NFPA Journal - May/June 2012 - (Page 12)

6from foam to fur >>in a flash disastrous so far was the Lower North Fork fire in March, where fire managers lost control of a prescribed burn that eventually killed three people, damaged more than 20 homes, and burned more than 4,000 acres (1,619 hectares) southwest of Denver, according to The Denver Post. An investigation by the Forest Service and other organizations produced a report that cited an “abrupt pattern shift” in weather conditions in March that “resulted in one of the driest and warmest months on record.” As advocates for wildfire preparedness, NFPA’s Wildland Fire Operations Division is urging residents to safeguard their homes by adhering to principles of the Firewise® Communities Program. “The unusually dry weather means that wildfires pose a greater threat to individual properties and neighborhoods,” said Michele Steinberg, program manager of the Firewise Communities Program. “Residents can do their part and take simple steps today to lessen the risk of damage if a wildfire occurs.” Visit firewise.org for more information. For more Firewise news, visit Journal online at nfpajournal.org. Puppeteer tim Lagasse with the evolving Sparky puppet. Below, the final product. FIRE PREVENTION WEEK Live and in the Fur How the new Sparky puppet was brought to life in time for this year’s Fire Prevention Week. By Fred durso, Jr. TAkE NoTE, kErMiT: there’s a new puppet in town that might make you even greener with envy. Giving its official spokesdog a threedimensional upgrade, NFPA has developed a Sparky the Fire Dog® puppet that’s promoting this year’s Fire Prevention Puppeteer Tim Lagasse, who’s also concocted creations for Disney and the Jim Henson Co., was given the job of creating Sparky from scratch late last year, using NFPA guidelines to make sure his red-andyellow fire gear is “up to code,” notes Dornbusch. After a series of modifications to the puppet’s foam head and torso, the nearly four-foot-tall Sparky was born. Lagasse brings him to life using a raspy voice and metal hand rods that maneuver the pup’s paws. “Tim has given this puppet such personality,” Dornbusch says. “Sparky’s very humorous, but still serious when it comes to fire safety messaging.” in his inaugural video at fpw.org, Sparky introduces the FPW theme and Sparky’s Wish ListTM: Partnering for FireSafe Communities, the new program helping fire departments fund the purchase of FPW materials. Departments create a wish list of the materials they need, and donors can purchase the goods via an online registry. What else is in store for the puppet? A music video and live-action short film— shot throughout Boston and including Sparky and a supporting cast, created by Nash—is on its way. Puppet Sparky also promises to make an appearance at NFPA’s Conference & Expo, June 11–14 in Las Vegas. “one of things i hope to see in the future is Sparky interviewing fire officials,” says Dornbusch. “We have a new studio at NFPA’s headquarters where fire officials can be interviewed, and the officials can air the videos via local access TV in their communities.” For more information on this year’s Fire Prevention Week—october 7–13—and Sparky’s Wish List, visit fpw.org. “sparky’s very humorous, but still serious when it comes to fire safety messaging.” Week theme—“Have 2 Ways out!”— via a series of videos and print media. Breathing new life into the 60-year-old spokesdog, who has gone through his share of cartoon makeovers, was a labor of love involving NFPA staff as well as designers and puppeteers. Years before the latest Muppets movie wowed audiences and resurrected the franchise, Steve Dornbusch, NFPA’s senior project manager for Public Education Products, was toying with the idea of creating what he describes as a “Muppets-style Sparky puppet.” Along with co-collaborator Scott Nash of NashBox, a graphic design studio that has produced numerous themes for Fire Prevention Week and has an extensive client list including the Walt Disney Co. and Nickelodeon, Dornbusch envisioned another breed of Sparky taking his fire safety messages to various platforms. “We wanted to do something new, fresh, and different,” says Dornbusch. “Animation is wonderful, but with a puppet you’re able to do things animation can’t, such as interact with people.” • Due to an editing error, a quote attributed to U.S. Fire Administrator Ernest Mitchell, Jr. in the March/ April “Perspectives” was incorrect. on the topic of coordinating efforts with other fire service partners, Mitchell said the following: “Similarly, we’re looking at sharing the ESF-4 coordination function with the U.S. Forest Service for non-wildland fire events.” We regret the error. • Due to errors in a fire report supplied to NFPA Journal, certain information in “Elemental Questions,” our March/ April story on fire hazards related to lithium-ion batteries, was incorrect. The batteries involved in the 2009 Toxco, inc. fire in Trail, British Columbia, were “primary” lithium batteries used in industrial applications. • Updated versions of both stories are available in the March/April issue of the magazine in the Journal archives section of nfpa.org. Corrections 12 NFPA JOURNAL MAY/JUNE 2012 Photograph: x http://www.firewise.org http://www.nfpajournal.org http://www.fpw.org http://www.fpw.org http://www.nfpa.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - May/June 2012

Nfpa Journal - May/june 2012
Contents
First Word
In a Flash
Perspectives
Firewatch
Research
Heads Up
Structural Ops
In Compliance
Buzz Words
Outreach
Electrical Safety
Wildfire Watch
Treasurer's Report
Signal Concern
Giant Steps
13^3
Sprinklered Menagerie?
Free Samples
Eye on Health Care
Membership: The Sections
Expo Preview: Exhibitors' Showcase
Looking Back

NFPA Journal - May/June 2012