By FireRescue1 Staff
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WASHINGTON — New legislation to promote firefighter safety and better compliance with industry standards was filed Monday.
If introduced, the Firefighter Fatality Reduction Act of 2009 would direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a survey to determine the level of compliance with national voluntary consensus standards.
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown and Rep. Ed Perlmutter announced details of the proposed act during the IAFF’'s legislative conference in Washington, D.C.
Nearly 40 Ohio firefighters attending the conference visited Capitol Hill to lobby for legislative priorities including the Firefighter Fatality Reduction Act.
Sen. Brown said many LODDs could be prevented by departments and its members following industry standards such as those drawn up by the NFPA.
The Firefighter Fatality Reduction Act would require DHS to determine the rate of fire department compliance with standards for safe operations, staffing, training, and fitness among career, volunteer, and combination fire departments.
While the bill would not mandate federal oversight of local fire departments, Sen. Brown said, it would explore how the federal government should best promote firefighter safety standards and assist fire departments with compliance.
IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger said he welcomed the development.
“The continued prevalence of avoidable fire fighter fatalities is the most serious problem facing the fire service today,” he said.