NFFF Whistle-Stop Tour Hits the Road

By Jamie Thompson
FireRescue1 News Editor

With stops in 20 cities in 37 days, it’s a schedule that would put the hardest working politician or rock band to shame.

After six months’ planning, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s Whistle-Stop Tour kicked off Thursday in San Francisco.

The tour bus bears the names of the thousands of firefighters killed in the line-of-duty since 1981. It will travel across the country in a bid to promote the “Everyone Goes Home” message to fire personnel and the public alike.

Richard Anderson, program director of the Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives and unified commander of the tour, launched the event at San Francisco Fire Department Training Facility.

“The bus behind me is very special,” he said of the tour bus, which carries the names of the 3,147 fallen firefighters since 1981, when national statistics began to be compiled. “Many of you have friends’ names who are on the bus – I know the names of many friends of mine are on it.”

Guest speakers
The event featured several guest speakers who talked of the need to enforce the 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives, which were drawn up by the NFFF to offer solutions to preventable line-of-duty deaths.

But none of the speakers delivered a more powerful message than Jo Ann Gettman.

Her son, Matthew Black, died in the line-of-duty with the Lakeport, Calif., Volunteer Fire Department in 1999, just a few days short of his 21st birthday

Gettman was the first of a number of “survivors” who will join various legs of the tour to offer their own unique perspectives on firefighter safety.

Firefighter Black was among those responding to a grass fire caused by fallen power lines when he died.

He was advancing a booster reel line to extinguish a pile of burning debris, but was propelled forward after heaving on the hose when it became lodged in the ground.

Firefighter Black fell face down and was electrocuted as the ground was highly charged from a combination of the fallen power lines and water that had been dispersed to extinguish the fire.

‘Freak accident’
“I’ve always wondered what could have been done to prevent what happened,” said Gettman. “But I think Matt’s death was a freak accident. I don’t think anything could have been done to prevent this.

“I know, though, that there have been a lot of lives that have been lost in the line-of-duty that are preventable.”

Gettman said she hopes departments will leave the tour stops with an increased focus on safety.

“Safety is extremely important and along with that, health and wellness are extremely important, too,” she said. “I hope that every one of you here today will go back to your departments and try to implement just a little more safety.”

Weekday stops on the tour will highlight local fire departments and training, while six weekend events will be major points for rallies and preparedness fairs.

Each city has been carefully selected after consultation with media professionals on which areas could provide the most extensive media coverage.

Lengthy planning
Tour commander Anderson said he came up with the whistle-stop tour idea when he saw a political campaign bus on the road.

“We started planning this about six months ago,” he said. “We discovered that there were fire departments who knew nothing about the 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives.”

He said the purpose of the tour is to spread awareness of the program and its resources, as well as promote the exchange of ideas between departments.

“We have found some fire departments are doing great in certain areas, but not in others,” he said. “They aren’t talking to each other or sharing best practices.”

The tour, mainly funded by the Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation and a Fire Act grant, heads to Sacramento Saturday, and comes to a close in Boston on May 12.

SFFD Chief Joanne Hayes-White told those gathered Thursday that she was delighted that San Francisco was chosen as the first stop.

“For the next five weeks, the bus will be traveling across the United States to send the message about the fact that firefighters put their lives on the line each and every day they go to work,” she said.

“We are here today to send the message that we truly appreciate the dedication of the workforce, and make sure that everyone goes home safe and returns to their families after their watches.”