press-releases

The Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) and the National Firefighter Near-Miss Reporting System (NFFNMRS) have partnered in a program designed to provide practical applications of the Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives. The Second Firefighters Life Safety Summit, held in March of 2007, called for the practical application ("deliverables") of the Life Safety initiatives. This program, conducted by the FDSOA, in cooperation with the NFFNMRS and the International Association of Fire Chiefs, meets that goal. Specifically addressed are Initiatives 5 and 9.

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

Life Safety Initiative 9: Thoroughly investigate all firefighter fatalities, injuries and near misses.

FDSOA is an accredited certifying agency of the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications, and administers tests that lead to certification as an Incident Safety Officer (ISO) and Health and Safety Officer (HSO). Once certified, recertification is required every five years through a system that includes earning continuing education units (CEUs).

The NFFNMRS operates a website (www.firefighternearmiss.com) that posts near miss reports and success story reports. The success stories report safe practices that averted incidents or a near-miss. A selected Report of The Week (ROTW) is published along with review questions related to this report. The questions involve relating existing policies and procedures (or lack thereof) from the readers department. The ROTW can be found on the Near-Miss website under the "resources" tab, or individuals can subscribe to the ROTW e-mail delivery by sending an e-mail to nearmiss@iafc.org and type "subscribe-FDSOA" in the subject line.

Beginning in January of 2008, the FDSOA will award two (2) CEUs for each ROTW set of review questions answered. Individuals who are certified through the FDSOA and wish to submit FFNMRS ROTW review questions for CEUs should submit the completed questions, along with the first page of the ROTW (showing the report identification number). Reports should be submitted as completed (either by e-mail or U.S.P.S.) as completed. Do not submit reports at the time of recertification. Reports may be submitted (as completed) in batches of no more than 6 reports.

For additional details regarding this program or for information regarding certification as Incident Safety Officer or Health and Safety Officer, contact the FDSOA at www.fdsoa.org.