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We have recently assigned a department health and safety officer to our staff who recently presented an overview of the Initiatives class and how we can implement them. We then had each station select 2 initiatives we could implement and gave a short presentation to the rest of the department on our findings/ideas. We have taken the Seat Belt pledge and are 100% compliant.
Submitted by Mike Petrosky, Howell Area Fire Department (MI)
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We follow NFPA 1500 standards. If a call is not life or property threatening we respond non-emergency. All career personnel have annual physicals and when on duty they all must go to the gym. We have an infection control policy. All fires are investigated and we have a strong inspections division. We have a policy that all occupants on apparatus WILL wear seat belts and when in the street all personnel will wear traffic safety vests. We will stage at any unsecured scenes until ok'd by police. The city has a employee assistance program(EAP). We also do a lot of public education tours and safety talks. All personnel are safety officers.
Submitted by Kevin McWhorter, City of Waynesboro Fire Department (VA)
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We place a copy of the initatives to be signed as a plegde to follow them along with the employee's evaluation.
Submitted by Chris Wells, Guilford County Emergency Services (NC)
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We have put in place a everyone wears a seatbelt policy and we are in the mist of changing our eating habits.
Submitted by John Paradiso, Highland Lakes Fire Department (NJ)
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We have developed a seatbelt use campaign. An Everyone Goes Home ® Mural with family photos to remind personnel why they should make good safety-related decisions. We are re-writing the policy manual with safety first. There are no more POV emergency responses, off-duty personnel can only respond to station - no more direct responses. There is a tiered response system - emergency units reduced to only necessary. Integrating Crew Resource Management, Requiring employee input into our department's evolution. We have increased staffing levels in an attempt to reach NFPA 1710/1720 compliance. Automatic aid for fires includes a RIC on the initial alarm. We hold regular safety training and have special speakers brought in.
Submitted by Michael Benson, Copley Fire Department (OH)
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We used one of our drill nights to view the program and also discuss what it means to us and our department. We emphasize the importance of coming home safely on every call.
Submitted by John McDonald, Lima Fire Company (PA)
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Video clips of each initiative are editted and embedded into a PowerPoint lesson plan, which is distributed via a network database program to each firefighter in every station. Whether the training topic is on wildfires in the urban interface, vehicle extrication, apparatus operation or forcible entry, a safety video segment is included so every firefighter views the initiatives each month.
Submitted by Michael Heeder, Gainesville Fire Rescue (FL)
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Presently, instead of operational directives and guidelines, the company has implemented operational procedures that require strict adherence. Guidelines are too flexible when it comes to the safety of firefighters. Procedures on how firefighters and apparatus are to operate will ensure the safest environment for our members. Some of the policies in the operational procedures include: the proper donning of PPE (prior to climbing into the apparatus); Wearing seatbelts; SCBA secured, including waist strap; wearing DOT approved Safety Vests, wearing gloves and utilizing anti-bacterial soap upon completion of the EMS run; always teamed up; Training requirements include: Advanced SCBA, Firefighter Safety and Survival, and Calling the Mayday.
Submitted by Richard Michitsch, Midway Hose Company Number 2/Matawan Fire Department (NJ)
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We conducted a training class on the 16 initiatives, going over each one and what they mean, along with the suggested areas of what a department can do for each initiative. We are meeting again to discuss in detail how we comply with each initative. If we find that we are weak or do not comply we will discuss ways and plans to comply. By July 1st 2008 we expect to have this completed along with a document citing the 16 initiatives, their meaning and how our agency complies with each.
Submitted by Gerald W. Taylor, Aiken Department of Public Safety (SC)
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Tampa Fire Rescue places the health and safety of all members as the highest priority for the department. An Incident Safety Officer is dispatched to every confirmed building fire and any other incident that they maybe needed. All members are encouraged to be aware of their personnel safety and the safety of others on their companies. Anyone on the scene of an incident may stop events if they are deemed unsafe.
Submitted by Emilio Salabarria, Tampa Fire Rescue (FL)
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The Church Hill Fire Department has implemented the Life Safety Initiatives by establishing standard operating guidelines, a better accountability system, and teaching life safety techniques. We have also established driving operations course with a 1 hr. class and 1 hr of driving course, and pledged that all our firefighters/fire officers wear seatbelts when responding to incidents.
Submitted by Luke Wood, Church Hill Fire Department (TN)
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To begin with, the 16 Life Safety Firefighter Initiatives is the basis for self-assessment in determiining if we are doing everything reasonably possible to ensure that we do not contribute to the annual LODD's. It is also just as important to use these initiatives to avoid adding to the total nimber of firefighter injuries every year and to go beyond those numbers to include the fact that many firefighters are needlessly dying early and in their retirement from the effects of the job. The El Paso Fire Department is currently delivering the Courage to be Safe ® training to it's 800+ members through the Safety Office using the program developed by the NFFF. This effort will first focus attention to initiative #1, the need to define the cultural change.
