LODD: What does it Mean??? Training Officer Brian Ward

Objectives  Examine and understand exactly what an LODD entails, not just what it stands for.  Examine the history and magnitude of 2007 and 2008 LODDs.  Motivate and encourage class participants not to restate the “right way,” but believe in the “right way.”

Objectives  Provide resources that all firefighters can take back to their respective departments and make a difference with.  Demonstrate the importance of reaching the Affective Domain of Learning, and reaching into each firefighter’s heart and guide their values and beliefs toward safety.

What does LODD mean to each person in this room?

 Line of Duty Death  Most people don’t truly understand what a LODD is until it is to late.  What do the statistics say?  What about prevention?

Prevention  Do you ask yourself everyday, “What am I doing to make sure my crew and I go home the way we came to shift?”  If not, why not?  Every shift that YOU work a Firefighter loses their life!!!!

Statistics  As of August 21, 2008 there has been 83 LODD’s.  Expected  The norm  Right in line with every year before

NFPA Firefighter Fatality 2007 Report  Deaths by Type of Duty  Deaths by Cause of Injury  Deaths by Nature of Injury  Deaths by Age  Deaths by Fixed Property Use

Deaths by Type of Duty  Fire Ground 35%  Vehicle Operation 29%  Other On-Duty 16%  Training 13%  Non-Fire Emergencies 7%

Deaths by Cause of Injury  Exertion/Stress/Other 39%  Struck by or Contact with Object 31%  Caught or Trapped 23%  Fell 6%  Other 1%

Deaths by Nature of Injury  Sudden Cardiac Death 37%  Internal Trauma 28%  Asphyxiation 23%  Other 8%  Burns 4%

Deaths by Age      56-up22

Deaths by Fixed Property Use  Residential 47%  Stores 25%  Wildland 8%  Storage 6%  Restaurant 6%  Under Demolition 6%  Vehicle 3%

What did you see?

 Has anything really changed?  There are no new ways to kill firefighters, we keep recreating the old ways.

The “Right Way” or the “Right Way”  Are we restating what the text book says is the Right Way? Or  Do we believe in doing things the Right Way?

Prevention  There are numerous ways to educate and prepare ourselves for the battle ground, but it’s up to us to recognize that and grasp it.  Programs  Web Training  College  Seminars  Books  Etc.

Everyone Goes Home Program  National Fallen Firefighters Foundation  Free Training Courage to be Safe Life Safety Resource Kit 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives  Focuses on preventing LODD’s 25% reduction in 5 years 50% reduction in 10 years

EGH is not the only program!!  Fire Department Safety Officers Association  Fire Rescue  Fire Engineering  FireHouse  TRADE  Firefighter Near Miss  IAFC  IAFF

Website Training         

College  Degree at a Distance Program  Online  NFA  Local College

Seminars  All over the place  Most people throw away $20 or more a week.  Put it to good use  Quit tobacco to pay for

Books  Must reads  Frank Brannigan’s “Building Construction for the Fire Service 4 th Edition”  John Norman’s “Fire Officer’s Handbook of Tactics 3 rd Edition”  John Salka’s “First In, Last Out”  Rick Lasky’s “Pride and Ownership”

No matter what you do, do something!!!  Learning is a Active Process, you do not achieve it scratching your ass.  Are you a full-time or part-time firefighter?  Side job more important or  Protecting life and property

 Challenge yourself to read something fire related for minutes everyday. It’s small but huge.  Have a shift meeting every morning with:  Strategy and Tactics  Case Studies  Pull out the Preplans for familiarization  Anything fire related!

“It’s not as much about me going home but sending everyone around me home.”

FDNY Deputy Chief John Norman  Knowledge is power; it’s the power to make sure that everyone goes home.  Share your knowledge for the benefit of the Brotherhood.  “Can you live with yourself and the things you did, to the point where you would put your family member in the position as you left it?”

It’s Happened  Now, what does LODD mean?  It changes meanings.  How many times does an LODD occur trying to save another life? Rare (2007: 5 LODDs during Search and Rescue Ops) Are any of these ever acceptable?

Chief Billy Goldfeder  Life Safety - Big  Property Conservation - Small

 The Fire ground is not the only place we are losing the battle.  We need to get Healthy  And, learn how to drive.  Wear YOUR seatbelt!

Honoring Those Before Us  We have to honor those that laid down their life before us by studying what went wrong and how to prevent it from happening again.  We have to get in touch with the Affective Domain of every Firefighter:  Heart  Values  Beliefs

Affective Domain of Learning  A change in behavior!  Educate  Lead by Example  Demonstrate  Accountability

My question to the audience: Do you have the Courage to tell a department member to do what is right, to be Safe?

Summary  LODD is not just a Line of Duty Death.  Prevention  Take it personal, even if you didn’t know them.  Honor those before us.

Summary  Encourage your crew, shift, department, region, and the Fire Service as a whole to take notice as so many already have and become part of the solution.  Study, Know your Job, Do your Job and Share the Information.

Take Chief Salka’s word for it! “Get into the job, not just sweep the floors, and not just get on the rig when the alarm rings or just collect a paycheck. Do something, learn something.”