COUNTY FIRE PREVENTION ASSOCIATION MEETINGS

DIVISION UPDATES – October 2009

• Fire Prevention Week 2009 is October 4-10. The National Fire Protection Association theme this year is “Stay Fire Smart! Don’t Get Burned”.

• Please review the recent threat assessments located on the NJ Portal prepared by the DHS/I&A Domestic Threat Analysis Division and the FBI/Counterterrorism Analysis Section, and coordinated with the Interagency Threat Assessment and Coordination Group. The threat information may be extremely helpful to fire prevention bureaus while conducting regular inspections. *Terrorist Use of Self-Storage Facilities; *Overview of Recent Threat Information and Potential Targets; *Hydrogen Peroxide and Organic Fuel Mixtures; *Hexamethylene Triperoxide Diamine; and *Triacetone Triperoxide as possible homemade explosives.

• Please check the following link, http://www.nj.gov/dca/dfs/fall_09_brochure.pdf, for our Fall 2009 Kean University Course Brochure for Fire Officials & Fire Inspectors.  Anyone who wishes to register can do so on-line or call the listed telephone numbers during business hours.  You will need your ID number to register.  For those who do not have an ID number, please have them call me so that we can remedy that.

• The DFS is working with OIT to enable us to transfer our outstanding debt to the Division of Revenue for collection.  We hope to have this in place by the end of the year at the very latest.    At that time we will cease sending out Third Notice bills.  All unpaid bill records will be transferred to Division of Revenue 45 days after the 2nd Notice, Order to Pay bill is issued, unless they are on Hold status.  This shortening of the billing cycle and the involvement of the State's collection agency will hopefully translate to the Fire Officials getting their registration fees sooner.

• The DFS still have free smoke detectors and are available for FD's and/or FO's who wish to distribute then to those in his/her community who live at or below the poverty level.  Pick-up and scheduling information is available on the web under the Fire Officials portal access. The next scheduled pick-up date is October 14th at the Kinder Morgan facility in Carteret.  Once someone schedules with DFS contact Charlie Luxton, via e-mail @ cluxton@dca.state.nj.us, he will forward directions to the pick-up point.

Note that there are new requirements for those who pick-up detectors.  Since Kinder Morgan is a deep water port, they are regulated by TSA and the US Coast Guard.  All who enter the facility are required to have a TWIC's card (Transportation Workers Identification Card).  Since we, the fire service, do not have such a card, all who pick-up detectors shall be required to be in uniform and use a marked vehicle.  Kinder Morgan is considering our people as "first responders" and as such, will not need a TWIC's card.  All the above info is available on the web.

• Four fire departments that have recently been awarded Assistance to Firefighter Grants are having their grants held due to NFIRS data submissions not being complete. Please remember that fire department grant awards are linked to NFIRS reporting.

• Any of the County Academies offering Fire Inspector Classes can order the Fire Code books ahead of time from Marylain Kemp directly so that they can have the books to pass out on the first day of class.  The instructor can pass out the order form and collect a check from each student, then mail the checks/order forms to Marylain directly.  Academy Instructors should call Marylain at least three weeks prior to the class start date, and she will have them delivered to the academy in the instructor’s name. 

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Division Updates

October - 2009

• For your information…Our Division newsletter FIRE FOCUS has returned and is now an e-newsletter only. You will find it at our website www.state.nj.dca/dfs/

In addition we have a new outreach to local public education called State Fire Marshal Message. It is a monthly email. If you are interested in being added to the mailing list for it please email: fireprevention@ dca.state.nj.us

· Please remember that anytime there is a change in LEA information, complete and forward a LEA Survey form.  Local Assistance Reps. can provide you with the form or it may be obtained from the DFS Web site. Many LEA’s have not sent their 2009 LEA Survey in yet. Please complete the survey and remit it to Marylain Kemp at mkemp@dca.state.nj.us.

· The Division has established a section on the DFS Website at www.state.nj.us/dca/dfs where 2006 IFC code questions can be submitted to DFS staff for answers. Please look for the 2006 code book, click on http://fs6.formsite.com/dca_dfs/InternationalFireCode/index.html and submit your questions.

· The next meeting of the New Jersey Fire Safety Commission will take place at 10 AM on Wednesday, November 18, 2009. It will be held at the Atlantic City Convention Center.