Homeland Security Under Secretary Calls on Fire Departments Nationwide to Make Health and Safety a Priority
FEMA/USFA Join National Stand Down Day For Firefighter Safety & Health
Release Date: June 20, 2005
Release Number: HQ-05-118
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 David R. Paulison, Fire Administrator at the US Fire Administration joins fire service leaders in to call on the Nation's fire and rescue personnel to make first responder safety and health a priority. FEMA and the U. S. Fire Administration are joining the International Association of Fire Chiefs and 16 other organizations in calling for the focus on health and safety. Photo by Bill Koplitz/FEMA photo |
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Defense for Emergency Preparedness and Response and head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is calling on America's firefighters to step aside from routine duties tomorrow, June 21, 2005, and "stand down" to focus on their own health and safety. FEMA, which includes the U.S. Fire Administration is joining 20 other organizations in the first-ever National Stand Down Day for Firefighter Health and Safety.
"Too many firefighters are being injured or killed in the line of duty and when they return to the firehouse," Brown said. "So many of these deaths could have been prevented by firefighters learning about health and safety, training in health and safety and applying healthy and safe practices whether on the fireground, at the fire station or when they go home."
Firefighter injury and death rates have remained relatively constant over the past several years, despite monumental improvements in technology and equipment. In a given year, about half the line-of-duty deaths are from heart-related illnesses. Another 25 percent are from accidents including motor-vehicle accidents.
The initiative, led by the International Association of Fire Chiefs, calls for firefighters on all shifts over the next week to put aside routine duties like alarm inspections and building maintenance for one shift. All fire departments will still answer all emergency calls, but when there are no emergency calls, firefighters will concentrate their efforts on being healthier and safer on and off the job. The National Fire Protection Association cites more than 78,000 firefighter injuries annually.
"Firefighters are being killed at an alarming rate. The fire service simply cannot continue to do business as usual when so many of its own are dying," said IAFC President Chief Bob DiPoli. "We are conducting the stand down to raise awareness of the need for increased vigilance toward firefighter safety."
A stand down is a method used by the military to correct an issue that has been identified as a problem throughout its ranks.
"The public needs to understand the importance of a safe and healthy fire service, both career and volunteer," said Chief David Paulison, administrator of FEMA's U.S Fire Administration. "Our goal here today is to ensure that every firefighter goes home after every call."
Brown said he hopes the focus on safety continues.
"We're asking fire departments to spend one day focusing on safety and health, but we really want this to become a year-round concentration on safety," he said. "We don't want to the energy and momentum we're creating to end in a couple of weeks or a month. Safety is our constant job. Our communities expect you to come to work at the beginning of every shift and your families need you to come home at the end of every shift."
FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 22-Jun-2005 09:11:07