Join the stand down

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Fire departments urged to stand down for firefighter safety

NOTE: Please forward this email message on to other fire service professionals to encourage them to participate in the stand down.

Fairfax, Va., May 24, 2005* The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), James Burns, State Fire Administrator of the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control and 13 partnering fire service organizations are calling for all fire departments in the nation to conduct a "stand down" for firefighter safety beginning Tuesday, June 21. As of May 1, there have been 50 line-of-duty firefighter deaths - that is 10 more than at this same time last year.

A stand down is a method used by the military to correct an issue that has been identified as a problem throughout its ranks. The IAFC, New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control and their partners* are urging fire departments to suspend all non-emergency activity on June 21 and instead focus entirely on firefighter safety.

"Fire fighters are being killed at an alarming rate. The fire service simply cannot continue to do business as usual when so many of its own are dying," said IAFC President Chief Bob DiPoli. "We are conducting the stand down to raise awareness of the need for increased vigilance toward fire fighter safety."

The IAFC and its partners are urging you and all fire departments throughout the country to suspend all non-emergency activity and focus entirely on firefighter safety. If you are a career or combination department, please stand down beginning Tuesday, June 21 until all personnel and duty nights have been covered. If you are a volunteer department, please conduct a special safety meeting the evening of June 21 or as near to that date as possible.

Use the recommended "daily activity schedule" below. Take the 21st to talk about the causes of line-of-duty deaths; check all apparatus and equipment; discuss health and safety regulations; review fire ground safety issues; and take stock of training exercises and fitness goals. An entire Web page at the IAFC Web site www.iafc.org/standdown has been devoted to important issue. Go to that site and use those resources to plan your activities for the stand down.

"We must call attention to the unacceptable number of line-of-duty deaths and injuries plaguing our fire departments," said DiPoli continued. "During the Safety Stand Down, fire departments all around the nation will have thorough, honest conversations about firefighter health and safety and maybe we do something to stop these deaths."

After your department has stood down, please email the IAFC with a summary of the activities you conducted and your comments at standdown@iafc.org. If you have questions, please call the IAFC at 703/273-0911.

Partnering Organizations

International Association of Fire Chiefs

National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

United States Fire Administration

International Association of Fire Fighters

National Volunteer Fire Council

National Fire Protection Association

International City/County Management Association

National Association of State Fire Marshals

North American Fire Training Directors

Canadian Fire Chiefs Association

Congressional Fire Service Institute

International Association of Arson Investigators

Fire & Emergency Manufacturers Services Association International Fire Service Training Association Fire Department Safety Officers' Association New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control

Recommended Daily Schedule of Events

National Firefighter Safety Stand Down

June 21, 2005

Recommended Activity Schedule

Prior to June 21:

Department wide email/notification to the department

For career fire departments, this should be a joint labor/management initiative, so the announcement should be jointly from chief and union president. For combination departments, the fire chief, volunteer leadership, and union president should make a joint announcement. Send out a reminder to the department a few days before the event.

June 21 (and continue until all subsequent duty days/shifts have been covered): Department wide radio announcement (see attached sample)

Station Line-up

Moment of silence for LODDs

Review of shift activities and explanation of purpose

Review LODD causes

Utilize NIOSH reports and recommendations

Entire shift focus on safety and what can be done to improve fire department safety and individual safety All other activities (public ed, inspections, etc.) postponed

Health and Safety Standards

Address federal (as well as state/provincial) health and safety regulations and NFPA standards (1500, 1710, 1581, etc.), especially in areas where fire department is in violation or perceived violation

Fire Ground Safety

Review current fire department staffing

Compare fire department staffing to national standards (including NFPA 1710, 1720) Review fire department accountability SOPS, RITs and equipment (locators, PASS, etc.) Incident management SOPs and risk management issues Review fire department Standard Operating Procedures Review individual knowledge of SOPs Review adherence to SOPs Suggest needed revisions to current SOPs Review communication issues Review individual knowledge of communication equipment and procedures Review adequacy of current communication system as well as individual units

Personal Protective Equipment

Review fire department personal protective equipment

Check all PPE, including bunker gear and SCBA, for obvious defects, cleaning and maintenance needs. PPE review should be in accordance with NFPA 1851, Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Structural Fire Fighting Protective Ensembles. Tag all equipment with defects and remove from service. Discuss fire department specification for current gear and suggest revisions Address respirator standards, including training, selection, use, fit testing, etc. (as required by OSHA 1910.134) Emphasize use of safety glasses and hearing protection

Apparatus and Equipment Check

Check all fire apparatus and equipment stowed on fire apparatus. Tag all equipment with defects and remove from service. Address MANDATORY seat belt use (no exceptions) Allow extra time for mechanical checks Review defect reports

Infectious Disease Safety

Review department SOPs and protocols

Address proper PPE

Address proper hand washing and other universal protocols

Address vaccine programs

Physical Fitness

Review the IAFF/IAFC Wellness Fitness Initiative. Has the fire department adopted fully, at all, in part. This is the number one recommendation of NIOSH after any firefighter LODD from heart event. Review fire department hiring procedures. Does the fire department use CPAT for candidate physical ability requirements and does fire department use NFPA 1582 for candidate medical requirements? Ensure all personnel engage in some form of approved exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes. May be as simple as basic stretching and a one mile walk around a nearby fitness track or marked path. Address Peer Fitness Trainers and generate interest in getting fire department to certify members as IAFF/IAFC PFTs

Training

Review minimum training requirements (fire ground, driving, etc.) Address recruit training, both a training center and in company during probation Address company training needs Address company critiques after emergency events (all regardless of emergency) Address company officer, especially front line officer, training Address specialized training. Does fire department have minimum HazMat, WMD training? Address wellness fitness training (recruit and company level)

Behavioral Health

Review and address fire department EAPs, CISM, and other related programs

Address attitudes relating to safety

Positive and negative

Includes aggression, judgment, ability to execute assigned tasks safely, age/experience/physical conditioning Drill periods-if time permits, then actual safety drills would be an excellent way to review emergency operations Conduct drills that review safety practices and principles for targeted areas

Safe driving - include a practical component (e.g., road trip) Fire ground operations Training Non-fire emergencies In-station activities Practical skills drills should include an enhanced safety component. Go to any of the Safety Stand Down Web site at www.iafc.org/standdown to select a drill topic

Shift/Group Meal

Prepare healthy meal selected from recipes and share as a team. Visit the IAFF's Food Fit Web site, www.foodfit.com/iaff for sample recipes.

End Activities

Recap day's emphasis

Second moment of silence for LODDs

Relax

Sample Radio Announcement

"The (Department Name) is participating in the National Firefighter Safety Stand Down today. All personnel are to observe a moment of silence for our fire service brothers and sisters who have lost their lives in the line of duty. All department activities for the remainder of the shift are to follow the guidelines issued by the fire chief with the full support of the IAFF local president/volunteer leadership/volunteer chiefs."

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