Developing Department Safety Awareness In Support of National Firefighter Safety Stand Down and National Fallen Firefighters Foundation “Life Safety Summit

Developing Department Developing Department Safety AwarenessSafety Awareness

In Support ofIn Support of

National Firefighter Safety Stand DownNational Firefighter Safety Stand Down andand

National Fallen Firefighters FoundationNational Fallen Firefighters Foundation“Life Safety Summit Initiatives”“Life Safety Summit Initiatives”

Maryland Fire and Rescue InstituteUniversity of Maryland

Stand DownStand Down

Is a method used by the Is a method used by the military to correct an issue military to correct an issue that has been identified as a that has been identified as a problem throughout its ranks. problem throughout its ranks.

IAFC President Chief Bob IAFC President Chief Bob DiPoliDiPoli

““Firefighters are being killed at an Firefighters are being killed at an alarming rate. The fire service alarming rate. The fire service simply cannot continue to do simply cannot continue to do business as usual when so many of business as usual when so many of its own are dying. We are its own are dying. We are conducting the conducting the stand downstand down to raise to raise awareness of the need for increased awareness of the need for increased vigilance toward fire fighter safety.”vigilance toward fire fighter safety.”

Enabling ObjectivesEnabling Objectives

Explain the puropose for developing department safety awareness

List resources readily available to fire department personnel

Describe activities that can be conducted for safety awareness

Developing a plan of action for safety improvements

OverviewOverview

Introduction Resources Activities Plan of Action

INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION ‘The IAFC and its partners are urging you

and all fire departments throughout the country to suspend all non-emergency activity and focus entirely on firefighter safety.’

‘Talk about line-of-duty deaths; check all apparatus and equipment; discuss health safety regulations; review fire ground safety issues; and take stock of training exercises and fitness goals.’

On-Duty Firefighter On-Duty Firefighter Fatalities 1993-2004Fatalities 1993-2004

505000

404000

303000

202000

101000

00

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

81105 102 99 100 93

113 103

449

100 111 107

How does the culture of your fire How does the culture of your fire department impact safety?department impact safety?

You have a right to stop unsafe practices Too many members indoctrinated with a

traditional sense of unquestioning discipline You have the right and the responsibility to

stop any action you believe is unsafe, or could be unsafe

No different than your obligation to avoid unethical or immoral behavior/actions

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

RESOURCESRESOURCES

National Fallen Firefighters Foundation16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives

NIOSH reports NIST simulations NFPA VFIS

USFA/NFA IAFC MSFA Firehouse.com Respondersafety.com OSHA MIEMSS Firefightrerclosecalls MFRI

National Fallen Firefighters FoundationNational Fallen Firefighters Foundation16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives

1. Define and advocate the need for a cultural change within the fire service relating to safety, incorporating leadership, management, supervision, accountability, and personal responsibility.


1. Define and advocate the need for a cultural change within the fire service relating to safety, incorporating leadership, management, supervision, accountability, and personal responsibility.

The need for safety must start at the top of the organization. It must be practiced by all and enforced as an organizational priority.


2. Enhance the personal and organizational accountability for health and safety throughout the service.


2. Enhance the personal and organizational accountability for health and safety throughout the service.

The organization shall provide the members with the proper PPE and SCBA to complete their duties. Members shall utilize the PPE and SCBA to carry out their duties as prescribed by the manufacturer and departmental procedures.


3. Focus greater attention on the integration of risk management with incident management at all levels, including strategic, tactical, and planning responsibilities.


3. Focus greater attention on the integration of risk management with incident management at all levels, including strategic, tactical, and planning responsibilities.

Risk Management – NFA- USFAWe will risk our lives a lot to protect a savable life.We will risk our lives a little to protect savable property.We will not risk our lives at all in an attempt to protect lives and

property that are already lost.


4. Empower all firefighters to stop unsafe acts.


4. Empower all firefighters to stop unsafe acts.

Watch out for our brother and sister firefighters. We are our brother’s keeper. Point out unsafe acts before they cause injury or death.


5. Develop and implement national standards for training, qualifications, and certification (including recertification) that are equally applicable to all firefighters, based on the duties that they are expected to perform.


