Dual Roles

You can easily argue that training impacts emergency scene operations and safety more than anything else in the fire service. Training imitates real-world operations and helps ensure that personnel can perform appropriately at a moment’s notice. However, we are seeing a disturbing trend in which training programs are also mirroring fireground operations when it comes to the number of firefighter injuries and deaths.

Know the Numbers
According to the NFPA, in 2010, there were an estimated 32,675 firefighter injuries during fireground operations. And there were 22 LODDs attributed to fireground operations. This is not an anomaly because from 2005 to 2009, there was an estimated annual average of 88,660 firefighter injuries and 30 fatalities attributed to fireground operations. Although there has been a decrease in the total number of fatalities in recent history, these numbers are astounding and, therefore, a primary focus of attention. But while there is constant focus on fireground safety and operations, there isn’t enough emphasis on non-emergency injuries and deaths, primarily those related to training.

Training is one of the few things that we can control in our profession. But we are clearly missing this key fact, as there were 7,275 injuries and 12 LODDs related to training in 2010. One way in which the fire service can decrease these unacceptable numbers: ensuring that the personnel responsible for training play a dual role as both the training officer and the safety officer.

Two Jobs
“Train like you play, play like you train” is a common attitude, but we need to take this mantra one step further so that the training ground mirrors the fireground with the requirement of a safety officer. On the fireground, the incident commander (IC) has overall safety responsibility, and the incident safety officer has direct responsibility for the safety of personnel on scene. Why don’t we replicate this model in training? The training officer is not only responsible for the training, but they should also assume the overall and direct safety of personnel during training. A safety officer may be assigned, but in many cases, the training officer is required to fulfill both roles–training officer and safety officer.

Why is this dual role so crucial? If there’s an emphasis on safety during training, this will become engrained in firefighters and become a habit on the fireground as well. Further, it also gives departments more options for the assignment of an incident safety officer during emergency incidents. Not only will training officers be a more viable option, but other personnel will have more experience with the concept and requirements of the incident safety officer position.

NFPA 1521 states that each fire department shall have a pre-designated system to ensure that there is a safety officer present during emergency incidents and, if unavailable, the IC will appoint one. In many departments, staffing issues prevent the initial assignment of a safety officer, while large agencies may have the option of assigning an on-duty safety officer to emergency response. Why not utilize the training officer to function as safety officer during emergency incidents? The qualifications for incident safety officer include knowledge of building construction, fire behavior, personnel accountability, rehabilitation strategies, and the ability to manage incident scene safety. These skills are the foundation of every training officer, making this an easy transition.

Additionally, data shows that since 1987, there has been a 54% decline in the number of fires. There is also a corresponding increase in the number of overall training hours. This increase in training hours provides the training officer the opportunity–and more importantly, the responsibility–to ensure a safe training ground and also to gain additional experience in the role of safety officer.

Bottom Line
The training ground should be treated just like an emergency incident. We must ensure that the safety emphasis on the fireground is extended to the training ground, and that personnel don’t become complacent due to the fact that “it’s just training.” In our business, injuries and deaths should never occur during training.

Further, every department must realize that the training officer can respond as a safety officer during emergency incidents, and as a safety officer during training events as well. By using individuals who maintain a dual role–training officer and safety officer–we can reduce the number of injuries and deaths during training, and make a significant impact on fireground safety.