Everyone Goes Home - Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives Program

In March the National Fire Protection Association has updated NFPA 1982, Personal Alert Safety Systems, to address safety issues first discovered in December 2005.

However recently in an incident in Oneida, just west of Utica, New York a firefighter lost an arm and suffered severe burns from his ear to his leg on his right side, when a building collapse, however he nearly lost his life when his PASS Alarm didn't work. According to the Centers for Disease Control, which investigates firefighter fatalities, 15 firefighters have died nationwide in the last ten years because their PASS device failed when exposed to heat and water, the two things firefighters are sure to face. Those findings led to new standards and a redesign that's more heat and water resistant. The trouble is, no one is telling the firefighters. By law, no one has to. They're left to find out on their own. Local NewsChannel 13 called several local fire departments about the incident in Oneida to see if they were aware of the PASS Devices deficiencies they found that many volunteer departments in the area did not know. The Firefighter Life Safety Initatives Program Advocate Program Manager Chief Rich Marinucci has tasked the Regional Program managers to make sure ever there state advocates gets the word out. The advocates are a grass roots approach to promoting the awareness and implementation of the 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives and providing resources to enable them to do so. This includes spreading the word and sharing best practices. You can join the effort below are revisions that were made to the 2007 edition of NFPA 1982.

The NFPA recommends that "emergency responders continue to maintain and use existing PASS. Users are cautioned, however, that both the existing as well as the new PASS (when available) should always be considered a last resort call for help for emergency responder personnel who are unable to otherwise notify others that they are in distress.

"Firefighters and other emergency responders should continue to activate and wear PASS whenever in hazardous areas of any incident, but should also be aware of the possibility that hostile conditions may adversely affect the operation of PASS. Incident command should continue to apply all personnel accountability measures at all incidents to assure the safe entrance and exit of personnel from hazardous areas.Direct supervision of operating companies or teams should provide for the safe operating locations of personnel and ensure that members do not 'freelance' on the incident scene."

The 2007 edition of NFPA 1982 contains revisions providing for strengthened performance requirements and testing regarding the alarm signal degradation issue. The new edition also addresses other issues, including problems caused by vibration, probably during transportation, and water ingress into the electronic and power supply compartments.

The principal changes contained in the 2007 edition of NFPA 1982 are:

New water immersion requirements and testing for PASS where PASS is exposed to 350° F for 15 minutes and then to water submersion in 4.9 feet of water, also for 15 minutes, for each of six cycles. The PASS device then is examined to determine that there has been no water ingress, and that all PASS signals function properly and electronic data-logging functions operate properly. Following this test, the PASS device is re-immersed in the test water for an additional five minutes with the power source compartment(s) open, and following the five minutes the PASS device is removed from water and wiped dry; the electronics compartment then is opened and examined to determine no water ingress.
New high-temperature functionality requirements and testing to now have PASS mounted in a circulating hot air oven at 500° F for five minutes. The PASS alarm signal must function at or above the required 95dBA sound level; electronic data-logging functions must operate properly; and no part of the PASS can show evidence of melting, dripping or igniting.
New tumble-vibration requirements and testing for PASS where PASS is "tumbled" in a rotating drum for three hours, and the PASS alarm signal must function at the required 95dBA sound level and electronic data-logging functions must operate properly.
New "muffling" of the alarm signal requirements and testing for PASS where PASS is mounted on a test subject and evaluated in five positions - face down with arms extended, supine left, supine right, fetal right with knees drawn to chest, fetal left with knees drawn to chest - and the alarm signal must function at or above the required 95dBA sound level. The NFPA is offering free online access to the new edition of NFPA 1982 at its Web site.