Captain Andy Marsh
Mt. Oliver Fire Department

Firefighter safety needs are no different than what they were a year ago or even five years ago. Nothing much has changed. However, 2009 was a turning point for us in the fire service. We ended up with fewer than 100 line-of-duty deaths (LODDs), a task for what we, and many others, have preached about for many years. Not since 1998 have we done that as a fire service, and it's about time.

In 2009, 50 percent of the LODDs were related to stress and close to 20 percent of the LODDs were related to driving vehicles. That is a big chunk. Think about it in the terms of profitability for a minute. If we could make 20 percent or even 50 percent of the trips we do in EMS, you and I would be so much better for it, eh?

We need to be thankful that we got below 100 LODDs. We need to be thankful that the programs, drills and other information that we all have been able to get out there amongst our brother and sister firefighters are making a difference. But, we cannot stop! The losses that we still incur are too great. 2009 was the year for that turning point or perhaps the curve that brings us to the pivotal point of turning things around as far as LODDs go. 2010 needs to be that pivot point as we drive into a new decade. Maybe this is the year that we bring it under 90 LODDs! God willing even less! Maybe by 2020, we get to 50 or less!

We need to accentuate the positive: the positives of good training, the positives of safe driving techniques, the positives of risk vs. benefit when we have a vacant building going well, and the positives of the 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives. Sure, we have done that already, but in 2009, it appears that it worked for the fire service! Twenty-five less firefighters died in the line of duty between 2008 and 2009. I believe that our focus needs to be on improving on those positives so that we indeed do have a great 2010.

We can turn that old adage around by not saying "the Nation's Fire Service, 200 years of tradition, unimpeded by progress" and start saying something like "the Nation's Fire Service, new and improved! 200 years of tradition, progression and safety for all."