U.S. Fire Administrator: Stay Safe on the Fourth

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- FEMA’s United States Fire Administration reminds everyone of the dangers associated with fireworks.  According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), far more U.S. fires are reported on July Fourth than on any other day, and fireworks account for more than any other cause of fires.  The risk of fireworks injury was highest for children ages 5-14 – more than twice the risk for the general population.

“Every year around the Fourth of July, thousands of people, most often children and teens, are injured while using consumer fireworks,” said U.S. Fire Administrator Ernest Mitchell. “Despite the well-known dangers of fireworks, few people understand that misuse of both legal and illegal fireworks can result in devastating burns, other injuries, fires, and even death.”

In 2010, fireworks caused an estimated 15,500 fires, including 1,100 total structure fires, 300 vehicle fires, and 14,100 others, according to a June NFPA report. That same year, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 8,600 people for fireworks related injuries.  In 2011, there were four reported deaths from fireworks.

“With so many areas of the nation experiencing drought-like conditions, I would encourage people to attend a local public display,” said Mitchell.  “Listen to local fire and safety officials for the most current information regarding fireworks in your area.”

If you are going to use legal and locally approved fireworks, follow these safety tips:

 •Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.

 •Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks. Young children suffer injuries from sparklers, for example, which burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees – hot enough to melt some metals.

 •Always have an adult closely supervise fireworks activities if older children are allowed to handle devices.

 •Avoid buying fireworks that are packaged in brown paper because this is often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and that they could pose a danger to consumers.

 •Never place any part of your body directly over fireworks when lighting the fuse. Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.

 •Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire.

 •Never try to relight or handle malfunctioning fireworks. Soak them with water and throw them away.

 •Never point or throw fireworks at another person.

 •Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.

 •Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.

 •After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire.

For those seeking more information regarding fireworks in your area, check with local fire officials and visit the following recommended websites:

 •www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12203.html

 •www.usfa.dhs.gov

 •www.nfpa.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=2408&itemID=55435

As an entity of the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency, the mission of the United States Fire Administration is to provide national leadership to foster a solid foundation for our fire and emergency services stakeholders in prevention, preparedness, and response.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

ATF National Response Team Activated to Investigate Fire of Red Star Senior Apartments

OAKLAND, Calif. — The National Response Team (NRT) of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has been activated by request from the City of Oakland to investigate a fire at the Red Star Senior Apartments. On June 14, at approximately 1:30 a.m., a fire destroyed the Red Star Senior Apartments, a 119 unit apartment complex under construction located at Seventh Street and Mandela Parkway. Preliminary estimate of property damage is $25 million. Participating agencies include the Oakland Fire and Police Departments.

The fire occurred next to the West Oakland Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station and caused all BART lines between San Francisco and Oakland to be shut down. In addition, track insulators, communication cables, electrical cables and other trackside equipment were damaged. The damage estimates do not include damage caused to the BART station.

“ATF is investigating this fire jointly with the Oakland Fire Department and Oakland Police Department. We will coordinate our efforts and provide our expertise and resources to determine the origin and cause of this fire,” stated Jeffery E. Vind, ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge of the San Francisco Field Division. This is the ninth activation of the NRT in Fiscal Year 2012 and number 730 since the inception of the team in 1978. The NRT will include 22 team members and is expected to be on scene today.

“ATF’s activation of its National Response Team speaks to the seriousness of the fire that occurred in West Oakland, and the impact it had on thousands of Bay Area residents who were affected by the BART station closure,” stated Teresa Deloach Reed, Oakland Fire Chief. “It is our responsibility to do all we can to identify the cause of this fire, and bring the individuals who may be responsible to justice.”

Other local activations of the NRT in the area include the Roseville Galleria Mall fire in 2010, a commercial building that housed Walgreens and Subway sandwich shop in Palo Alto in July 2007, a large commercial warehouse in Sacramento in September 2006, and Wine Central fire in Vallejo in October 2005.

In 1978, ATF developed the NRT to investigate in partnership with Federal, State and local investigators in meeting the challenges faced at the scenes of significant arson and explosives incidents. The NRT consists of four teams organized geographically to cover the United States. Each team can respond within 24 hours to work jointly with State and local law enforcement/fire service personnel in onsite investigations.

