1. Chapter 5
Firefighter Safety

2. Introduction Fire service knows what injures and kills firefighters
Firefighting profession carries significant risk
Risk: chance of injury, damage, or loss
Risk management: process of minimizing risk
Firefighter safety is grounded in understanding risks and risk/benefit thinking

3. Safety Issues
Understand what events and circumstances lead to injury or death
Fire and safety professionals have created standards, procedures, and initiatives
Prevent injuries and deaths
Efforts directly affected training and tactics employed today
Being aware of safety and injury-prevention helps the fire service address safety issues

4. Firefighter Injury and Death Trends
70 percent of all duty deaths and injuries occur during emergency activities
Heart attacks are the leading type of death-producing injury
Firefighting fatalities as a result of fire-related causes has increased
Understanding historical data helps us reduce deaths and injuries (see Figures 5-1 and 5-2)

5. Safety Standards and Regulations
OSHA is responsible for enforcement of safety-related regulations in the workplace
Firefighting fatalities and injuries have not noticeably decreased
OSHA/NFPA alliance furthers the importance and accountability placed on fire safety
NIOSH writes recommendations based on investigations of firefighter fatalities

6. Figure 5-3 An example of a NIOSH Alert issued to address disturbing trends in firefighter injuries and deaths.

7. Firefighter Safety Initiatives
In 2004, USFA and NFFF developed sixteen Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives
In 2005, organizations agreed that a collective time-out was needed
Stand-down safety day
In 2007, the Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives were revisited
Time and more focused preventative energy are necessary

9. Preventive Actions
Goal of exploring safety issues is to reduce potential for further injury and deaths
“Safety triad” and assigning action responsibilities create firefighter safety system
All firefighters should be empowered to stop unsafe actions
Those whose actions are stopped should view the intervention as positive

10. The Safety Triad
Most fire service operational environments are made up of three key components:
Procedures
Equipment
Personnel

11. (A)
(B)
Figure 5-4 The safety triad includes (A) procedures, (B) equipment (Photo courtesy of Richard W. Davis), and (C) personnel.

12. (C)
Figure 5-4 (cont’d.) The safety triad includes (A) procedures, (B) equipment (Photo courtesy of Richard W. Davis), and (C) personnel.
5.12

13. Procedures Describe formal and informal processes
Formal processes are in writing:
Standard operating procedures
Standard operating guidelines
Departmental directives and temporary memos
Informal procedures are part of the department’s routine but are not written

14. Figure 5-5 Sample SOP index.

15. Figure 5-6 Sample SOP format.

16. Equipment Equipment makes an operation more safe
Least important factor
Most critical equipment is designed to meet NFPA standards
Must be inspected and maintained
Complete documentation of repairs and maintenance is essential
Choosing the right tool for a given job is paramount for safety

17. Personnel Human factors cited as cause of injuries and deaths
Safety triad must address personnel issues
Everything learned in basic academy should be drilled
Firefighter must strive to retain information and skills
Firefighter's body must be capable of handling stress

18. Figure 5-8 Basic skills must be practiced on a regular basis.

19. Personnel (cont’d.) Improve physical health and safety:
Annual health screening
Work hardening and fitness
Nutrition education
Keys to addressing mental health
Training and understanding of critical incident stress management (CISM)
Utilizing available member assistance programs (MAP)

20. Figure 5-10 Critical incident stress is inevitable and unpreventable
Figure Critical incident stress is inevitable and unpreventable. CISM can be addressed through recognition (know the signs and symptoms), peer support, and debriefings.

21. Personnel (cont'd.) Attitude is the hardest to address
Factors that affect safety attitudes:
Fire department’s safety culture
Fire department’s history
Example set by others
Ways to have a positive attitude:
Practice good habits
Learn from others
Be vigilant

22. Figure Developing a positive safety attitude and practicing safe habits will demonstrate safe examples to others.

23. Firefighter Safety Responsibilities
Dependent on the efforts of everyone
Responsibility for firefighter safety rests in one of three areas:
Department
Working team
Individual

24. (A)
(B)
(C)
Figure Firefighter safety is dependent on all partners holding up their responsibilities: (A) administration, (B) teams, and (C) individual firefighters.

25. The Department (cont'd.)
Fire chiefs must create and enforce:
Rules
Procedures
Expectations
Create a health and safety committee
Develop standard procedures
Personal protective equipment
Firefighter injuries
Training safely
Many others

26. The Department (cont'd.)
Implement risk management plan
Risk a life to save a life
Reduce risk for valued property
Take no risk for that which is lost
Retreat when risk excessive or deteriorating quickly
Research and purchase appropriate equipment
Development and delivery of awareness training

27. The Team Must hold up its part of the safety partnership
Team should follow these procedures
Utilize an ICS
Work together and remain intact
Look after each other

28. The Individual Firefighter
Readiness is an attitude as well as a physical state
Each individual must fill a role
Perform as trained
Working alone or outside the action plan endangers individuals and the team
Use an incident engagement checklist

29. Figure 5-13 Freelancing endangers individuals and the team
Figure Freelancing endangers individuals and the team. This firefighter is working alone in a collapse zone—for what gain?

30. Figure 5-14 Firefighters should perform a mental incident engagement checklist for every response.

31. Lessons Learned Firefighter safety is dependent on many factors
70 percent of injuries and deaths occur during emergency activities
Majority due to overexertion
Accident prevention mitigates hazards
Use safety triad between department administration, working teams, firefighter
Individuals must develop safe habits and attitudes