Submitted by John Davis, El Paso Fire Department (TX)
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Use slides at start of training. Posters through out fire house. SPEND TIME TALKING ABOUT IT!!
Submitted by Greg Goodwin, Violet Township Fire Department (OH)
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The department is currently undergoing a major upgrade in our training center. We will be including RIT/FAST training to the tech and command level thruout the next 6 months. We have begun to develop drivers safety programs and look to launch them over the winter months.
Submitted by Joseph Speranza, Hawthorne Fire Department (NJ)
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At this time we have only talked about the 16 firefighter life safety initiatives. Our safety officer and I will be taking a Courage to Be Safe® train-the-trainer class so we may be instructors through our state coordinator. This will be an opportunity to incorporate the 16 firefighter life safety initiatives in our department and to help other departments get started.
Submitted by Jim Reuther, Jamestown Fire Department (ND)
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We've incorporated what we are doing on a daily basis into the initiatives. #1 Post initiatives in the stations, refer to them during meetings.#2, Purchased jackets with reflective striping to be worn at roadway calls. #8 Ensure safe levels of CO are present prior to entering without an SCBA. #9, Refer to firefighterclosecalls.com. #14, Our department visits over 4,000 kids during fire prevention week, hosts an annual Halloween event, participates in a community fest with over 1,200 guests each year. #15, many of our townhomes are sprinkled and we are getting more of them involved. #16, Seat belts are mandatory, chevron striping inside of the doors, cameras and spotters used for backing, govenors are installed on the engines, and no need to go over 60mph.
Submitted by Joel McCol, City of Savage Fire Department (MN)
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Over the past two years our organization has spent countless hours reviewing and implementing changes. Among the top of the list is a dedicated chief officer to the incident as Safety Office. Additionaly, we have implemented an aggressive Highway Safety TIMS program and have been recognized in the DFW area for it. We believe in firefighter wellness and have a city government that has issued full support for our program, as well as a city-wide program. We have coached manditory workouts by a third party. We have aggressive diagnostics in place and have seen huge success from this program which we continue to develop. Coppell is one of the first fire departments in the Dallas Fortworth area with the 2006 adopted fire and building codes by city govenment.
Submitted by Eric Greaser, Coppell Fire Department (TX)
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We have instructed all personnel (220) on the 16 initiatives. I have instructed my personnel that once they complete the course, they are to replace their left collar device with the Everyone Goes Home® pin. Myself and my training officer did this and received many questions as to what the pin means. This gives us an opportunity to explain the program. We were goiing to issue the pins to all the instructors.
Submitted by Jim Fielding, Lowndes County Fire/Rescue (GA)
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We have recently put into effect the accountability system.
Submitted by Matthew Mathes, Meramec EMS (MO)
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The first step in any fire/rescue evolution is initiated by the fire/rescue alarm professional, sometimes referred to as a dispatcher, a title we refuse to use. Our staff are Fire Communications Technicians. There is a core policy here (established by me more than 35 years ago) that underscores any safety initiative which states, " It is the role of the fire/rescue communications professional to insure that no first responder is killed or injured by something we have done or failed to do. If the public benefits from that, so be it, but our primary client is the fire/rescuer who is responding to an event about which we have knowledge. It is our sworn responsibility to insure the safety of that individual or group of individuals. All else is secondary."
Submitted by Peter Meade, Nassau County Fire/Rescue Communications (NY)
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In January of 2007, the 16 initiatives were included into the strategic planning process, and the departments formal strategic plan. Each modification or change to daily operations is made after identification with at least one of the initiatives. This has accomplished everyones acceptance and practice of the 16 initiatives.
Submitted by Donald Dominick, Onalaska Fire Department (WI)
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We are using it as a baseline for training needs and budget concerns.
Submitted by Jerry Ringhofer, Crest Forest Fire Protection District (CA)
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We have put highway vest in all of the trucks and each time we are on the highway we have to wear a vest.
Submitted by Robert Bailey, Fire Department of Montgomery Township (PA)
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Started some new SOG for driving to and from calls. Changed way of salvage and overhaul is done making sure all near misses are documented.
Submitted by Michael Straussberg, Jefferson R-7 Fire Pro District (MO)
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We have had the full class and are still working on making changes. Seatbelt use is mandatory and 30 days off if not used.
Submitted by Mike Fanale, Bahama Fire Rescue (NC)
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