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F I R E T I P S J O U R N A L T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

A R T I C L E S Churches in America Burning Again…………………….....…….Pg 1

Four Dead in Arson near Washington’s Embassy Row………...Pg 3

Above Spectacular Wildfire on Freeway Rises New Scourge: Drones……………………………………………………………….Pg 5

Is Firefighter the Most Stressful Job of 2015?

-A Tribute to Boston Firemen…………………………………….Pg 8

S P O N S O R S Half Page Advertisements……………………………………..….Pg 11

Quarter Page Advertisements…………………………………….Pg 14

Eighth Page Advertisements…………………..………………….Pg 16

Business Card Size Advertisements…………..………………….Pg 20

New Sponsorships (Spring/Summer 2015) …………………….Pg 31

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! Fire Tips Journal !

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! JANUARY 18, 2015

C H U R C H E S I N A M E R I C A B U R N I N G A G A I N

JULY 1, 2015

This week, there were fires in at least six predominantly African American churches. Arson at religious institutions has decreased significantly over the past two decades, but the symbolism remains haunting.

On Wednesday, July 1, a fire was reported at the Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church in Greeleyville, South Carolina. The AP reports that an anonymous federal official said the fire did not appear to be intentionally set, but Winfred Pressley, a division operations officer at the regional Alcohol, Firearms, and Tobacco division, said that the investigation is still ongoing, as did other local

investigators. Shanna Daniels, a spokesperson for the FBI, declined to comment on the case, but said that church arson “has been a hot topic over the past few days.”

“What's the church doing on fire?”

Jeanette Dudley, the associate pastor of God's Power Church of Christ in Macon, Georgia, got a call a little after 5 a.m. on Wednesday, June 24, she told a local TV news station. Her tiny church of about a dozen members had been burned, probably beyond repair.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, and Tobacco got called in, which has been the standard procedure for church fires since the late 1960s. Investigators say they’ve ruled out possible causes like an electrical malfunction; most likely, this was arson.

The very same night, many miles away in North Carolina, another church burned: Briar Creek Road Baptist Church, which was set on fire some time around 1 a.m. Investigators have ruled it an act of arson, the AP reports; according to The Charlotte Observer, they haven’t yet determined whether it might be a hate crime.

Two other predominantly black churches have been the target of possible arson in the past fornight: Glover Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Warrenville, South Carolina, which caught fire on Friday, and College Hill Seventh Day Adventist, which burned on Monday in Knoxville, Tennessee. Investigators in Knoxville told a local news station they believed it was an act of vandalism, although they aren’t investigating the incident as a hate crime.

The Matthews-Murkland Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, N.C. was burned down in an act of arson in June of 1996.

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These fires join the murder of nine people at Charleston’s Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church as major acts of violence perpetrated against predominantly black churches in the last fortnight. Churches are burning again in the United States, and the symbolism of that is powerful. Even though many instances of arson have happened at white churches, the crime is often association with racial violence: a highly visible attack on a core institution of the black community, often done at night, and often motivated by hate.

The history of American church burnings dates to before the Civil War, but there was a major uptick

in incidents of arson at black churches in the middle and late 20th century. One of the most famous

was the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, which killed four

girls. Three decades later, cases of church arson rose sharply. In response, in 1995, President Bill

Clinton also set up a church-arson investigative task force, and in 1996, Congress passed a law

increasing thesentences for arsonists who target religious organizations, particularly for reasons of

race or ethnicity. Between 1995 and 1999, Clinton’s task force reported that it opened 827

investigations into burnings and bombings at houses of worship; it was later disbanded.

In recent years, it’s been harder to get a clear sense of the number of church fires across the country.

The National Fire Protection Association reports that between 2007 and 2011, there were an average

of 280 intentionally set fires at houses of worship in America each year, although a small percentage

of those took place at other religious organizations, like funeral homes. One of the organization’s

staffers, Marty Ahrens, said that tracking church arson has become much more complicated since

reporting standards changed in the late ‘90s. Sometimes, fires that are reported to the National Fire

Incident Reporting System are considered “suspicious,” but they can’t be reported as arson until

they’re definitively ruled “intentional.”

