Safety: Are We Doing Enough?

Note: I had the opportunity to go to a NFA class with this gentleman. He is one of those that really is taking an active role with firefighter safety and really one to follow on the issues.

Excerpt from today's article by Chief Ron Kanterman:

I personally believe (safety) is a three pronged approach. First and foremost, it starts at the top. The Chief of each and every fire department in this country must make a time and resource commitment to good safety programs and practices. I'm sure there's not a chief out there who would argue with "safety" but it's time to put up or shut up. One clip from the Everyone Goes Home - Courage to Be Safe (EGH-CTBS) program shows Chief Dave Daniels (Washington State) discussing that the chief's job is to insure that everyone goes home every day. "That's your job," Chief Daniels reiterates on the video. There is no specific reference to career or volunteer.

Prong number 2 is first line supervision. The guy or gal in the front seat on the right side of the cab is responsible for insuring that we get to the call and back in one piece. "Arrive alive and don't kill anyone on the way." (Not a bad motto to hang on the inside of the apparatus bay doors along with "buckle up every time.") The company officer must set the example for the rest of the crew. Chief Dennis Rubin (Washington, D.C. Fire/EMS) is quoted on the EGH-CTBS program video as saying "if the company officer buckles his seatbelt, the rest of the members will absolutely buckle their seatbelts." I believe he's right. Safety policies and procedures must be enforced at the line level. Again, there is no reference to career or volunteer.

Prong 3 is personal accountability. No one will "deliver safety" on a silver tray to our firefighters each time the bell rings. They need to bring safety to the game on their own. It's part of putting on a uniform or donning PPE. Personnel must be trained and engrained with the safety culture and told they must be responsible and accountable for their actions and that bad or "stupid, goofy acts will not be tolerated." (Chief Ronny Coleman, California).

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http://blog.usfa.dhs.gov/2008/12/safety-are-we-doing-enough.html