In addition to investigating hundreds of large fire scenes, the NRT has also been activated to scenes such as the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the Oklahoma City Murrah Federal Building bombing and the 9/11 Pentagon crash site, as well as explosions at explosives and ammunition manufacturing plants, legal fireworks factories and illegal explosive device manufacturing operations.

The teams are each composed of veteran special agents who have post blast and fire origin–and–cause expertise; forensic chemists; explosives enforcement officers; fire protection engineers; accelerant detection canines; explosives detection canines; intelligence support; computer forensic support and forensic audit support. The teams work alongside State and local officers in reconstructing the scene, identifying the seat of the blast or origin of the fire, conducting interviews, and sifting through debris to obtain evidence related to bombing/arson incidents.

Further complementing the team’s efforts are technical, legal and intelligence advisors. Moreover, a fleet of fully–equipped response vehicles strategically located throughout the United States are available to provide logistical support.

ATF is the federal agency with jurisdiction for investigating fires and crimes of arson. More information on ATF can be found at www.atf.gov.

The Departments of Interior and Agriculture Issue National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy Phase II National Report

Conducted extensive public outreach to prepare for upcoming wildland fire season

WASHINGTON - After a mild winter and low precipitation levels in many parts of the nation, the risk of wildland fire this season poses a challenge for the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture which, together, respond to more than 20,000 wildfires per year. Wildland fires today are becoming more complex, particularly in areas where urban populations are situated near forested and rangeland areas. To address those challenges, the two departments today issued A National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy, Phase II National Report, which focuses on restoring and maintaining resilient landscapes, creating fire-adapted communities, and responding to wildfires. The report was crafted by working closely with Federal, state and local governments, tribes, non-governmental organizations, and citizens.

"We have mapped out and established new levels of coordination, transparency and communication between the Federal Government and all of its partners," said Rhea Suh, Interior Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget. "Our collaboration has enabled us to focus on specific regional priorities and to develop more focused strategies to address the challenges."

"The Cohesive Strategy is an unprecedented collaborative planning and risk analysis document to improve response and resiliency in the event of wildland fire," said Butch Blazer, USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and the Environment. "Phase II sets a strong foundation for the type of diverse interests and activities involved when wildfire strikes."

The Cohesive Strategy builds on successes of the past while incorporating a new collaborative approach to managing a complex national problem - wildfire. This new approach includes all the partners involved in fire management and gives each a voice and a role in developing solutions to the collective problem. The Strategy will be implemented throughout 2012 using a three-phased approach and the involvement of a variety of stakeholders. It will be adaptable to different geographic scales: national, regional, and local, with a goal of promoting meaningful collaboration among stakeholders in an ‘all-lands, all-hands’ approach.

In Phase I, the national framework and goals were defined. In Phase II, regional assessments were completed to address and scale the national goals to the needs and challenges found at regional and local levels. Regional Strategy Committees representing three regions of the country - the West, Southeast, and Northeast, examined the processes by which wildland fire, or the absence of wildland fire, threatens areas and issues that Americans value, including wildlife habitats, watershed quality and local economies, among others.

"Discussing and addressing our wildland fire problems in a national, cohesive approach is a step in the right direction," said Randy Dye, President of the National Association of State Foresters. “We all recognize the importance of the document in framing future dialogue on wildland fire management issues. The states’ commitment to participate in the process ensured that a broad range of interests were considered and melded into the report."

The third and final phase of the cohesive strategy will build on the work from Phases I and II, as regional and national risk-based analyses and action plans are completed. The risk-based analyses will examine potential consequences, benefits and alternative actions designed by the regions to enhance decision-making across jurisdictional boundaries.

For more information on the National Cohesive Strategy visit www.forestsandrangelands.gov

Eight Individuals Charged and Arrested in Two Separate Corruption Investigations

Miami Beach Code Compliance Officers, Miami Beach Firefighters, and a Miami Dade Police Officer Among Those Charged in Corruption Probe

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; and Dena E. Choucair, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Miami Field Office, announce that eight individuals have been charged in two separate complaints involving public corruption allegations. The first complaint, 12-2494-Garber, charges the lead code compliance inspector for the city of Miami Beach (Jose L. Alberto), four Miami Beach code compliance officers (Willie E. Grant, Orlando E. Gonzalez, Ramon D. Vasallo, Vicente L. Santiesteban), and two Miami Beach firefighters (Henry L. Bryant and Chai D. Footman) for their participation in a scheme to extort cash payments from a South Beach nightclub. The second complaint, 12-2495-Garber, charges Daniel L. Mack, a Miami-Dade police officer, and Henry L. Bryant (who was also charged in the first complaint) for their participation in a drug trafficking conspiracy in which they agreed to transport and protect what they believed to be multiple kilograms of cocaine. The defendants are expected to make their initial appearances in federal court today at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry Garber.