5. Develop and implement national standards for training, qualifications, and certification (including recertification) that are equally applicable to all firefighters, based on the duties that they are expected to perform.

Advocate the use of the Maryland Fire Service Professional Qualification system. All responders should be certified to the level of their response capabilities.


6. Develop and implement national medical and physical fitness standards that are equally applicable to all firefighters, based on the duties that they are expected to perform.


6. Develop and implement national medical and physical fitness standards that are equally applicable to all firefighters, based on the duties that they are expected to perform.

Advocate physicals for all members when they join and at regular intervals.


7. Create a national research agenda and data collection system that relate to the initiatives.


7. Create a national research agenda and data collection system that relate to the initiatives.

All counties should require detailed reports from all departments concerning responses, incidents, injuries, and fatalities. This report should also include training records for each member.


8. Utilize available technology wherever it can produce higher levels of health and safety.


8. Utilize available technology wherever it can produce higher levels of health and safety.

Use thermal imaging cameras, combustible gas indicators, and charged electric wire alerting devices to indicate dangerous conditions at incidents scenes to response personnel.


9. Thoroughly investigate all firefighter fatalities, injuries, and near misses.


9. Thoroughly investigate all firefighter fatalities, injuries, and near misses.

Develop a program to define ‘near misses’. Investigate all injuries and near misses.Cooperate with agencies that conduct fatality investigations.Utilize this information to improve the safety and welfare of responders.


10. Ensure grant programs support the implementation of safe practices and/or mandate safe practices as an eligibility requirement.


10. Ensure grant programs support the implementation of safe practices and/or mandate safe practices as an eligibility requirement.

When writing grant requests include safety criteria as part of the specifications.


11. Develop and champion national standards for emergency response policies and procedures.


11. Develop and champion national standards for emergency response policies and procedures.

Adopt and follow NFPA standards for emergency response such as NFPA 1500 and NFPA 1521.Comply with federal regulations such as 29 CFR 1910.134, Respiratory Protection, and 29 CFR 1910.120 Hazardous Materials Response.

These are examples only. There are numerous standards and regulations that apply to emergency responders.


12. Develop and champion national protocols for response to violent incidents.


12. Develop and champion national protocols for response to violent incidents.

Work with law enforcement agencies to develop and comply with protocols for response to violent incidents.


13. Provide firefighters and their families access to counseling and psychological support.


13. Provide firefighters and their families access to counseling and psychological support.

Develop local and state resources for members and their families for counseling and psychological support services.


14. Provide public education more resources and champion it as a critical fire and life safety program.


14. Provide public education more resources and champion it as a critical fire and life safety program.

Develop your department’s ability to provide public education services to your community. Resources can be obtained in grant requests.


15. Strengthen advocacy for the enforcement of codes and the installation of home fire sprinklers.


15. Strengthen advocacy for the enforcement of codes and the installation of home fire sprinklers.

Provide your members with basic training in the use of the applicable Fire Prevention Code for your jurisdiction . Ascertain the correct procedure to report violations to the responsible agency. Become an advocate for home automatic sprinkler systems. Enlist the assistance of other community groups in your area.


16. Make safety a primary consideration in the design of apparatus and equipment.


16. Make safety a primary consideration in the design of apparatus and equipment.

When writing specifications for new apparatus and equipment include the appropriate NFPA specifications. The equipment and apparatus should carry the applicable NFPA approval labels.

NIOSH ReportsNIOSH Reports

Trusses - 2005 Report

Photos Case studies Diagrams Safety practices

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2005-132/

NIOSH FF Fatality ReportsNIOSH FF Fatality Reports NIOSH

investigates most fatalities.

List by states List of all

investigations Can be used

to enhance safety

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/firehome.html

NIOSH Fatality ReportNIOSH Fatality Report

Summary of incident Recommendations Photos Detailed report

NIOSH Alert ReportsNIOSH Alert Reports

Detailed report Example - Fire

ground structural collapse

Expanded coverage needed for one area that affects safety

NIST Fire SimulationsNIST Fire Simulations

http://www.fire.nist.gov/ Fire in a One-Story Restaurant, Texas February 14, 2000 Truss roof construction Fire involvement of roof area Roof collapse Two firefighters killed CD-ROM 13 minutes

http://www.nfpa.orghttp://www.nfpa.org

NFPA – Many services availableNFPA – Many services available http://www.nfpa.org/categoryList.asp?categoryID=279 NFPA standards available on-line for reading only

– 472 - Hazardous Materials Response– 1403 - Live fire Training– 1981 – Open-circuit SCBA

Fire Prevention and Public Education materials – for purchase Departments can have memberships

Investigations - example– Residential House, Pittsburgh, PA, 2/14/95, 3 fatalities.

