Safety – A 24 Hour Attitude

  The heading says it all.  Safety is our business.  Regardless of the reasons why you

joined the fire service, you’re here and one of your primary responsibilities during Your

shift is to stay safe and ensure your actions do not compromise the safety of others

(including your colleagues).

  We’ve acquired allot of new blood over the past couple of months.  Our department, along with hundreds of other fire departments statewide are experiencing a huge turnover of fire personnel.  This turnover is creating a significant gap between the experienced firefighter and the newly hired firefighters.  Specifically, the ratio of newer personnel compared to older firefighters is quite high.

  I have been noticing an apathetic attitude lately towards simple, basic safety procedures and frankly “it scares me”.  So let’s review a couple of basic standards.

Backing Policy:  If you need to back an emergency vehicle (especially one with limited

side and rear visibility) you are required to use a backer.  This is written policy.  Failure to

adhere to this policy puts the vehicle operator  and company officer at risk.  Ever heard of

liability?  I call it lazy.

Operating Emergency Vehicles:  I know for a fact that we have annual EVOC training.  Let

me remind you of some basic principals.

·         When in a non-emergency mode you are required to follow all rules of the road including speed, lane travel etc…

·      When in an emergency mode you are only requesting the right of way from other

        motorists.

·      Most accidents occur at intersections.

·      It is usually safer to turn to avoid and accident rather than brake hard.

·      Scan your mirrors; know where your traffic is at all times.

·      Drive defensively.

  Remember, when your operating these vehicles with a crew aboard, you are responsible for everyone’s safety on that vehicle as well as all other motorists, pedestrians etc…

PPE:  Nomex is designed to be fire resistive and worn in layers.  Rolling up the sleeves of

your brush gear is completely defeating the purpose of wearing your Nomex.  Do we need

to revisit the burned Glendale firefighters who were over run in LA several years ago?

Don’t think it can’t happen.  It can, and it does.  How about the investigators the base

uses to justify your COP claim?  I’m sure a key component to a serious workmen’s comp

injury claim will be to investigate how an employees PPE  performed during the course of

the injury.  How smooth will your claim go if they determine your PPE was being worn

improperly?  Think about it.