October 2012 Firefighter Fatality and Prevention Reports

In October the NIOSH Firefighter Fatality and Prevention Program released the investigative reports of five on duty deaths. Below are the highlights from each report.

Report No. F2011-21
Louisiana Firefighter Killed in Crash While Responding to EMS Call
On September 3, 2011, a 22-year-old male volunteer fire fighter (the Victim) was fatally injured when the fire department service truck (S1), he was driving en-route to a medical assistance call crashed. The department did not have written SOPs regarding the operation of vehicles or driver training

Report No.F2011-22
South Dakota Firefighters Killed During Storage Silo Fire
On September 15, 2011 a 20-year-old male, and a 22-year-old male, both volunteer fire fighters, were killed while attempting to extinguish a fire in a coal storage silo. After removing approximately 80 of the 100 tons of coal inside the silo, the two victims attempted to extinguish the fire by applying water through an access hatch on top of the 50 foot silo. An explosion occurred destroying the silo and killing the two victims. A third fire fighter working inside the structure at the base of the silo was seriously injured. During this incident, fire fighters did not wear any protective equipment.

Report No. F2011-28
Pennsylvania Instructor Suffers Cardiac Death during Live Fire Training
On September 25, 2011, a 38-year-old male volunteer lieutenant was serving as the instructor-in-charge during live fire training. The LT spent about 60 minutes setting up the training drills and then spent about 30 minutes debriefing and orienting the instructors and trainees. He was inside the specially designed burn building attending the fires when his low air alarm sounded and he exited the building. After changing his air cylinder, he began debriefing the fire department chief when he suddenly lost consciousness.

Report No.F2012-05
California Wildland Firefighter Trainee Dies during Fitness Exercise
On January 4, 2012, the trainee was participating in a physical fitness exercise which involved hiking in moderately steep terrain while wearing wildland personal protective equipment (PPE) and carrying handtools. The PPE and the tools weighed approximately 18 pounds. As the Trainee completed the exercise, the crew leader determined he needed medical attention and called for an ambulance.

FireRescue Magazine/FirefighterNation.com encourage you and your department to read and share these valuable lessons and recommendations as a way to help keep you and your members safe and to honor the fallen.