NFPA Journal - July/August 2013 - (Page 70)

Four firefighters died when their plane crashed during firefighting operations at a wildland fire in South Dakota in July 2012. 2012 firefighter fatalities onto the driveway of a single-family dwelling. The other firefighter was thrown approximately 130 feet (39 meters) and into the front yard of the single-family dwelling on the other side of the driveway, severely injured. The police officer was struck and thrown onto the traffic lane closest to the shoulder where they had been standing. The police officer was able to radio his dispatcher, describe their situation, and request assistance. Two ambulances were dispatched. The first arrived, and the paramedic performed a rapid patient assessment on the firefighters and police officer. The firefighter, who was severely injured, was stabilized and flown to a Level 1 trauma center. The second ambulance arrived, and the paramedics stabilized the police officer before transporting him to the hospital by ground. The captain died of multiple traumatic injuries. It was listed as a homicide. The other firefighter and police officer sustained nonfatal traumatic injuries. NIOSH investigated this incident and offers recommendations on its website at www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/ face201209.html Water Delivery On March 20, a 79-year-old firefighter with more than 50 years service died while finishing up a water delivery. As part of the fire department’s duties, it supplies potable water to areas where water is not available. He had just finished a delivery to a storage tank at a sporting club and was preparing to leave when he had a fatal heart attack. Responding EMS and fire personnel administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation and transported him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The nature of death was cardiopulmonary arrest due to, or as a consequence of, hypertensive heart disease. Roof Collapse At 4:24 a.m. on April 7, fire companies were dispatched to a fire in a café. Five minutes later, a pumper with a 39-yearold fire chief and two firefighters arrived at the scene. They immediately advanced a hose line through the main entrance and into the structure, aggressively attacking the fire. As they fought the blaze, conditions deteriorated, and approximately 40 min- 70 NFPA JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2013 The 30 volunteer firefighter deaths in 2012 represent the lowest number reported in this study for the second consecutive year and maintains the general downward trend seen since 1999. The number of on-duty deaths of volunteer firefighters in 2012 is approximately half the annual average number reported 10 years ago. The 22 career firefighter deaths that occurred last year is the secondlowest total for career firefighter deaths and just one death more than occurred in 2011. The trend for career firefighter deaths in the United States has been relatively flat over the past 10 years, although the trend has been heading downward since 2009. The high number of career firefighter deaths in 2007 was due to a single, nine-fatality incident. NFPA standards and other efforts focused on firefighter health and safety NFPA has several standards that focus on the health risks to firefighters. For example, NFPA 1582, Comprehensive Occupational Medical Program for Fire Departments, outlines the medical requirements that candidate firefighters and incumbent fire department members must meet. NFPA 1500, Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program, calls for fire departments to establish a firefighter health and fitness program that meets the requirements of NFPA 1583, Health- Related Fitness Programs for Fire Fighters, and requires that firefighters meet the medical requirements of NFPA 1582. Information on developing a wellness–fitness program is available from other organizations, such as the IAFC/ IAFF Fire Service Joint Labor-Management Wellness-Fitness Initiative and the National Volunteer Fire Council’s Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program. The Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program was launched in 2003 to address heart attack prevention for all firefighters and EMS personnel, through fitness, nutrition, and health awareness. NFPA’s firefighter fatality study focuses on the fire deaths that are directly associated with specific onduty activities and does not track the effects of long-term exposure to toxic products that might occur during an individual’s time in the fire service. However, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has undertaken a multi-year study to examine the cancer risks to firefighters, using health records of approximately 30,000 current and retired career firefighters from suburban and large city fire departments. Results should be released in 2014. More information about the project is available on the NIOSH website at www.cdc. gov/niosh/firefighters/cii07.html. NFPA also publishes several standards related to road and vehicle safety issues. NFPA 1002, Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator Photograph: AP/Wide World http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face201209.html http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face201209.html http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/firefighters/cii07.html http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/firefighters/cii07.html

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - July/August 2013

NFPA Journal - July/August 2013
Contents
First Word
In a Flash
Perspectives
Firewatch
Research
Heads Up
Structural Ops
In Compliance
Buzzwords
Outreach
Electrical Safety
Wildfire Watch
Loud + Clear
Allied in Safety
Front Burner
Firefighter Fatalities in the United States, 2012
Fire Analysis + Research
Section Spotlight
What’s Hot
Looking Back

NFPA Journal - July/August 2013