June 14-20 is International Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week. This year’s theme is creating a “Culture of Safety.” The emphasis is on reducing preventable firefighter deaths. As you know Cardiovascular events are the #1 killer of firefighters in the United States. #2 is Motor Vehicle related incidents. You and your organization is being asked to create the environment that will foster a culture of safety in your organization. Much more emphasis needs to be put on these 2 leading causes of Firefighter Line of Duty Deaths.
Firefighting activities exacerbates cardiovascular events to those engaged in these hazardous activities on many levels. It is incumbent upon the fire service to take a much more aggressive approach to make sure their firefighters are combat ready.
Attached are 2 websites and an article related related to the Culture of Safety and firefighter fitness. I ask you share this information with each and everyone of your firefighters before June 14 and develop a plan to start to address these perpetual killers of firefighters. It is time to take a stand to ensure firefighter health and wellness in a job that demands it. We can not adequately take care of others, if we can’t take care of ourselves. This is just part of our vow to serve others to the best of our ability.
Links:
Firefighter Safety Culture – This website a report and multiple resources to help you develop a plan that works for your department. http://www.ffsafetyculture.org/
International Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week – This website provide insight of what Safety & health week is all about as well as resources to carry out a successful week of programs and projects. http://safetyandhealthweek.org/
Dan Kerrigan discusses in this Fire Engineering blog of opportunities of how you can make Health & Safety week a success for your department. http://community.fireengineering.com/profiles/blog/show?xg_source=activity&id=1219672%3ABlogPost%3A617929
Also join Dan & Jim Moss on Tuesday June 16 at 11:00am EST at: http://www.iafc.org/Education/Events.cfm?ItemNumber=8412&RDtoken=44150&userID for a IAFC webinar discussion on Fundamentals of Firefighter Functional Fitness
TonyECorreia 