The 3 Critical Elements of an LODD Investigation

As we all know, even when following the best safety practices, firefighters can be seriously injured or killed while engaged in fire and rescue operations. And if a tragedy like this does occur, there must be a thorough investigation.

Conducting an investigation is the primary responsibility of the safety officer and management team.The goal of these investigations is to find out what caused the event and how to prevent it from happening again.

Investigations: 3 Critical Elements
The actions of the incident commander and the safety officer at the scene immediately after the serious injury or fatality will set the stage for the accuracy of the investigation. There are three critical elements for a thorough investigation: 1) collecting evidence, 2) establishing a solid chain of evidence and 3) obtaining statements and interviews. Let’s review each.

Evidence Collection: Immediately collect all equipment used by the firefighter(s) and initially place it in a locked vehicle at the scene. The equipment should next be secured at a fire or police facility under lock and key.

Documenting the status and observation of the equipment when it is initially collected on scene is critical. Some examples of what to note: What was the pressure remaining in the SCBA? What was the status of SCBA valves and controls? Was power for the portable radio on or off? Was the radio on the proper channel? This type of information must be documented in detail before the equipment is stored. Also record the names of all members who handled or examined the equipment.

Serious injuries or fatal incidents often lead to litigation. It may be many months before these lawsuits begin to evolve, and it may take two or more years to reach court. As such, the equipment must be securely locked in an appropriate facility with limited access. It should remain secured until all legal matters are resolved.

Chain of Evidence: It’s important to immediately establish a chain of evidence. Contact with the equipment must be restricted to only authorized persons directly involved in the investigation and approved by the safety officer or the designated lead investigator. A log must reflect an uninterrupted “chain” of people who had any contact with the evidence. If there is an unexplained interruption in the chain, the evidence may be considered contaminated.

Obtaining Statements/Interviews: Initial statements from firefighters directly involved in the incident must be obtained as soon as reasonably possible, whether at the scene or after crews return to the station. Do not overlook dispatch center and EMS personnel as part of the interview process. In the days that follow, more detailed and expanded interviews should be conducted.

Involvement of Other Agencies
LODD investigations are more comprehensive and involve other agencies. This will include the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which is responsible for investigating firefighter fatalities, along with law enforcement. State agencies, such as the fire marshal’s office, workers’ compensation and OSHA, will likely be involved as well.

The department’s labor organization will also have great interest in participating in the investigation and any potential “fixes.” These representatives should be active participants for two reasons: 1) Department members may have equal or greater loyalty to the union than the department, and 2) their participation improves the trust factor regarding the investigation.

Further, it’s important that the fire chief and safety officer develop a functional, unified investigation team. Utilizing the Incident Command System to develop the team’s organization has proven to be very effective in investigations and is highly recommended.

Final Steps
Once the investigation is complete, the final report should be released. The findings and recommendations must be delivered to all members through special training sessions and officer meetings. The importance of this “personalized” delivery cannot be over emphasized, particularly where an LODD occurred. The special training meetings carry a message that the chief is serious about preventing the event from happening again. The chief must also follow through with this message and develop an action plan to implement the recommendations to prevent any future injuries or fatalities. After all, as we all know, if we fail to learn from our mistakes, we are doomed to repeat them.