NFPA Journal - November/December 2013 - (Page 64)

2012 FIREFIGHTER INJURIES a hose line at a brush fire. His company officer saw the branch falling and yelled for him to move, but he could not get out of the way fast enough. The firefighter was wearing leather work boots and leather work gloves, but no other protective clothing. After he was struck, the firefighter continued to work until those around him told him he was bleeding. He was taken to the hospital, where he received four stitches and returned to duty. Hose Testing Three firefighters were injured, two seriously, as they stood waiting while a hose was pressurized during an annual hose test at the fire station. The hose, which was 5 inches (127 millimeters) in diameter, burst and slid 14 feet (4.2 meters) into the three, knocking them onto the concrete pad. One victim, a 32-year-old man with six years' experience, suffered a head laceration and was able to return to firefighting activities several days after the incident. The other two firefighters suffered more serious head injuries. One, a 39-year-old with seven years' experience, was not allowed to perform firefighting activities for seven months, and the other, a 35-year-old with seven years' experience, was unable to return to duty and has left the fire service. The department reported that the three firefighters were in violation of standard operating policies and testing standards. None of them was wearing protective clothing and they were standing close to the hose. Responding While participating in a local parade, an engine company with four firefighters on board was dispatched to a report of an unknown type of fire. Approximately 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) into the response, the apparatus left the roadway and overturned onto the driver's side. The officer was able to use the radio to call for assistance. The 34-year-old driver suffered a left shoulder injury and complained of abdominal pain. He was only wearing bunker pants and leather boots while driving. The company officer, a 41-year-old with 20 years' experience, suffered bruised ribs, a shoulder sprain, and an elbow injury. He was wearing bunker pants, leather boots, and turnout coat. The two firefighters in the crew cab, both of whom were wearing bunker pants, coats, and leather boots, received various contusions, sprains, and strains. All four were able to return to firefighting activities within a month. 64 NFPA JOURNAL NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 That is more than a ten-to-one difference in risk of injury between communities of 250,000 to 499,999 and communities with fewer than 2,500 residents. An explanation for this difference is that, although a department protecting a community with a population of 250,000 to 499,999 has, on average, more than 22 times as many firefighters as a department protecting a population of less than 2,500, the larger department responds to more than 92 times as many fires and, as a result, incurs considerably more fireground injuries. NFPA also studied the average number of fires and fireground injuries per department by population of community protected and region of the United States. The results for each region indicate that the number of fires a fire department responds to is directly related to the size of the population it protects and that the number of fireground injuries a department incurs is directly related to the number of fires to which it responds. The Northeast reported a higher number of fireground injuries per 100 fires for most community sizes where all departments reported sufficient data by region. Improving firefighter safety As these statistics attest, firefighting presents great risks of personal injury to firefighters. Moreover, because of the kind of work firefighters perform and the hazards to which they are exposed at the incident scene, it is unlikely that all firefighter injuries can be eliminated. However, a risk management system and the application of existing technology at the local level can offer options that can reduce current injury levels. For example, top fire service management can commit to reducing injuries using Section 4.3 of NFPA 1500, Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program, and establish a safety committee headed by a safety officer to recommend a safety policy and the means of implementing it, as put forth in Section 4.5. An investigation procedure that includes all accidents, near misses, injuries, fatalities, occupational illnesses, and exposures involving firefighters can be developed and implemented using paragraphs 4.4.4 and 4.4.5 of NFPA 1500, and appropriate protective equipment can be provided and used in accordance with Sections 7.1 through 7.8. Fire departments can develop and enforce a program detailing the use and maintenance of SCBA, per Sections 7.9 through 7.14, as well as policies that mandate safe practices for fire apparatus drivers and passengers per Sections 6.2 and 6.3. Paragraph 4.1.2 of NFPA 1500 can be used to develop procedures that ensure that sufficient personnel respond for both firefighting and overhaul duties, as can NFPA 1710, Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments, and NFPA 1720, Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Volunteer Fire Departments. Sections 10.1 through 10.3 of NFPA 1500 contain information that

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NFPA Journal - November/December 2013