledge of school bus rescue techniques probably climbs to between 3,500 and 4,000. That is a major difference--up to 4,000 emergency responders with a greater level of knowledge in school bus rescue and extrication.

Here are a couple of "nuggets" for you to ponder:

Are you familiar with the term "Rescue Corridor"? You will need to know about it if you are moving patients off a school bus. A rescue corridor refers to the movement of rescuers and equipment in one way and the movement of patients out another way.

Unified Command? You bet...fire, EMS, law enforcement, and school district reps must all work together to mitigate a school bus incident, even a minor one

Is your fire department prepared for this? School bus incidents require responders to be trained in heavy rescue, mass casualty incidents, and command and control. Only then will you have the knowledge to be successful when a school bus full of kids strikes something large or rolls over on its side.

How will you communicate with a school bus full of mentally disabled students? Use your resource wisely. In this case, the adult aide on the bus was the only one who understood the students. What if the aide was injured? Prepare now!

Accidents happen every day; some just have a greater "wow" factor. What if this bus, which was loaded with 55 elementary students, had rolled over on its side? Do you know what to do? Normal vehicle extrication skills and tools will not work. A hybrid school bus?? That's right, the first one in service in the nation. Are you keeping up with technology? These new hybrids have 1,300 pounds of lithium ion batteries on one side, offset by 1,300 pounds of steel counterweight on the opposite side. 1. Will this affect our operations? 2. Where is the high-voltage cable? 3. What color is the cable? 4. Where is the emergency shunt switch? Only up-to-date training will answer these questions. (Answers: 1. Yes, such factors as dealing with high voltage, stabilizing a bus that has rolled onto its roof with an extra 3,000 pounds as the new high center of gravity will alter your tactics. 2. Left side middle, under bus. 3. Orange 1" cable. 4. Left side, under bus, at front of battery bank.

You must have "real world" experience...hopefully on the drill ground first.

National Incident Management System

NIMS Training

Training is one of the important NIMS Implementation activities that Federal, State, Territorial, Tribal, and Local entities must complete as they work towards becoming fully compliant with the NIMS. State, Territorial, Tribal, and Local jurisdictions will be required to meet the FY 2007 NIMS implementation requirements as a condition of receiving federal preparedness funding assistance in FY 2008.

It is important to recognize that NIMS implementation will not end in FY 2007. The NIMS is a dynamic system, and the doctrine as well as the implementation requirements will continue to evolve as our prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery capabilities improve and our homeland security landscape changes. It is critical NIMS baseline training becomes an integral part of the organization’s training program. Organizational changes as a result of new hires, promotions or mission changes amplify this training requirement. Additionally NIMS processes will still have to be exercised in future years.

The successful implementation of the NIMS depends on the participation and integration of all Federal, State, Territorial, Local, Tribal entities and community-based organizations, including public, non-governmental, and private organizations that have a role in preventing, preparing for, responding to, or recovering from an incident. States, Territories, Tribal entities and Local jurisdictions should therefore consider and include appropriate organizations in their NIMS implementation efforts, including private sector emergency medical and hospital providers, transportation systems, utilities, and special facilities such as industrial plants, nuclear power plants, factories, military facilities, stadiums and arenas.

The NIMS Integration Center (NIC) has developed guidance that outlines the content and objectives for acceptable NIMS training materials. This guidance is contained in the National Standard Curriculum Training Development Guidance document dated March, 2007. Any agency or organization sponsoring NIMS training is responsible for ensuring that the materials being taught adhere to the guidelines provided in the National Standard Curriculum Training Development Guidance. In addition, the sponsoring organization must also verify the qualifications of the instructors based on the guidance provided by the NIC. Certificates of course completion are also the responsibility of the sponsoring agency or organization.

NIMS Courses

Currently, there are six courses that are required in order for an individual or organization to be considered NIMS compliant through FY 2007. To determine what level of training an individual needs according to their level of responsibility during a multi-jurisdiction, multi-agency, multi-discipline incident, click here: www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nims/TrainingGdlMatrix.pdf

SMOKE DETECTOR MAINTENANCE

State officials remind residents that smoke detectors and heating appliances require periodic maintenance, according to manufacturer's instructions.
For assistance with questions related to these appliances, residents may contact their local fire department for assistance.