Implementing the 16 Implementing the 16 Firefighter Life Safety Firefighter Life Safety

InitiativesInitiatives

IAFC Leadership SummitIAFC Leadership Summit

20052005

This is a discussion forum forThis is a discussion forum for

Fire Service LeadersFire Service Leaders

Your participation is requested…Your participation is requested…

Please share Please share youryour thoughts and ideas. thoughts and ideas.

Everyone is in favor of Firefighter Everyone is in favor of Firefighter SafetySafety

Everyone is in favor of Firefighter Everyone is in favor of Firefighter SafetySafety

Everyone supports the 16 initiativesEveryone supports the 16 initiatives

(at least in principle)(at least in principle)

Everyone is in favor of Firefighter Everyone is in favor of Firefighter SafetySafety

Everyone supports the 16 initiativesEveryone supports the 16 initiatives

(at least in principle)(at least in principle)

Everyone agrees they are importantEveryone agrees they are important

Everyone is in favor of Firefighter Everyone is in favor of Firefighter SafetySafety

Everyone supports the 16 initiativesEveryone supports the 16 initiatives(at least in principle)(at least in principle)

Everyone agrees they are importantEveryone agrees they are important

How do we implement them?How do we implement them?

The Fire Service Senior The Fire Service Senior Executive’s Implementation Executive’s Implementation

Guide for the 16 Firefighter Life Guide for the 16 Firefighter Life Safety InitiativesSafety Initiatives

The Fire Service Senior The Fire Service Senior Executive’s Implementation Executive’s Implementation

Guide for the 16 Firefighter Life Guide for the 16 Firefighter Life Safety InitiativesSafety Initiatives

Not to be confused withNot to be confused with

Safety for DummiesSafety for Dummies

1. Culture1. Culture

Establish an organizational culture Establish an organizational culture thatthat

fully embraces health and safetyfully embraces health and safety

1. Culture1. Culture

Establish an organizational culture Establish an organizational culture thatthat

fully embraces health and safetyfully embraces health and safety

Organizational values and beliefsOrganizational values and beliefs Accountability at every levelAccountability at every level Risk-based incident managementRisk-based incident management Stop unsafe practicesStop unsafe practices

2. Individual Capabilities2. Individual Capabilities

Ensure that every member is Ensure that every member is capable of performing all capable of performing all

expected duties:expected duties:

2. Individual Capabilities2. Individual Capabilities

Ensure that every member is Ensure that every member is capable of performing all expected capable of performing all expected

duties:duties: Training Training

KSAsKSAsProfessional qualificationsProfessional qualificationsCertifications (re-certifications)Certifications (re-certifications)

Performance evaluationsPerformance evaluations Medical examinationsMedical examinations Physical fitness evaluationsPhysical fitness evaluations

3. The Right Stuff3. The Right Stuff

Ensure that your fire department Ensure that your fire department has and uses appropriate tools, has and uses appropriate tools, equipment and procedures:equipment and procedures:

3. The Right Stuff3. The Right Stuff

Ensure that your fire department Ensure that your fire department has and uses appropriate tools, has and uses appropriate tools, equipment and procedures:equipment and procedures: Meets appropriate standardsMeets appropriate standards Current technologyCurrent technology Properly inspected and maintainedProperly inspected and maintained Used as intendedUsed as intended

(Prioritize Grant Funds)(Prioritize Grant Funds)

4. Drive Safely4. Drive Safely

Arrive aliveArrive alive(and don’t kill anyone else on the (and don’t kill anyone else on the

way)way)

4. Drive Safely4. Drive Safely

Arrive aliveArrive alive(and don’t kill anyone else on the (and don’t kill anyone else on the

way)way) Adopt safe driving rules and proceduresAdopt safe driving rules and procedures Enforce themEnforce them Driver trainingDriver training Emergency vehicle driver’s licenseEmergency vehicle driver’s license Seat belts!Seat belts! Secure loose objects in cabs and on vehiclesSecure loose objects in cabs and on vehicles Reduce unnecessary emergency responsesReduce unnecessary emergency responses Practice scene safetyPractice scene safety

5. Investigate and Evaluate5. Investigate and Evaluate

Understand why things go wrongUnderstand why things go wrong

and don’t let it happen againand don’t let it happen again

5. Investigate and Evaluate5. Investigate and Evaluate

Understand why things go wrongUnderstand why things go wrong

and don’t let it happen againand don’t let it happen again Investigate all accidents and injuriesInvestigate all accidents and injuries Near-miss reportingNear-miss reporting Analyze data and trendsAnalyze data and trends Learn the lessons and implement the Learn the lessons and implement the

findingsfindings Continual self-evaluationContinual self-evaluation

6. Prevention6. Prevention

Reduce Incidents Reduce Reduce Incidents Reduce RisksRisks

6. Prevention6. Prevention

Reduce Incidents Reduce Reduce Incidents Reduce RisksRisks

Public EducationPublic Education Code adoption and enforcementCode adoption and enforcement Residential sprinklersResidential sprinklers

7. The Rest of the List7. The Rest of the List

Counseling and psychological Counseling and psychological supportsupport

Violent incident protocolViolent incident protocol

Research and data analysisResearch and data analysis

History LessonHistory Lesson

NFPA 1500 – adopted in 1987NFPA 1500 – adopted in 1987

History LessonHistory Lesson

NFPA 1500 – adopted in 1987NFPA 1500 – adopted in 1987 “ “too radical for the times”too radical for the times” Needed time to phase-inNeeded time to phase-in

History LessonHistory Lesson

NFPA 1500 – adopted in 1987NFPA 1500 – adopted in 1987 “ “too radical for the times”too radical for the times” Needed time to phase-inNeeded time to phase-in Added languageAdded language

““set a date or dates for achieving set a date or dates for achieving compliance” compliance”

““establish a phase-in schedule” establish a phase-in schedule”

History LessonHistory Lesson

NFPA 1500 – adopted in 1987NFPA 1500 – adopted in 1987 “ “too radical for the times”too radical for the times” Needed time to phase-inNeeded time to phase-in Added languageAdded language

““set a date or dates for achieving set a date or dates for achieving compliance” compliance”

““establish a phase-in schedule” establish a phase-in schedule” Is 18 years long enough?Is 18 years long enough?