The investigations in North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, and Tennessee are still

ongoing, and they may end up in that broad category of fires of suspicious, but ultimately

unknowable, origin that Ahrens described. But no matter why they happened, these fires are a

troubling reminder of the vulnerability of our sacred institutions in the days following one of the most

violent attacks on a church in recent memory. It’s true that a stupid kid might stumble backward into

one of the most symbolically terrifying crimes possible in the United States, but that doesn’t make the

terror of churches burning any less powerful.

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F O U R D E A D I N A R S O N N E A R W A S H I N G T O N ’ S E M B A S S Y R O W

MAY 14, 2015

At least one of the four people found dead in a burning home in the affluent district of Northwest D.C. on Thursday had suffered head wounds and smelled of gasoline, according to reports. The bodies of three adults and one child were found inside the $2 million family home, a short walk from Joe Biden's home on Embassy Row, following the blaze on Thursday afternoon. One of the victims was bleeding from the head and smelled of gasoline when medics took them to hospital, while other evidence also points to arson, investigators told NBC4. There are no signs of forced entry at the house.

Authorities have not identified the victims but the home is owned by Savvas Savopoulos, a Greek American and the president and CEO of American Iron Works, the leading manufacturer of building works in the United States. Savopoulos, 46, lives at the home with his wife Amy, 10-year-old son Philip, and two housekeepers in the exclusive neighborhood alongside numerous ambassadors. The couple also has two teenage daughters, Abigail and

Katerina, but it is believed the girls were at boarding school at the time. Police refused to identify the victims as they launched an appeal to find the person who drove the family's Porsche out of the property at 10.30am. The car was found abandoned nearby hours later. On Friday, authorities were asking the public for any information that could help the investigation into the mysterious deaths. One neighbor told the Washington Post that he had not seen anything unusual at the home. A grass cutting crew had been there that morning as usual and the couple's dogs were in the yard at the time of the fire, he said. He did see firefighters smash windows and bring out three bodies on stretchers, he said, including the bodies of a woman and a child. One of the housekeepers told FOX5 that she was at the home on Wednesday and that the Savopouloses, their son and a housekeeper slept in the home that night. But on Thursday morning, she received a text message from the mother saying the family was sick so she should not come by. Mrs Savopoulos did not pick up when the housekeeper called and a text she sent also went unanswered, she said.

Blaze: Firefighters can be seen on the roof breaking through to reach the flames on Thursday afternoon

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'She said, "I want to make sure you are not coming today",' the housekeeper recounted as she spoke to NBC4. '"Come Monday or any other day but not today".' Friends of the Savopoulos family confirmed to DailyMail.com that fourth-grader Philip Savopoulos did not go to school on Thursday. Firefighters were called to the blaze at 3pm to find smoke and fire billowing into the sky. Within minutes, after breaking into the home through the roof and windows, homicide detectives and secret service agents were called to the scene and taped off the street. The property is now the scene of an arson investigation as detectives brand the incident 'very suspicious. The case has been handed to a special task force of arson and homicide experts, police said. A friend of the cleaners, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told NBC News she was certain one of the housekeepers was inside at the time of the fire. Local Fox News is also reporting that a maid was killed in the fire. A neighbor, who has known the family for years, said she saw the 'lady of the house' and 'the cleaner' being placed in ambulances. Detectives confirmed at least one child was pulled from the wreckage. On Thursday evening, Savvas Savopoulos' sister Debra Ann Masser said the family had not received any answers from authorities. 'We don’t know what is going on,' she told the Washington Post. The Savopoulos family has lived in the sprawling property on the 3200 block of Woodland Drive since 2002. They also have a $240,000 two-bedroom condo in St Croix on the Virgin Islands. It took 30 minutes to extinguish the fire which swept the second floor of the property. Rescue workers had to smash through windows and the roof to get the flames under control. D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier told a press conference there are no signs of forced entry but the nature of the fire seemed 'very suspicious'. They issued a public appeal for any witnesses who saw a blue 2008 Porsche 911, license plate DK2418, leave the scene on Thursday at 10.30am. Fox 5 reporter Emily Miller reported the car is owned by Amy Savopoulos. The vehicle was found abandoned at 6pm nearby. Embassy Row is just around the corner from the property, which sits east of the U.S. Naval Observatory. Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton live two minutes south of the property in the cluster of embassies. Police are now canvassing the area in a bid to reassure residents and gather information.

