Wildland firefighters from around the country say the status quo about safety must change. Too many wildland firefighters are dying and getting hurt. This is the key message from a series of listening sessions the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) held across the country. They were led by Chief Tom Harbour.

These sessions guided NFFF in developing a series of recommendations based on the Everyone Goes Home® program and the 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives. Vicki Minor of the Wildland Firefighter Foundation (WFF) has pledged her organization’s full support for this effort. In a conversation with NFFF Executive Director Ron Siarnicki, Ms. Minor strongly supports the adoption of these programs in the wildland firefighting community.

“This endorsement, along with the support of the 75 agencies and departments that participated in the listening sessions, forms a common starting point for better collaboration among all of us,” stated Chief Siarnicki. “We need to enlist everyone’s help and have every agency with an interest in the wildland fire problem engaged to ensure our wildland firefighters go home to their families.”

Additional Resources:

• Wildland Firefighter Foundation (WFF)
• Everyone Goes Home® in the Wildland
• 16 Initiatives for the Wildland Firefighter

Related News:

• Everyone Goes Home® – Wildfire Listening Sessions
• Wildland Firefighting- Everyone Goes Home®

CROFTON, Md. - As wildfires rage around the world, the International Association of Arson Investigators has just released a white paper on Fire Investigator Health and Safety Best Practices. The paper was produced by the organization’s Health and Safety Committee, reestablished in 2016 after recognizing that health and safety practices and protocols have not kept pace with that of firefighters

“Though they rarely receive the recognition of firefighters, fire investigators are typically at more fires than firefighters and for a longer time,” explained Jeff Pauley, chairman of the IAAI Health and Safety Committee and a fire investigator. “The health and safety dangers of arson and fire investigators are often greater than that of firefighters.” This is because firefighters typically arrive to fires prepared to combat a blaze where fire investigators may arrive several days later, with less safety preparation, and assuming that, because the fire is extinguished, the danger is diminished. 

And, while wildfires are a huge problem, the large number of everyday fires in communities remain a significant threat. Investigators are often on the scene of fires that are still active or scenes that are still hot from fire. Many develop chronic health issues including respiratory conditions. “Exposure to vapors, gasses and particulates can lead to a variety of dangerous health issues,” said Pauley. “Particulates are one of the biggest problems. Dust masks do very little to protect people from inhaling particulates.” He mentioned numerous seasoned firefighters who now have stage 4 cancer—a danger for fire investigators as well.

Fire Investigator Health and Safety Best Practices provides detailed information on the types of protections to use in various fire scenarios. Protection is of greatest need for hot scenes and there are two types described in the white paper—one where the fire has been extinguished but overhaul has not yet commenced or is in process and, a second scenario where the fire has been fully extinguished but for less than two hours. Both of these scenes are of greatest danger for fire investigators because of the potential for high levels of gases and particulates, e.g. smoldering items. A vetted NIOSH respirator is recommended along with a list of turnout gear and structural fire fighter gloves.

A warm scene is considered to be an area where the fire has been extinguished at least two hours prior but less than 72 hours. This is the typical time frame when many fire investigators find themselves on the scene. This is also a dangerous time for exposure including toxic chemicals and many of the same protections from the hot scene are recommended.  A cold scene is a where a fire was extinguished at least 72 hours before. While research indicates that particulate and gas hazards are greatly reduced after 72 hours, when debris is disturbed (such as digging through the scene), the hazards rise. Even the mere act of walking through the scene can stir up particulates and gases. For this reason, respiratory protection is recommended.

Other dangers to fire investigators include skin exposure to chemicals and contaminants. Research has determined that firefighters have a greater incidence of skin cancer due to exposure and fire investigators have the same exposure rates. The white paper includes protocol for conducting a site safety survey of the entire scene before beginning work and recommends checking ahead of time to see if there are any known hazardous materials present, including asbestos as well as other physical and biological hazards. Using air quality monitoring equipment during all interior and exterior examinations is recommended along with monitoring for carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and hydrogen sulfide. Powered ventilation fans are recommended to move gases an

Since the early days of the fire service, bells have been used as a way to summon firefighters to a station, communicate the type of emergency, or announce the end of a shift.  When a firefighter died in the line of duty, a special sequence of five bells was tapped. The tolling of bells is still a tradition to honor the fallen during funerals and memorial services for firefighters.

You can be part of a national tradition to honor the memories of firefighters who died in the line of duty and show your support for their families. Join the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) in Bells Across America for Fallen Firefighters. This poignant tribute is part of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend, October 6-7, 2018, in Emmitsburg, MD.

As the Memorial Service begins on Sunday, October 7, the bells at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Chapel will chime. Local remembrances can occur any time between October 5 and 7, and can be a thoughtful moment of silence, a special reading, or tolling a ceremonial bell by members of the local fire department.  Suggestions for tributes that others have used and additional materials are available at www.bellsacrossamerica.com. 

“Bells Across America for Fallen Firefighters is a unique, grass-roots opportunity for a community to pay their respects to these brave men and women,” said Chief Ronald J. Siarnicki, Executive Director of the NFFF. “It is also a very meaningful way to show the loved ones of the fallen that their firefighters will not be forgotten.”

More than 6,000 people, including Members of Congress, Administration officials and other dignitaries, members of the fire service, and families and friends of the fallen firefighters will attend the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service. Families will receive flags flown over the U. S. Capitol and the National Memorial. Members of the fire service, pipes and drums, and honor guard units from across the U.S. will participate in this national tribute.

A complete list of fallen firefighters being honored and a widget to display their information on your website, along with Memorial Weekend related videos, photos, media and broadcast information is available at Weekend.Firehero.org.