To: All members of the Clayton Fire Company No.#1, Inc.

At the regular company meeting in November 2007 if was overwhelmingly passed to adopt the National Fallen Firefighters 16 Firefighters Life Safety Initiatives. As we all know many of these Initiatives we already meet however we still have some work to do. The company passed a date of December 2008 for us to meet the remaining initiatives. It will take every member and officers of this department working together to reach this gold. Remember safety will and always has been our first priority. Below is a list of those ititiatives. Should you have any questions please contact Safety Officer Rodney Whalen or any Chief Officer.

16 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.

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

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

4. All firefighters must be empowered to stop unsafe practices.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

11. National standards for emergency response policies and procedures should be developed and championed.

12. National protocols for response to violent incidents should be developed and championed.

13. Firefighters and their families must have access to counseling and psychological support.

14. Public education must receive more resources and be championed as a critical fire and life safety program.

15. Advocacy must be strengthened for the enforcement of codes and the installation of home fire sprinklers.

16. Safety must be a primary consideration in the design of apparatus and equipment.

The following is in the new revision of NFPA 1901, effective for apparatus contracted on and after January 1, 2009.

"14.1.8.4* The following statement shall be included in the operator’s manual: ’Fire helmets shall not be worn by persons riding in enclosed driving and crew areas. Fire helmets are not designed for crash protection and they will interfere with the protection provided by head rests The use of seat belts is essential to protecting fire fighters during driving.’

14.1.8.4.1 A location for helmet storage shall be provided.

14.1.8.4.2 If helmets are to be stored in the driving or crew compartment, the helmets shall be secured in compliance to section 14.1.11.2. (This relates to the gforce restraints.)

14.1.8.4.3 A label stating ’DO NOT WEAR HELMET WHILE SEATED’ shall be visible form each seating position.

A.14.1.8.4 The minimum seat head height values in this standard assume that the occupants are not wearing helmets. The use of helmets puts the occupant at greater risk of neck or back injury during a rollover or during a severe road event.

So....at the risk of over-simplifying the FIREFIGHTER SURVIVAL issue... ...here are 12 thoughts that might just work:

1. If we recruit, hire and promote the best possible people with strict and tough hiring standards and very tough and certifiable training...

2. If we operate and train to proven standards and modern firefighting practices...

3. If we wear all our PPE without excuse...head to toe with no exposed skin and no longer breathe crap...

4. If we send the correct amount of Firefighters on the 1st alarm (based on pre-plans and what's reported)..

5. If we promote Fire Officers that are highly motivated, gung-ho, educated as well as highly trained, skilled and understand that they must enforce the SOP's as supervisors...

6. If we train on and understand building construction and fire behavior...

7. If we use ICS with strict and respected command, control and accountability on the FG...

8. If we drive smart, always wear seat belts and never blow red traffic lights or stop signs w/o stopping first...

9. If we pull the right size hose lines w/the needed water and control the fire as quick as possible...

10. If we understand when it is worth risking our Firefighters lives and when it is not...(risk vs benefit)...

11. If we develop strict fire safe building codes and mandatory fire sprinkler systems...

12. ...and if we especially understand the issues related to firefighter health, diet, wellness and fitness........

...we can probably reduce firefighter line of duty deaths by 75% or so....if we want to and when we are ready to change our culture and related behaviors.

*************************************************************************************************

All members are reminder that when responding to an alarm or when riding in any fire equipment all members are to be seated and belted at all times.

*************************************************************************************************

Firefighters Have to get Killed; it's Part of the Job
Do you agree or disagree?

In 1976, my lieutenant said, "Firefighters have to get killed; it's part of the job."* His statement frightened me. (see article below) Does the fire service and society believe this statement? Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

The major national fire service organizations: NFPA, IAFC, NVFC, NFFF, IAFF, USFA, plus OSHA, NIOSH, and NIST have produced thousands of firefighter safety standards, laws, training material, reports, and investigations over the past 31 years. National fire publications, conferences, and campaigns have focused on reducing firefighter injuries and deaths. The federal government mandates ICS training, SCBA testing and training, and NIMS compliance. As a result of 9/11 more federal grant money for apparatus, PPE, equipment, and training has been spent than ever before. State and local fire service organizations conduct countless hours of training and spend millions of dollars on firefighter safety every year.

