Economic Crisis Impacts Local Fire Departments, According to Comprehensive Firefighter Survey.

DALLAS -- The current economic crisis is negatively impacting fire departments in the state of Texas, according to a comprehensive national survey of firefighters from nearly 9,500 fire departments or 30 percent of departments in the country, including 465 fire departments in Texas.

"Supporting Safer Communities: A National Fire Service Survey" found that, in Texas, the top five challenges facing fire departments today are:

1. For 67 percent of departments, there have been delays in purchasing new equipment.

2. For 65 percent of the departments in the state, there have been delays in replacing equipment.

3. Sixty-four percent do not have equipment/resources to handle hazardous materials incidents. Sixty-seven percent of departments also lack adequate training for hazardous materials incidents.

4. Over half of fire departments have had to increase fundraising efforts and/or grant writing because of budget cutbacks.

5. Twenty-nine percent do not have adequate extrication equipment needed to safely and quickly remove injured people from a vehicle crash.

Fire departments in the Dallas metro area faced fewer challenges, including fewer delays in replacing equipment (57 percent), fewer delays in purchasing equipment (56 percent), and had less need to raise funds and increase grant writing efforts.

Not all results were negative: nearly three-quarters of all fire departments in Texas have at least one thermal imaging camera. In the Dallas metro area, 92 percent of departments have at least one thermal imaging camera. Thermal imaging cameras are considered a critical firefighting tool to identify hot spots and locate injured or sleeping persons in a burning building.

"When you consider that firefighters are the first responders to nearly every fire, medical emergency, and natural or man-made disaster in our local communities, it is imperative that we have adequate funding to ensure we keep our communities safe," said Dallas Fire Department Chief Eddie Burns. "This study is extremely valuable for both its depth and scope - one that effectively shows the needs of today's fire service in communities across the country and particularly here in Texas."

The study was conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs based in New York, and was available online for six weeks from mid-February to March 31, 2009 to any career and volunteer firefighters, regardless of geography, rank or size of their community. About 17,500 firefighters from nearly 9,500 departments participated, 61 percent of which hold the rank of fire official (chief, captain or lieutenant). These findings are based on data at the department level rather than on all respondents. When multiple firefighters from the same fire service organization responded to the survey, the first individual to respond was selected on behalf of that department. Full results can be found at www.firemansfund.com/firesurvey. An executive summary by Ipsos is available at http://www.ipsos-na.com/news/pressrelease.cfm?id=4392.

"As a company, Fireman's Fund believes it is extremely important to raise awareness of the needs of local fire departments," said Chuck Kavitsky, chairman of Fireman's Fund. "Supporting the fire service means safer communities. That is why we have focused our philanthropic giving to directing grants to fire departments throughout the country."

In the last five years, Fireman's Fund has issued a total of 74 grants to fire departments in Texas, totaling $1,179,750.

Fireman's Fund Insurance Company's nationwide philanthropic program is designed to provide needed equipment, training and educational tools to local fire departments. Since 2004, Fireman's Fund has issued grants to more than 1,100 different departments totaling more than $21 million. Independent insurance agencies that sell Fireman's Fund products are able to direct these grants to support fire stations in their communities.

About Fireman's Fund

Fireman's Fund Insurance Company is a premier property and casualty insurance company providing personal and commercial insurance products nationwide. It is rated 'AA-' by Standard & Poor's Rating Services. Founded in 1863 with a mission to support firefighters, Fireman's Fund continues this effort today through its national philanthropic efforts. Fireman's Fund is a member of the Allianz Group (NYSE:AZ), one of the world's largest providers of insurance and other financial services. For more information, visit www.firemansfund.com.

About Ipsos Public Affairs

Ipsos Public Affairs is a non-partisan, objective, survey-based research practice made up of seasoned professionals. Ipsos Public Affairs conducts strategic research initiatives for a diverse number of American and international organizations, based not only on public opinion research, but elite stakeholder, corporate, and media opinion research. Ipsos Public Affairs is a member of the Ipsos Group, a leading global survey-based market research company. To learn more, visit: www.ipsos-pa.com.