NIOSH
Stay current with NIOSH developments that shape firefighter safety and health. This hub delivers breaking coverage of Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program findings, National Firefighter Registry for Cancer updates, PPE performance studies, federal funding moves and legislative actions affecting NIOSH operations. Articles combine timely reporting with expert analysis to help chiefs, training officers and frontline firefighters turn research into decisions on policy, training and equipment. Fresh content is posted whenever investigations resume or programs shift, giving you a complete view of NIOSH’s mission to keep crews safer on every call.
A Maryland fire captain died after falling into a basement during a 2021 house fire, with investigators citing gaps in size-up, crew integrity, and rapid intervention readiness
Lawyers for the city of Columbia said the Irmo Fire District “acted with malice in reckless disregard for the truth or falsity of the statements”
More than 460 former CDC employees are being brought back after layoffs that gutted public health programs, including those tackling infectious disease, air quality and workplace safety
NIOSH’s new report on the 2014 fire that claimed two Boston firefighters holds lessons for every department
Two firefighters died fighting a fire in a brownstone two years ago; federal investigators say the department bears some responsibility
There is no written protocol at the Kansas City Fire Department dealing with collapse zones; NIOSH officials said no building is worth a firefighter’s life
A firefighter fell through a rooftop skylight and suffered a close call in 2012, three years before the same happened to firefighter John Whelan
The partnership between the two fire departments comes as a result of both mounting campaigns to raise awareness about increased cancer rates
Among the communication failures outlined in the report was a revelation that the command officer didn’t hear the first two mayday calls made during the fire
Factors that contributed to their deaths included heavy winds, personnel accountability and communication problems
The chief’s performance came under scrutiny after a report on the fire that resulted in two firefighters’ deaths last year
The NIOSH investigation showed that only the first of the two low-air alarms functioned in its test
The study evaluated 20,000 firefighters from three major cities over nearly 60 years and the amount of time spent on the fireground
Lt. Bruce Britt, a 23-year veteran, died in a walkway collapse while evacuating apartment residents
In this incident, command was never established nor was any type of incident action plan developed and communicated to personnel
Investigators recommended annual medical evaluations, exercise stress tests, vital-sign checks and the completion of a health screen questionnaire
How NIOSH investigators and the department can better understand the LODD and prevent its repeat
The standard committee is focused on beefing up portable devices, including lapel mics, used in interior fire-attack situations
To honor the fallen we must learn from the incident, and that requires effort and honesty
The written test, oral interview and Candidate Physical Ability Test firefighters must pass are challenging, but practice and study can help you succeed
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