EMMITSBURG, MD – Every fire department throughout the country encounters unique opportunities and challenges to serving their communities. While these approaches can be distinctive hallmarks and a source of pride from a cultural perspective, they can limit effectiveness and potentially endanger firefighters and citizens.
In May 2018, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) gathered 30 fire service subject matter experts to evaluate and discuss Firefighter Life Safety Initiative #11: National standards for emergency response policies should be developed and championed. They reviewed the history on the initiative as well as relevant reports from agencies that have implemented successful programs.
In the end, the attendees unanimously supported the development of national response policy standards. This recommendation upholds the belief that such standards will help reduce firefighter injuries and preventable fatalities. A copy of the full report can be accessed here. https://bit.ly/2PcrbpZ
“The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation is very pleased with the recommendation of this esteemed group,” said Chief Ronald J. Siarnicki, Executive Director of the Foundation. “As an organization, we believe that implementing such standards and protocols will help the nation’s fire service make inroads in reducing the number of firefighter injuries and deaths that occur each year.”
Funding for the meeting was made possible through the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant program. It was hosted by Columbus (OH) International Association of Fire Fighters Local 67 at the local’s headquarters.