The spacious $2 million family home, a short walk from Joe Biden's home on

Embassy Row, is owned by Savvas Savopoulos (left), president and CEO of American Iron Works, and his wife Amy

(right)

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ABOVE SPECTACULAR WILDFIRE ON FREEWAY RISES NEW SCOURGE: DRONES

JULY 19, 2015

Phelan, California - Of all the elements they must battle in a wildfire, firefighters face a new foe: drones operated by enthusiasts who presumably take close-up video of the disaster.

Five such "unmanned aircraft systems" prevented California firefighters from dispatching helicopters with water buckets for up to 20 minutes over a wildfire that roared Friday onto a Los Angeles area freeway that leads to Las Vegas.

Helicopters couldn't drop water because five drones hovered over the blaze, creating hazards in smoky winds for a deadly midair disaster, officials said.

The North Fire torched 20 vehicles on Interstate 15 and incited panic among motorists who fled on foot on the freeway Friday. The wildfire continued to burn uncontrollably Saturday, scorching 3,500 acres with only 5% containment in San Bernardino County, officials said.

Drones hovering over wildfires is a new trend in California, and on Saturday, fire officials condemned the operators of "hobby drones," as officials labeled them. It was unclear Saturday whether authorities would launch an investigation into the five drones.

"Fortunately, there were no injuries or fatalities to report, but the 15 to 20 minutes that those helicopters were grounded meant that 15 to 20 minutes were lost that could have led to another water drop cycle, and that would have created a much safer environment and we would not have seen as many citizens running for their lives," said spokesman Eric Sherwin of the San Bernardino County Fire Department.

The drones got away, and firefighters resumed their water drops by chopper.

A wildfire sweeping along Interstate 15, where it charred over a dozen vehicles after drivers fled.

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"We can't confirm who was running drones, and we did not collect any of the drones because our focus was on fighting the fire," Sherwin added.

Firefighters disdain drones buzzing over their work sites. At a national level, how to regulate drones and their flight paths are an ongoing controversy, especially as private industry pushes the Federal Aviation Administration for more freedom to use drones in commerce.

"Please stop flying hobby drones in the area," U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Gerrelaine Alcordo said about the wildfire site. "We can't risk the choppers colliding with them. We could have loss of life."

The FAA has placed temporary flight restrictions around the wildfires, which means the unmanned aircraft should not fly there without agency approval, spokesman Ian Gregor told CNN by email.

He said the FAA promotes voluntary compliance. However, the agency could impose civil fines ranging from $1,000 to $25,000 if someone operates a drone in a dangerous manner or continues to operate one illegally after being contacted by the FAA, he said.

O T H E R D A M A G E S

California's ongoing historic drought is now four years old, causing unease among firefighters about the potential for more wildfires. The freeway wildfire began early Friday afternoon in the mountain desert near Phelan, which is a 75-mile drive northeast of downtown Los Angeles. The fire originated near Interstate 15 just north of California Highway 138.

The wildfire ripped through pine, Joshua, and mesquite trees, all exceptionally parched by the drought. The fire is now under investigation.

Flames damaged three houses and eight outbuildings. Completely destroyed were a total of 64 destroyed vehicles, including the 20 on Interstate 15, authorities said.

Mandatory evacuations were imposed on residents in the Baldy Mesa area.

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W A L K O F F I - 1 5 After the flames passed I-15, drivers heaved salvaged belongings into open trunks, shut the lids, and drove off.