NFPA members: Download this report for free (PDF, 1.7 MB)Free summary in English (PDF, 56 KMB) and Spanish (PDF, 6 KB)

Pittsburg Fire – Free Summary Report

Pittsburg Fire – Full ReportPittsburg Fire – Full Report 21 Pages Photos and diagrams Points

– 3 firefighters deceased– Not found for 1 hour– Poor ICS– No accountability– Poor communications

USFA/NFAUSFA/NFA National

Fire Academy

NIMS EMI On-line

classes Firefighter

s Grant Program

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/

International Association of Fire ChiefsInternational Association of Fire Chiefs

Home page for Stand Down for Safety

Many links National

Near Miss Reporting system

http://www.iafc.org/standdown/resources.asp

MSFAMSFA State training

committee

Funding grants

State legislation

http://msfa.org/index.html

Firehouse.comFirehouse.com Extensive

coverage of the emergency services

Company drills

Latest incidents

Respondersafety.comRespondersafety.com

Highway safety for responders

Traffic incident management systems

OSHAOSHA Federal

regulations Training

programs Enforcement interpretations

http://www.osha.gov/

MIEMSSMIEMSS EMS

Protocols EMS

certification Matching

Grants EMS WMD

issues

http://www.miemss.org/

Firefighterclosecalls.comFirefighterclosecalls.com Excellent

site Personal

reports of close call incidents

Reports and training items for download

www.firefighterclosecalls.com/

MFRIMFRI State and

regional training

On-line classes

Registration Links Contacts Company

Drills

http://www.mfri.org/

ACTIVITIESACTIVITIES

• Station Operations• Responding/Returning• Fire Ground Operations• Other Emergency Operations• Training

Stations OperationsStations Operations

Moment of silence for LODD at shift change or company meetings

Apparatus checks Equipment checks Slip, trip, and fall issues Air compressor/cascade air quality Health and Safety Officer designated Physicals for all members Critical Incident Stress for members

Responding/ReturningResponding/ReturningIs POV allowed?Driver qualificationsAll members seated and beltedStop for all stop signs, red lights, and railroad

crossingsSpotters for backing apparatusMaps and response routesAvoid bridges with ratings less than the

vehicle weight

Fire Ground OperationsFire Ground Operations

Use of ICS/IMS Safety Officer clearly designated SOP’s Mandatory SCBA usage requirements Continuous water supply established Clearly understood Plan of Action Offensive or defensive operations announced Accountability system in place and utilized

Other Emergency IncidentsOther Emergency Incidents

Blood borne pathogen requirements followed

Highway safety procedures followedAir monitoring for Hazmat and Confined

Space operationsTechnical Rescue incident trained

responders

TrainingTrainingMinimum training requirements for all

membersInstructors qualified to teach in their areaNFPA 1403 followed for all live burnsDriver training programs and refreshers

should be mandatoryTraining records for all membersCertification system fees paid by the

departments

4. Plan of Action4. Plan of Action

Identify areas of departmental and personal weaknesses.

List items that can be changed immediately List items that require training and/or

resources to accomplish List items that are long range goals that

require extensive changes to operations, equipment, or organizational culture

4. Plan of Action4. Plan of Action Make a plan for immediate changes Make a plan for changes that require changes in

training or procedures and resource allocation Make a plan for long range changes These plans need a timetable and bench marks.

Regular progress reports to management and the membership.

The need to change must be sold to the responders and accepted

Any changes made require support and enforcement

ReviewReview

IntroductionResourcesActivitiesImprovement Plan

Your thoughts?Your thoughts?

Documents

Developing Department Safety Awareness In Support of National Firefighter Safety Stand Down and National Fallen Firefighters Foundation “Life Safety Summit