In 1976, there were 107 line of duty deaths. In 2007, we had 115 line of duty deaths and about 80,000 injuries. The number of deaths and injuries has not changed much over the past 30 years. The reasons for the deaths and injuries have not changed. Because, in spite of all the safety talk and safety programs our safety belief, attitude, and behavior has not changed.

The NIOSH line of duty death studies report that we do not follow our own safety SOP's, national standards, and training doctrine. We do not use our safety equipment. We do not hold firefighters, officers, or chiefs responsible and accountable when it comes to safety. More fire service personnel are disciplined for being late for work then safety violations. In other words, we tolerate and accept safety misconduct, which can and does result in firefighter death or injury.

In 2004, Martha Stewart was convicted of lying to investigators about a $228,000 stock sale. She served five months in prison and paid a $30,000 fine. The government was sending a message that corporate misconduct would not be tolerated.

In 2007, the City of Los Angeles awarded a firefighter $2.7 million to settle a lawsuit because his brother firefighters put dog food in his spaghetti. Racial misconduct will not be tolerated in the fire service. Societies know how to hold individuals and organizations responsible for behavior that will not be tolerated.

In Charleston, SC, the mayor reports the fire was, "beyond the firefighting capability of any fire department." The fire chief concluded that nothing could have been done differently. South Carolina State regulators found several work place safety violations at the fire that killed nine firefighters. The city paid $3,000 in penalties while not admitting any wrong doing. (Adam Hochberg, "Scrutiny Feeds Firehouse Tensions After Fatal Blaze," National Public Radio, Jan 16, 2008.

In 2007, 12 firefighters were killed in the line of duty without their seat belt on; 300 in the past 30 years. There has been no discipline or penalties or accountability for their deaths.

Our belief, attitude, and behavior reinforce the lieutenant's statement. At the time he did not clarify if he meant firefighter deaths due to: heart attack, vehicle crash, getting hit by a vehicle, building collapse, falling through a floor or roof, flashover or backddraft, lost, trapped, running out of air, falling from a ladder, roof, or apparatus, or trying to rescue a victim. You will have to decide which line of duty deaths are part of the job.

There is little or no accountability, responsibility, or discipline for firefighter death or injury from the fire service, elected officials, or government agencies. There are no consequences for safety misconduct. Because, we have convinced others and ourselves that firefighter death and injury is just part of the job.

Time to Take the Test:

Firefighters have to get killed; it's part of the job.
Circle one answer

Agree
Disagree

I disagreed in 1976 and I still disagree today. When a firefighter is killed or injured, something went wrong. It is not part of the job. We can and must behave differently. We do not need to learn anything new, get new equipment, or have new SOP's and standards. We must do every task 100 percent correct 100 percent of the time. When we do not meet this goal there must be accountability and responsibility followed by discipline. We know how to fix misconduct at the organizational and individual level.

When a NIOSH firefighter line of duty death report reads:

All SOP's and training doctrine were followed by all personnel.
The structure met all fire codes.
Nothing could have been done differently.
Nothing can be learned from this firefighter's death.
This line of duty death was part of the job.
The lieutenant, chief, and mayor will be correct.

Until then, be afraid - be very afraid. Because, someone near you or in your chain of command believes that "Firefighters have to get killed; it's part of the job."

I know what some readers are thinking, "Clark is full of bull; he is just an old guy who can't take it anymore." You are right. When enough of us can't take death and injury as just part of the job - death and injury on the job will stop. I hope it doesn't take 30 more years.

*************************************************************************************************

There are only two kinds of firefighters who stop learning; those who are dead, and those who will be.

www.healthy-firefighter.org