Archive for September 29th, 2018

National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Light the Night

Sep 29

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click on the file to download a copy

Tags: National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Light the Night

Sexual harassment lawsuit against Country Club Hills (more)

Sep 29

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Excerpts from Fox32chicago.com:

Three years ago, a female firefighter filed a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment in Country Club Hills, including firefighters watching porn. Next week, that lawsuit goes to trial at the Daley Center.

Dena Lewis has been a Country Club Hills firefighter since 1998, but she’s been on paid leave for the past three years after filing a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit against the village. She says she was passed over for a promotion after she complained about firefighters watching porn in the firehouse, which she says was epidemic.

Initially, the Country Club Hills Fire Department denied it was even happening. But when Lewis’ lawyer deposed firefighters under oath, they told the truth.

The village has been sanctioned by the court for destroying evidence before Lewis’ legal team could look at the computers.

“They ran what’s called disc cleanup, disc wipe to try to wipe out the internet history and the evidence,” said attorney Dana Kurtz.

Records show three firefighters were suspended last fall for watching porn at the firehouse. But Lewis’ lawyer says the village refuses to confirm whether any disciplinary action was ever taken.

Tags: chicagoareafire.com, Country Club Hills Fire Department, Dena Lewis-Bystrzycki, Deputy Fire Chief Steven Pycz, Fire Chief Joseph Ellington, Sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Country Club Hills

Fire service news

Sep 29

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Excerpts from Nfpa.org:

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), if you have a reported home fire today, you are more likely to die than you were in 1980. This startling fact is attributed to several factors, including the way homes are built and the contents in them. “Open floor plans and a prevalence of modern synthetic furnishings make homes burn faster and the fires produce deadly smoke and gases within moments,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA vice president of Outreach and Advocacy. According to Carli, you can have as little as two to three minutes to escape a home fire today as compared to eight to ten minutes years ago.

These concerns prompted NFPA to create “Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere” as the theme for Fire Prevention Week, October 7-13, 2018. It emphasizes three basic but critical messages:

Look for places fire can start

Listen for the sound of the smoke alarm

Learn two ways out of each room

This year’s Fire Prevention Week messages point to the essentials of home fire safety,” said Carli. “Looking for potential fire hazards in the home, making sure your smoke alarms are working properly, and having a home escape plan that everyone has practiced – these actions can dramatically reduce the loss from home fires.”

Motivating the public to take these steps can prove challenging, notes Carli, because people don’t think they could have a fire, despite the fact that home is the place they’re at greatest risk. Four out of five U.S. fire deaths occur in homes.

“Because we have reduced the overall number of fires, there is a general complacency and a lack of action around home fire preparedness and planning,” said Carli. “Our goal for Fire Prevention Week is to make sure people recognize that fire remains a very real risk, and that everyone needs to take action to protect themselves and their families.”

For more information about Fire Prevention Week, October 7-13, and this year’s theme, “Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere,” visit www.firepreventionweek.org.

For this release and other announcements about NFPA initiatives, research and resources, please visit the NFPA press room.