Every year, we receive an official report on fire service deaths and injuries that occurred the previous year, and every year we read the same list of causes: heart attacks, responding to or returning from alarms, building collapse, becoming lost or trapped in a structure and flashover.
These fatalities usually stem from deficiencies and/or failures in one or more of the following areas:
- Incident command
- Communications
- Tactical positioning
- Accountability
- Crew integrity
- Standard operating procedures
One factor that influences each of these areas is the level of attention we give to safety. When it comes to safety, we’ve heard it all, from “We get paid to die for life or property regardless” to “I’ve never seen a building worth my life;” from “We don’t stop at intersections because if we’re beaten to a fire by another company, then we’ll be written up by our battalion chief” to “The rig don’t move until everyone is seated and buckled;” and from “We don’t do size-ups because we don’t have time” to “If there’s full life accountability outside the structure, it’s an exterior operation.”
Yep, we’ve heard all of this and more, which goes to show you that sentiment about firefighter safety is broad and diverse. But if your sentiment is too lax, it can lead to deficiencies and/or failures in the areas listed above, which in turn leads to fatalities.
There’s no earth-shattering information in this article, as the dangers and threats that we face every day in our profession are well documented. NIOSH line-of-duty death investigative reports continue to point out the same areas of concern, recommendations for improvement and standards for safe practices.
In addition, most firefighters are already aware of the safety problems that we confront, as well as the possible solutions, barriers and strategies for overcoming them. Among the strategies are the 16 Life Safety Initiatives created by the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation, but there seems to be some confusion about how to implement them into our daily tasks.
Are the initiatives too much to digest? Could it be that some folks aren’t sure where or how to begin? If this is the case, we need to get back to the basics, or the ABCs, of safety. (For a complete list of the initiatives, visit www.everyonegoeshome.com.)
A for Accountability & Attitude
Naturally, when we mention leadership, the first thing that comes to mind is your supervisor or manager. “Leading by example” is the term that’s often used when it comes to fire service leaders. But Life Safety Initiative No. 2–“Enhance personal and organizational accountability for health and safety throughout the fire service”– is directed toward everyone in the organization, not just the boss. The “it’s not my job” and “well, the chief didn’t do it” excuses just don’t cut it anymore. Personal accountability for one’s own safety is everyone’s job. Sure, company officers, safety officers, risk managers and fire chiefs all have their formal responsibilities and without a doubt should be leading by positive example, but a reduction in annual firefighter LODDs will undoubtedly occur only when personal accountability is exercised.
Accountability is our first letter in the ABCs of safety leadership, but A also stands for attitude. Do attitude and accountability connect? (How about another A?) Absolutely! We must all adopt a “safety first” attitude, which means being cognizant of the risks we face and the actions we take to reduce and/or eliminate them.
Safety leadership by example is what others see in us on a daily basis. Do you walk the talk? In other words, does your attitude about safety not only come across in what you say to your crew, but also in what you do as a leader? Not sure? We can measure our own attitude about safety by evaluating how we deal with risks when nobody is watching us. Do we fasten our seatbelts every time we’re in a vehicle, both on duty and off duty? Does our leadership style reflect the appropriate safety attitude for a given risk scenario? Do the safety policies, procedures and enforcement processes within our own organizations reflect the same appropriate values and safety attitudes?
Remember: As leaders and chief officers, our personnel are always watching, so act accordingly.
B for Behavior
Proper behavior is crucial to safety leadership because people can see behavior, therefore they can measure it, judge it and mimic it.
Some folks behave a certain way because they’re told to, or because they think the consequences of not behaving are too severe. Behaving safely in the fire service goes beyond that. If leaders don’t behave in a safe manner on the fireground and promote safety through their actions, not only will your crewmembers witness your behavior, the public might as well. But the consequences can be even more severe than that. Of course, we’re not talking about disciplinary consequences; we’re talking about life and death.
If leaders behave safely, they’re not only living up to others’ expectations of them, they’re also living up to the expectations they should have for themselves. If they don’t have these expectations, they shouldn’t be a leader.
C for Commitment
This is truly where it all comes together. Commitment is defined as “repeated behaviors that demonstrate a true belief in something,” or as Webster’s Dictionary puts it: “The state of being bound emotionally or intellectually to a course of action.”
Are you committed to improving the safety, health and welfare of every member in your fire department and in enhancing personal and organizational accountability? Are you emotionally bound to the course of action that best demonstrates appropriate safety behaviors? If you hold yourself accountable for your actions, have the right attitude and demonstrate and expect the behaviors that promote safety, your commitment to safety leadership will go unquestioned.
Conclusion
Sounds simple, huh? The truth of the matter is that implementing safety into your daily routine is easy. Having the basics in your tool box, slide tray or whatever metaphor you want to use will light the path to firefighter safety and your own implementation of the 16 Life Safety Initiatives.
We look forward to sharing more of the safety alphabet with you in Dallas!