Neha Shresha's father and a law officer scrubbed ash off of their car to try find its VIN -- a number on a metal identification strip behind the windshield. The officer wanted them to photograph it.

But the flames had seared it away -- and the windshield with it.

"I'll probably call a relative," Shresha said. That's how she figured her family would get home after they walked down off the interstate.

B A D W I L D F I R E

S E A S O N Meanwhile, another wildfire raged in the same mountains, but it is much smaller,

at 200 acres,authorities said. As of Saturday morning, 5% of that wildfire was contained.

The Pines Fire was burning near Mount San Antonio, also called Mount Baldy for its snow-capped summit that's highly visible in the L.A. area. It's the highest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains. The Pines Fire is about 12 miles west of the North Fire.

On Saturday, the Los Angeles area experienced an unusual event: light rain.

That came as good news to firefighters.

"We have gotten some rain to slow the progression of the fire," Angeles National Forest spokesman Nathan Judy told CNN.

About 90 Girls Scouts were evacuated from one campground, and 300 more campers were shuttled off the mountains during the overnight hours Friday and Saturday, authorities told CNN affiliate KABC. About 130 of the campers were deaf and hearing-impaired children.

With ideal conditions for blazes, firefighters can expect to be busier than average during wildfire season this summer, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

An air tanker makes drops at the North Fire near Phelan, California, July 17, 2015.

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IS FIREFIGHTER THE MOST STRESSFUL JOB OF 2015? - A TRIBUTE TO BOSTON FIREMEN

JANUARY 13, 2015

Every year, career information site CareerCast puts out a ranking of the least and most stressful jobs in the nation. Using information from the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Department of Labor, they rank 200 jobs by looking at 100 different criteria, including physical demands, environmental conditions, life risk, income, and growth potential, among others.

Firefighting was ranked 2015’s ‘most stressful job’, followed closely by enlisted military personnel and military general. Last year, it snagged the third spot.

Historically firefighting has always been stressful. You’re responsible for others’ lives, and must be ready to act at a moment’s notice.

“It’s traditionally been a stressful job,” said Stephanie Schorow, author of “Boston on Fire: A History of Fires and Firefighting in Boston.”

CareerCast also mentioned budget cuts to some fire departments’ funding, leading to less raises and promotions. But firefighters have better firefighting equipment, improved psychological support systems, and fight fewer fires than ever before—so we asked some experts how the stress of modern firefighting might compare to the past.

A B R I E F H I S T O R Y O F B O S T O N ’ S F I R E F I G H T E R S Bostonians have been fighting fires since the 17th century, when it began as a volunteer effort. 1678 saw the first paid municipal fire department, with a fire chief, 12 assistants, and the purchase of the city’s first fire engine, according to the Boston Fire Historical Society.

Back then, fires were huge. Many buildings were built with wood, and a dropped match or untended candle could create a deadly conflagration that leapt from narrow street to street in moments. A 1676 fire destroyed 45 buildings near Richmond and Hanover Street in the early morning light. A fire in 1760 ruined 349 buildings, leaving 220 families homeless. Often, the human death toll was uncountable.

“Buildings in the Downtown area were so hot, the fire created its own wind,” Schorow said.

Over time, steamers replaced hand engines, and in the 19th century, permanent firemen and engineers were appointed. Stone and brick homes replaced wooden ones, and equipment improved. Gradually, the prevalence of fires decreased.

But the occasional deadly fire still occurred. The Great Fire of 1872 burned 770 buildings, devastating a massive swath of Boston’s commercial district and prompting then fire chief, John Damrell, to establish new building codes. Notable tragedies persisted: the Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire of 1942 killed 492, and the Vendome Hotel collapse killed nine firefighters in 1972. These instances reminded city dwellers that it only takes a moment for a fire to change your life.

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Boston firemen showed extraordinary bravery in all of these situations, which were undoubtedly stressful. But Schorow said despite the inherent dangers of the occupation, most firemen adamantly loved the nature of their job: “It’s a job people were just devoted to. It ran in families. Friendships were made, and friendships were forged.”

