There is little doubt the most important element in firefighter safety is you, the firefighter. The contributing factors in the majority of firefighter deaths are the health of the firefighter, and the actions taken while responding to and returning from the scene of an incident. Make it your New Year's resolution to take personal responsibility in creating a safer environment for all firefighters. Join the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation in a new goal of vastly reducing the number of firefighters injured, and to lower the number of line-of-duty deaths each year to below 50.
This new goal was inspired by the work of firefighters and fire service leaders at the Tampa 2 Firefighter Life Safety Summit in March, 2014. The just-released Summit Report reaffirms that the 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives (established at the first Summit in 2004) are still valid and should remain the blueprint for reducing firefighter injuries and deaths.
The leadership of Maryland’s Kentland VFD, one of the busiest fire companies in the nation, says safety is an integral part of aggressive firefighting. Kentland, Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department Chief Marc Bashoor and other fire service leaders are helping launch the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s new campaign to further reduce the number of firefighters injured and killed in the line-of-duty. This effort was inspired by the work of those attending the Tampa 2 Life Safety Summit. You can read the Tampa 2 report here.
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