The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently released a number of firefighter fatality investigative reports. These reports are freely accessible on the NIOSH Web site and can be incorporated into your fire training as lessons learned to help prevent future firefighting tragedies.
The recently released reports include:
- A Pennsylvania volunteer firefighter who died from a cardiac event after fire suppression training (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face201021.html);
- A Kansas career firefighter killed while conducting a search during a house fire (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face201013.html );
- A volunteer firefighter in West Virginia who drowned after being thrown from his swiftwater rescue boat (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face201009.html );
- A Pennsyvlania volunteer fire police captain dies after being struck by a motor vehicle at a controlled roadway (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face201006.html ); and
- a volunteer chief and firefighter who were killed after being ejected during a rollover crash in Virginia (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face201019.html)
To download free copies of these reports, visit the NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/default.html.
NIOSH Releases Publication on Operating Modified Excess/Surplus Vehicles
Firefighters may be at risk for crash-related injuries while operating excess and other surplus vehicles that have been modified for fire service use. Fire departments with limited resources often craft fire apparatus out of excess/surplus military and other vehicles as an affordable alternative to purchasing new or used apparatus. NIOSH urges fire departments to take precautions and actions to minimize the hazards and risks to fire fighters when using modified excess/surplus vehicles. To download this report, go to http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/wp-solutions/2011-125/.