From iaff.org

April 28, 2010 -- A landmark study released by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) shows that the size of fire fighting crews has a substantial effect on the fire service's ability to protect lives and property in residential fires. Click here to read the news release.

Conducted by a broad coalition in the scientific, fire fighting and public safety communities, the study results found that four-person fire fighting crews were able to complete 22 essential fire fighting and rescue tasks in a typical residential structure 30 percent faster than two-person crews and 25 percent faster than three-person crews.

The report is the first to quantify the effects of crew sizes and arrival times on the fire service's lifesaving and fire fighting operations.

This and other scientific data in the report will help educate public officials, fire chiefs and other decision-makers on the importance of adequate staffing and deployment with respect to fire fighter and public safety.

Study investigators from NIST and the IAFF announced the results of the study at a press conference at the Hilton Washington in Washington, DC, before the start of the annual Congressional Fire Services Institute meeting of top fire safety officials from the across the nation.

Click here for the full report.

The study is funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters grant program.

For more information, contact Lori Moore-Merrill at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (202) 824-1594.

As part of the International’s communication efforts, the IAFF has launched the IAFF Frontline Blog.

The blog is designed to communicate with IAFF members with commentary, news and updates instantly on issues important to them and to the IAFF.

Click here to view the blog.

The IAFF encourages participation in blog discussions. The blog is open to all, but only IAFF members can post comments to the blog entries by logging on. The comment period is 72 hours.

As you express your views, please abide by the Frontline Blog Decency Rules, which are posted on the main blog page. The IAFF reserves the right to remove remarks that are considered offensive or are racist, sexist or vulgar.

IAFF Motorcycle Group (IAFF-MG) members and members of other fire fighter motorcycle groups are invited to fly their colors at the 4th Annual IAFF-MG National Rally to be held in Fayetteville, Arkansas, June 3-6, 2010.

“When the IAFF-MG formed, we recognized right away that many IAFF member fire fighters were already members of other national or local fire fighter motorcycle groups,” says IAFF-MG National Coordinator Michael Crouse. “That’s why we wanted to allow fire fighters to have dual memberships and a patch to display their IAFF-MG membership on their other club’s vest.”

IAFF-MG Committee Chairman and IAFF 7th District Vice President Ricky Walsh is also a member of the Spokane, Washington Chapter of the Renegade Pigs and has always flown the colors for both groups.

Walsh says, “As with other fire fighter motorcycle groups, the camaraderie among the IAFF-MG members is great, and we do what we can to make fire fighters who are also members of other groups feel welcome. I hope we’ll see some of them at the National Rally.”

The IAFF-MG’s 2009 National Rally was its most successful to date, with more than 800 bikers from across the United States and Canada participating, as well as IAFF and IAFF-MG members from other national biker clubs, including Wind & Fire, the Renegade Pigs, The Ax Men and The Red Nights.

In addition, IAFF and IAFF-MG members belong to local motorcycle clubs, such as the San Antonio Fire Fighters, Portland, ME Firefighters club, Boston FD Bike Club, Riders of Fire and the FDNY Fire Riders. As part of the IAFF-MG’s 2009 National Rally, the IAFF-MG teamed up with the Local Chapter of Wind & Fire to coordinate one of their days while in Colorado Springs. The IAFF-MG 2009 Rally, the Ride to Remember and the Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Service were well attended and well received by all.

IAFF-MG committee member Karl Kuss is a member of the IAFF Motorcycle Group as well as a member of the Axemen M/C in metro Detroit. "When we established a constitution and by-laws for the Axemen, it didn't allow for participation in another motorcycle club,” says Kuss.

Kuss adds, “However, it does allow for members to be a part of their local H.O.G. or a motorcycle group, such as the IAFF-MG.” Members may still fly their colors and wear a smaller version of the IAFF-MG patch on the front of their vest.

During this year’s rally, riders will wind through the Ozark Mountains. Participants coming from the south should take Highway 540 to Fayetteville. The 38-mile ride has no billboards, 63 bridges and lots of great scenery.

Riders may also want to take Scenic Byway 71 from Alma to Fayetteville. Participants will get a close-up view of the Ozarks. The road overlooks many creeks and cliffs. To join the IAFF-MG or register for the IAFF-MG 4th National Rally in June, click here.

Fire fighters who can’t make the National Rally can consider participating in one of the nearly 40 district-based rides that take place throughout the year. Click here for more information.

The IAFF Motorcycle Group (IAFF-MG), created through a resolution at the 2004 IAFF Convention, is designed to bring together active, retired and alumni members and members of recognized affiliates from across the International and to promote fraternalism among the IAFF’s ranks. The IAFF-MG is open to IAFF members who own and ride motorcycles.

From iaff.org

After decades of debate and months of back and forth in Congress, on March 23, President Obama signed historic health insurance reform legislation into law.

The big question now is, what does health care reform mean for fire fighters?

The IAFF has developed a health care reform fact sheet with important information about what the new health care reform law means for you and your family.

Click here to read the fact sheet.