press-releases

Fairfax, Va., Jan. 24, 2007... The U.S. Fire Administration reports that there were 116 line-of-duty deaths in 2007 and is already reporting—only shortly into the new year—multiple line-of-duty deaths in 2008. The IAFC is committed to working with our members and other fire-service organizations to reduce preventable firefighter fatalities and injuries. The IAFC offers the following tools and resources to help every member of the fire service contribute to a safer 2008.

National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System: Continues to Gain Momentum

The number of fire departments incorporating the National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System into their safety and training programs continues to grow. The Safety Command of the Fire Department of New York recently issued a memo encouraging its members to use www.firefighternearmiss.com. Assistant Chief Al Hay, Chief of Safety, said, “Familiarization with this website will help promote discussions on near-miss incidents as well as other safety concerns.”

With a number of new resources available, now is the time to fully embrace this safety initiative by making this program part of your recruit schools, company-officer training, safety drills and other fire-department activities.

A limited number of the free 2008 Near-Miss Safety Calendar and accompanying training CD are still available. Email nearmiss@iafc.org to request copies. Please include the number of calendars and CDs you are requesting along with the address to where they should be shipped.

Look for the newly redesigned website being launched in February and the 2007 Annual Report in the February issue of FireRescue Magazine. The annual report features analysis of reports on maydays, PPE, traffic blocking, truss construction and flashover incidents.

Fire/EMS Safety Support System

Last month, the IAFC and the Safety, Health and Survival Section announced the launch of the new Fire/EMS Safety Support System, which includes the monthly Take 5 Safety Drills, Safety Week (formerly the Safety Stand Down) and the Priority Survival Notifications, This set of tools offers a strong foundation for you to continue building your safety program for 2008.

Safety, Health and Survival Week One of Three Components of the New Fire/EMS Safety Support System, Including Stand Down Notifications
November 26, 2007 member alert

Take 5 for Safety: www.iafc.org/shs

12 Steps to Reduce LODDs in 2008

The IAFC’s Safety, Health and Survival Section Chair, Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder, offers 12 recommendations to reduce LODDs in 2008. According to Goldfeder, by acting on these recommendations, we can begin to reduce firefighter line of duty deaths by 75 percent or more. You can read the 12 steps at www.iafcsafety.org.

If we want to reduce the number of injuries and death in the fire and emergency service, we must change the problematic, injury-causing culture and related behaviors. Using these tools can help us accomplish this huge, but achievable, goal.

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