The Piedmont North Carolina Firefighter's Association along with the NC Fire Marshal's Association, NC Firemen’s Association, NC Association of Fire Chiefs, NC County Fire Marshal's Association, along with other affiliated organizations will be proposing a residential code change at the NC Building Code Council meeting Dec. 11, 2007, to require residential fire sprinklers in new one and two family dwellings and townhouses meeting certain thresholds. This code change is, in part, a response to the recent fire in Ocean Isle Beach, NC, that lead to the death of seven college-age students and other fire related deaths throughout North Carolina.

Please follow the links below to learn more about how residential sprinklers can save lives and property.

North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs Position Paper
North Carolina State Firemen's Association Letter
North Carolina Fire Marshal's Association Press Release

Nominations and Voting
Nominations are being taken for 2008/2009 Officers. The following positions are up for election:

• 1st Vice President
• 2nd Vice President
• Treasurer
• Northern Director at Large
• Southern Director at large

Nominations and voting will be held at the October meeting in Whispering Pines. If you are interested in a position, please contact Chief Wesley Hutchins. Remember, each member department or individual has one vote. Vendors are ineligible to vote.
(336) 817-1437 or via email at whutchins@forsythtech.edu

Victory Junction Gang Camp Donation
The PNCFA recently present a check for $3,600.00 to sponsor two burn survivor campers at Victory Junction Gang Camp. Patty Petty was on hand to accept the donation.

On behalf of the Piedmont North Carolina Firefighter’s Association (PNCFA) Executive Board, I welcome you to our website. The purpose of this website is to provide information that is relative to our association in timely and accessible format, so I encourage you to check our website on a regular basis.

We are fortunate to have an outstanding Executive Board of Directors that works very hard to represent the membership in the Piedmont District of North Carolina. Our leadership, past and present, has diligently strived to increase membership, offer more benefits to the members while at the same time progressively represent the association on the local and state levels. This continues to be the foundation of our leadership for this year.

It is important to have all fire departments in the Piedmont Region represented in our association, if you or your department is not a member, please consider joining the association. Leadership for the North Carolina State Firemen’s Association Executive Board and the North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs Executive Board comes from our association therefore your representation is needed to help our region stay active on issues that affect our industry at all levels.

I had the pleasure to represent the PNCFA at Gateway VI in January. At this meeting representatives from approximately twenty-four fire service related associations and organizations came together to discuss key state fire service issues. The group overwhelmingly felt that emergency vehicle and firefighter personal vehicle (POV) driver safety was a major issue in our state. A goal was established by Gateway representatives to reduce emergency vehicle / firefighter POV accidents by 25% percent in the next five years. This is a bold initiative that can be achieved with leadership and support by firefighters across our state, especially in our region.

Thank you for your support and should you need any assistance regarding our association please do not hesitate to contact any of the Executive Board members.

Stay Safe,
R. Scott Alderman
President
Piedmont N.C. Firefighters Association