Worker safety can be compromised by using replacement component parts or accessories that are not NIOSH-approved for the specific respirator. Although NIOSH-approved respirators are comprised of various component parts, they are approved as a complete unit. The use of components which are not part of the approved assembly results in a respirator that has not been evaluated and certified by NIOSH.
Newsletters

Miami-Dade (FL) Fire Rescue recently released a video detailing the department's methods for cleaning self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and its components.
Especially in light of the continuing cancer issues in the fire service, the video is intended to help raise awareness of techniques to clean SCBA. As always, consult your department with regard to local guidelines and procedures.

This publication attempts to answer important questions regarding firearm assaults against law enforcement officers.

The Authorized Equipment List has been updated to include Controlled Equipment information under applicable categories as follows:

The U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency (USAMMA), a subordinate command within the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC), is fielding a new junctional tourniquet designed to save warfighters from dying on the battlefield after injuries to the groin or armpit area.

The FY2016 Small Agency Body Worn Camera (BWC) Policy Implementation Program will support the implementation including the purchase, deployment, maintenance, data storage, and policy development of a body-worn camera program, and the necessary policies for law enforcement agencies.
During a mass shooting – paramedics normally wait outside while the suspect is still at large. Traditionally, it’s only members of law enforcement who enter the so-called “hot zone” in these scenarios, and firefighters and paramedics wait until the area is secured.

The InterAgency Board (IAB) recently published a new paper titled Training Trigger: Administration of Naloxone (Narcan), which may be of interest to you and your organization. This paper discusses the IAB’s support for the consideration of all states and local jurisdictions to make naloxone available for use by law enforcement.

The military is beginning to check whether chemicals from its firefighting foam may have contaminated groundwater at hundreds of sites nationwide, according to the Defense Department.
The Navy began sampling water at bases in December.
Conventional lines of communication can be impacted after a disaster. This we know. Phone lines can go down, cell service can be overrun with calls, texts, and emails and it can be difficult for survivors as well as first responders to get in touch. This isn’t a far-fetched scenario or intellectual exercise. It’s a reality we’ve seen happen over and over during disasters small and large.