Human error may have caused a crane collapse that killed four people and injured four others over the weekend, experts said Monday. Don't focus on the weather as the key reason why a construction crane toppled over, killing four people, attorney David Kwass said. He has litigated construction crane accidents in the past.
- PUB DATE: 4/29/2019 3:45:08 PM - SOURCE: KING 5 News

Benton County Sheriffs are searching for a group of suspects, accused of setting a fire that torched at least 20-25 or more arborvitae trees Saturday afternoon. Around 1:30pm, Deputies say fire crews responded to the corner of 7th. Street and Della Ave. and found a row of the tall evergreens on fire.
- PUB DATE: 4/29/2019 2:48:54 PM - SOURCE: KFLD-AM 870

A home that caught fire early Monday afternoon reignited later in the evening after fire crews had already responded. The second fire ended up destroying the entire home. Fire crews at first responded to the home in the 2200 block of S. Dayton Street just after 12:30 p.m. when a fire alarm alerted the home's residents - who were upstairs at the time - to the fire.
- PUB DATE: 4/29/2019 1:52:48 PM - SOURCE: NBCRightNow.com

The break room is quiet, two long tables pushed together with about 10 chairs around it. The kitchen is spacious, with a large fridge, plenty of counter space, a stove-top oven and dishwasher. A small room off to the side has two bathrooms and an array of reclining chairs for the firefighters to sleep in when they have a chance.
- PUB DATE: 4/29/2019 1:02:40 PM - SOURCE: Federal Way Mirror

The Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) and the Center for Firefighter Injury Research & Safety Trends (FIRST) at Drexel University have partnered to help you FOCUS on your safety culture. The Fire Service Organizational Culture of Safety (FOCUS) survey is the first safety culture tool developed specifically for the fire service through the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) R&D Program and will provide your fire department with objective data to assess your safety culture. FOCUS is a validated and reliable tool that allows an in-depth look into your department’s safety culture and its effect on job satisfaction/moral, engagement, and burnout in your department. To date the FOCUS survey has been administered in over 400 fire departments.

“…In my heart I believe that we promote a safe culture…, but it was gratifying to see that others in our organization believe this to be true also…I like the fact that I can now put actual numbers to what has previously been a ‘gut feeling’.” – Fire Chief

“We are very appreciative for the insight, and the data gives me a goal to shoot for and a way to measure it.  Some of the info I had a gut feeling about, but others were completely a surprise.” – Fire Chief

Through the AFG FP&S Program, FIRST is now enrolling up to 1,000 fire departments -- career and volunteer -- interested in administering the FOCUS survey on a first-come, first-served basis at no cost.

Participating departments will receive:

• Customized data showing your safety culture at department and station levels
• A comparative analysis of your safety culture to similar participating departments
• Objective evidence to inform safety related policy decisions
• Eligibility to send two members to FOCUS Culture Camp: a two-day intensive training on safety culture, the FOCUS survey, and how to interpret your results

Interested in learning more about administering FOCUS in your department?

Visit the FIRST Center: http://www.drexel.edu/dornsife/FIRST/our-projects/FOCUS

or FDSOA’s Website: https://www.fdsoa.org/

Taking Fire Service Safety Culture Science to the Streets: FOCUS 2.0

New Tool Helps Fire Departments FOCUS on a Safer Culture

Fire Departments Can Use FOCUS Survey to Examine Organizational Culture