Today’s RevelationToday’s Revelation

If we fully comply with NFPA 1500, If we fully comply with NFPA 1500, we have successfully implemented we have successfully implemented most of the 16 initiatives.most of the 16 initiatives.

Start by evaluating compliance with Start by evaluating compliance with NFPA 1500NFPA 1500

Check list is in the standardCheck list is in the standard

Self-EvaluationSelf-Evaluation

Organizational CultureOrganizational Culture

Have we made firefighter safety and health a Have we made firefighter safety and health a primary value of the organization?primary value of the organization?

Does every member understand the Does every member understand the organizational emphasis on health and safety?organizational emphasis on health and safety?

Does every manager and supervisor understand Does every manager and supervisor understand their personal responsibility to implement safety their personal responsibility to implement safety policies and procedures?policies and procedures?

Are we holding people accountable for Are we holding people accountable for compliance with health and safety policies?compliance with health and safety policies?

LeadershipLeadership

Has the Fire Chief accepted the Has the Fire Chief accepted the responsibility for health and safety policies responsibility for health and safety policies and programsand programs

Does the Fire Chief “walk the walk” and Does the Fire Chief “walk the walk” and “talk the talk”?“talk the talk”?

Does the Fire Chief know if the health and Does the Fire Chief know if the health and safety policies are being followed?safety policies are being followed? Is there a gap between what we think is going Is there a gap between what we think is going

on and what is really going on?on and what is really going on?

Human ResourcesHuman Resources

Does every firefighter have the training Does every firefighter have the training (knowledge, skills and abilities) to perform (knowledge, skills and abilities) to perform all expected duties?all expected duties?

Is every firefighter physically fit?Is every firefighter physically fit? Physical fitness programPhysical fitness program Fitness evaluationsFitness evaluations Performance standardsPerformance standards

Is every firefighter healthy?Is every firefighter healthy? Regular medical examinations by qualified Regular medical examinations by qualified

physicianphysician

Standard Operating ProceduresStandard Operating Procedures

Do we have them?Do we have them?

Do we follow them?Do we follow them?

Do we really follow them?Do we really follow them?

Are we using the procedures or just using Are we using the procedures or just using the terminology?the terminology?

Risk ManagementRisk Management

Does everyone understand the Does everyone understand the difference between and acceptable difference between and acceptable risk and an unacceptable risk?risk and an unacceptable risk?

Do you have a system to pre-identify Do you have a system to pre-identify unacceptable risks?unacceptable risks?

Incident ManagementIncident Management

Can we really account for the Can we really account for the position, function and status of every position, function and status of every firefighter on the incident scene?firefighter on the incident scene?

Is every firefighter connected to the Is every firefighter connected to the plan for the incident?plan for the incident?

Does the Incident Commander know Does the Incident Commander know what is really going on?what is really going on?

EquipmentEquipment

Do we have all of the “proper” Do we have all of the “proper” equipment?equipment?

Is it properly maintained and inspected?Is it properly maintained and inspected?

Do you have records?Do you have records?

Is it used according to the design Is it used according to the design parameters?parameters?

VehiclesVehicles

Does every vehicle meet current Does every vehicle meet current design standards for safety?design standards for safety? Has every vehicle been inspected … and Has every vehicle been inspected … and

passed?passed? Do we have criteria for taking Do we have criteria for taking

vehicles out of service?vehicles out of service? Do we ensure that all new vehicles Do we ensure that all new vehicles

incorporate every safety feature?incorporate every safety feature?

Seat BeltsSeat Belts

Is everyone really seated and belted?Is everyone really seated and belted?

Is everything else in the cab properly Is everything else in the cab properly secured?secured?

Response PoliciesResponse Policies

Do we really stop at red lights and stop Do we really stop at red lights and stop signs?signs?

Do we really drive according to the rules?Do we really drive according to the rules?

Do we have policies to limit emergency Do we have policies to limit emergency response to true emergency incidents?response to true emergency incidents?

What if we didn’t use red lights and sirens?What if we didn’t use red lights and sirens?

InvestigationsInvestigations

When something goes wrong, how thoroughly do When something goes wrong, how thoroughly do we investigate?we investigate? Near missNear miss Minor accident or injuryMinor accident or injury Major accident or injuryMajor accident or injury FatalityFatality

Are we prepared to tell the truth about what Are we prepared to tell the truth about what happened?happened?

Do we implement the findings of the Do we implement the findings of the investigation?investigation?

Does anyone pay attention to the little stuff?Does anyone pay attention to the little stuff?

Coming SoonComing Soon

The IAFC Guide to Self-Analysis of The IAFC Guide to Self-Analysis of

Health and Safety Programs and Health and Safety Programs and Vulnerability AssessmentVulnerability Assessment

Safety, Health and Survival SectionSafety, Health and Survival Section Metropolitan Chiefs SectionMetropolitan Chiefs Section US Fire AdministrationUS Fire Administration National Fallen Firefighters FoundationNational Fallen Firefighters Foundation

It is up to all of usIt is up to all of usto make sure to make sure

Everyone Goes HomeEveryone Goes Home

National Fallen National Fallen Firefighters Firefighters FoundationFoundation

U.S. Fire Administration

THE ENDTHE END