NFFF Launches Courage To Be Safe Program

More than 3,000 firefighters have died in the line-of-duty from 1981 to 2005, meaning that, on average, a firefighter dies every three days in the United States. Every year, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) honors the fallen and provides assistance to the families.

However, recognizing the need to do more to prevent firefighter line-of-duty deaths and injuries, the NFFF launched a national initiative to bring prevention to the forefront. Its first major action was to convene a national gathering of fire and emergency services leaders to conceive a firefighter line-of-duty death prevention plan. This Firefighter Life Safety Summit, held in March 2004 in Tampa, Florida, produced 16 major Life Safety Initiatives that provided the fire service a blueprint for making changes. The implementation of these initiatives can play a major role in helping the United States Fire Administration meet its goal of reducing firefighter fatalities by 25 percent within five years and 50 percent within 10 years.

The New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control in partnership with the NFFF is announcing a new educational initiative to accomplish this goal. The NFFF “Courage To Be Safe” program is based on the 16 initiatives developed during the Firefighter Life Safety Summit.

These initiatives are:

1. Define and advocate the need for a cultural change within the fire service relating to safety; incorporating leadership, management, supervision, accountability and personal responsibility.
2. Enhance the personal and organizational accountability for health and safety throughout the fire service.
3. Focus greater attention on the integration of risk management with incident management at all levels, including strategic, tactical, and planning responsibilities.
4. Empower all firefighters to stop unsafe practices.
5. Develop and implement national standards for training, qualifications, and certification (including regular recertification) that are equally applicable to all firefighters, based on the duties they are expected to perform.
6. Develop and implement national medical and physical fitness standards that are equally applicable to all firefighters, based on the duties they are expected to perform.
7. Create a national research agenda and data collection system that relate to the initiatives.
8. Utilize available technology wherever it can produce higher levels of health and safety.
9. Thoroughly investigate all firefighter fatalities, injuries, and near misses.
10. Ensure grant programs support the implementation of safe practices and/or mandate safe practices as an eligibility requirement.
11. Develop and champion national standards for emergency response policies and procedures.
12. Develop and champion national protocols for response to violent incidents.
13. Provide firefighters and their families access to counseling and psychological support.
14. Provide public education more resources and champion it as a critical fire and life safety program.
15. Strengthen advocacy for the enforcement of codes and the installation of home fire sprinklers.
16. Make safety a primary consideration in the design of apparatus and equipment.

The Courage to Be Safe program will be available for delivery in New York State beginning May 1, 2006. All firefighters, especially individuals in leadership and decision making positions are encouraged to participate in this educational experience. The program may be scheduled by contacting your County Fire Coordinator.

For additional information you may visit the NFFF web site at: http://www.firehero.org/

or contact Chief Thomas Wutz of my staff at: twutz@dos.state.ny.us.