U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer stated, “When government officials misuse their offices and abuse their power to line their own pockets and satisfy their greed, they erode the public’s trust in good and efficient government. It is incumbent upon all of us to adopt a zero-tolerance policy for corruption, at any level of government. I encourage victims to come forward, report shakedowns of this kind, and help us shine a light on backroom corruption.”

“When corrupt officials break the law for their own personal gain, they breach the public’s trust and violate the very principles they have sworn to uphold,” said Dena E. Choucair, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Miami Division. “This should serve as a reminder to all of our public officials that no one is above the law.”

The first complaint (the extortion complaint) charges Alberto, 41, of Miami Beach; Grant, 56, of Miami; Gonzalez, 32, of Miami; Vasallo, 31, of Miami Beach; Santiesteban, 29, of Miami; Bryant, 45, of Miami Gardens; and Footman, 36, of Miramar, with one count of conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a). If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 years’ imprisonment.

Miami Beach nightclubs are subject to inspection by both the city of Miami Beach Code Compliance Division and the city of Miami Beach Fire Department for compliance with municipal code regulations. Both the fire department and the Code Compliance Division can issue citations for code violations. According to the extortion complaint affidavit, in early June 2011, Alberto, the lead code compliance inspector for the city of Miami Beach, solicited a cash pay-off from a Miami Beach nightclub owner in exchange for not enforcing a large fine for a code violation. The nightclub owner reported the alleged extortion to the FBI, which commenced an undercover investigation. During the investigation that followed, an undercover FBI agent posed as the manager of the nightclub and, along with the nightclub owner, made a series of cash pay-offs to Alberto and co-defendants Grant, Gonzalez, Vasallo, Santiesteban, Bryant, and Footman. The purpose of the cash pay-offs was to allow the nightclub to continue operating and to avoid any future potential code violations. According to statements made by Bryant in a recorded conversation, he and Alberto had worked together “for about 12 years on every little gig that [they] had.” Bryant also bragged that he and Alberto had kept another business open despite multiple code violations because the business had paid them “four grand.” Over the course of the investigation, which lasted seven months, the undercover agent paid more than $25,000 in cash pay-offs to the various Miami Beach public employees.

The second complaint (the drug trafficking complaint) charges Mack, 47, of Miami, and Bryant, of Miami Gardens, with conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and 846. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of up to life imprisonment.

According to the affidavit filed in support of the drug complaint, in early December 2011, the undercover agent and Bryant discussed the possibility of recruiting police officers who could provide protection for the movement of cocaine. Over the following weeks, during recorded meetings and conversations, Bryant explained that he knew police officers that would escort the cocaine and that he would personally move the cocaine in his own vehicle. After reaching an agreement with the undercover agent, Bryant transported what he believed to be cocaine from the nightclub in Miami Beach to pre-determined drop-off points in Miami-Dade County on two separate occasions: on December 21, 2011, the defendants moved approximately nine kilograms of sham cocaine; on January 14, 2012, the defendants moved approximately 10 kilograms of sham cocaine. On both occasions, Bryant picked up the sham cocaine and returned for cash payment. On both occasions, Bryant’s vehicle was escorted by the Miami-Dade Police Department police cruiser assigned to defendant Mack, who had been introduced to the undercover agent as a police officer who would be providing security for the movement of cocaine. At that meeting, Mack wore his Miami-Dade Police Department uniform, was armed, and drove his Miami-Dade police cruiser. For these two transactions, the undercover agent paid the defendants a total of $25,000 in cash pay-offs.

The case was investigated by the FBI Miami-Area Public Corruption Task Force, assisted by the Miami-Dade Police Department Professional Compliance Bureau and United States Customs Border Protection Office of Internal Affairs. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared E. Dwyer and Robin W. Waugh.

A complaint is only an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.