Schorow said despite how frequent fires used to be, firemen found consolation in their fellowship and shared history.

“Boston firefighters do have a sense of history that gives them comfort because they feel they’re part of a tradition that goes back to Chief Damrell in 1872,” she added. This alleviated some of the psychological stress that could occur after a particularly traumatic fire.

As building and fire codes are continuously improved, fire-related deaths have also declined in Boston. In 1997, 65 civilians died. In 2013, 44 died, according to the Massachusetts Fire Department.

But less fire to chase doesn’t necessarily mean less stress.

A M O D E R N F I R E F I G H T E R ’ S L I F E “It’s not what you see on ‘Sesame Street,’” former Boston Fire Commissioner Paul Christian said. When your job involves the possibility of putting your life on the line everyday, said some can handle the stress, and some can’t.

It’s true that firefighters spend a lot more time waiting for fires now than years passed. Schorow said this could be stressful for some firefighters who just want to do the job they were trained to do: “Even 20 to 30 years ago, firehouses would be really busy. Most firefighters I know want to work in a busy house. They want the activity. There’s some stress from waiting around, wanting it to happen.”

But both Schorow and Christian said even while they wait, firefighters are plenty busy. They constantly practice dealing with different firefighting scenarios. This is even more important now, because less real-live fires can lead to skills degradation.

“Anyone without proper knowledge would be stressed out,” Christian said. “But if you find the job stressful, you shouldn’t be there.”

Christian always wanted to be a firefighter. He used to literally chase fire trucks down the street, waving to the firefighters as they streamed by: “I had tremendous admiration for them…I couldn’t imagine not being one. I was drawn to it.”

“All honor unto gallantry in reverence we pay that others might have days to be these gave their lives away now glory shall

enshrine each name and times their deeds defy since humble men who sought no fame have taught us how to die”

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! Climbing the ranks of the Boston Fire Department to eventually become Chief, Christian loved his job every step of the way. He said the most rewarding part of the job is helping people at their most vulnerable, though trying to save people on a daily basis can be fraught with tragedy.

Just last March, a horrific Back Bay fire killed Boston firefighter Michael Kennedy and Lt. Edward Walsh.

Christian reminisced about a South Boston fire that destroyed a construction trailer, killing a few homeless people inside. “That one really stuck with me,” he said. But for the most part, you have to take the tragedy with the success of saving lives, he said. If you feel so physically or psychologically stressed that you can’t sleep at night, you shouldn’t be a firefighter, Christian said.

It’s certainly not for everyone, but Christian said ‘stress’ depends on the individual. Being an NFL quarterback or a war correspondent would be incredibly stressful to him, he said. Besides, modern firefighters have even more support systems in place than their historical counterparts.

“In the 1980s, we created employee assistance programs for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,” Christian said. Those who used to rely solely on fellow firefighters for psychological support now have other outlets.

Though the Great Recession’s budget cuts have been a real issue for fire departments in Minneapolis, Detroit, Kansas City, and Los Angeles in recent years, the Boston fire department is not taking the same hit.

You can say that again – at least for the BFD brass.

Boston Fire and EMS payroll is the most expensive of the 30 largest cities in the country, with 148 supervisors earning more than former Governor Deval Patrick, according to WCVB. The base salary of a district fire chief in Boston is $162,118, while Baltimore’s is $95,193, Chicago’s is $131,552, and New York’s is $146,583.

According to 2014 data from the Pioneer Institute, Boston firefighters make roughly the national average, which CareerCast listed as $45,600.

In addition to reasonable pay, Christian said modern Boston firefighters’ camaraderie with the city and with each other is the biggest stress alleviator, Christian said.

“You make friends that last a lifetime. I’ve had a lot of friends die over the years, but it’s part of the price we pay. When you’re in a position where people depend on you, it rallies your emotional state,” Christian said. He wouldn’t take back a moment of his 38 years with the Boston Fire Department.

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