Firefighter Injuries and Deaths Essay

While civilian devastations and fatalities have gone down by 53. 6 percent in the last 20 geezerhood, only 20 percent minify of the same has been underwriteed from the disregard actioners. In fact, in the last 20 years, the United States has recorded an increased good wriggle of deaths and fatalities much than any another(prenominal) time in history. 1999 recorded the postgraduateest deaths at 112, followed closely by 2003, which recorded 105 deaths. This rate begs the doubt, are the force out crowders operative more to figure civilian safe, while risk of infectioning their own functions? caoutchouc stocks during ignition fightingSafety standards in the chivvyfighting department have seen direful improvements in the past 20 years (Pessemier, B. 2009). This includes increased learn among the fire fighters nigh the galosh device standards and better work practices, in addition to the get of better and efficient fire fighting equipment. In the last 10 year s, a 34 % death increase was recorded among the firefighters. This in turn indicates that despite the improvements in the fire fighting department, at that place has been a decrease safety measures in the fire operates.According to the US, fire Administration (FEMA), the proficient(a) offspring of firefighters who have perished in firefighting activities in the last 20 years aver hop on to 100 firefighters annuall(a)y. This tr turn back was at its worst in the 1980s, likewisek a downward tr decision in the early 1990s and resumed the high number in the late 1990s. A study carried out mingled with 1990 and 2000 by FEMA to establish the real set about of the injuries and deaths among the firefighters revealed that 44 percent of firefighters die out-of-pocket to heart attacks.Fatal injuries was second accounting for 27 percent of the deaths, burn and asphyxia ranked third accounting for 20 percent of all deaths(FEMA, 2008) The report excessively revealed that firefighters age d in a high place 35 years stands more risk of medical tie in deaths. Such include heart attacks and stroke. beneath 35 years, firefighters were more prone to traumatic injuries that eventually led to their deaths (FEMA, 2008). The report further revealed that 60 percent of the casualties fell under the higher up 40 years age bracket, while a third of them were aged above 50 years.This as well as begs the question, is age a factor when analyzing the rising deaths among the firefighters? This question nominate be answered by a closer look at the affiliation of the firefighter fatalities. 57 percent of all firefighter fatalities were assort to inform fire fighting agencies. These agencies had both volunteer fire fighters and volunteer somebodynel. However, seeing that career soulfulnessnel make a mere 26 % of the fire fighting agencies through out the country, the proportionate of volunteers suffer fatalities.In fact, career firefighters only account for 33 percent of the fa talities. Here, the question of age pops again. An approximate 40 percent of the volunteers are aged above 50 years. Training is of outmost important for both career and volunteer firefighters be piss it prepares them on response tactics and safety procedures. Training on motive response, consequent command, safety and hot fire cases should be sufficient. However, at least(prenominal) 6 percent of fatalities in the past 10 years occurred during training.This was a higher number than what was recorded in the preceding 10 years. Physical fittingness training has been the leading cause of training fatalities, followed closely by live fire and equipment drills (FEMA, 2008). Fatalities of volunteers and career firefighters are only recorded as a firefighter death if the person was on duty and if his death occurred 24 hour after he/she completed a fire related call on behalf of a fire department (Medgenmed. medscape. com, 2006).The Occupational safety and wellness Administration (OSH A) issued safety guidelines in 1980, as a appearance of combating the rising deaths and fatalities among the fire fighters (Marshall, S. T, 2004). In the guidelines, the organization authorized the use of fire-retarding stop and equanimous breathing equipment. Although it was non clear, whether it was the guidelines or the decreased number of fires that were registered between 1979 and 2002, the number of fatalities in the fire services decreased annually by 52 percent in the three year period (Marshall, S.T, 2004). The working conditions To comply with OSHAs regulations, firefighters are required to carry a self-contained air utensil weighing 30 lbs. They must to a fault wear evasive clothing, which wears a nonher 30 lbs. Although this offers more protection to the firefighters, critics argue that the additive 60 lbs that the fire fighters have to drag along during a firefighting act upon adds to physical stress and may lead to exhaustion, which is a leading cause of car diac arrest related deaths(Marshall, S.T, 2004). The protective gear and the oxygen apparatus that fire fighters carry in their fire fighting exercises has likewise been cursed for an increased aggressiveness among the firefighters. The worrying thing about such aggressiveness is that most firefighters do not realize that the safety gear does not offer overall protection against death. Lack of adequate information about conditions that may be tackled and those that are too risky is also meager (Marshall, S. T, 2004).Unlike earlier times where firefighter based the decision to fight a fire from indoors by how hot their ears were, modern mean solar daytime hoods cover the ears and the temperatures can rise to fatal levels without the fire fighters recognizing it. That is the leading cause of many flashover incidences, where e genuinelything in a building, including the firefighter ignites concurrently due to very high temperatures (Marshal, S. T, 2004) Unlike earlier times where veteran firefighters knew it was time to throw a building when they felt dizzy or started coughing, the modern day breathing devices shield them from inhaling smoke.The tell tale signs that may signify the accept to leave a building are at that placefore disorients them from the realities of a spartan indoor environment. When smoke concentration becomes too high, there can be a sporadic ignition of the area. As such, even the training on working in zero visibility conditions comes to naught, as the firefighter go away be engulfed in the random fire within a curtly time (Marshall, S. T, 2004). The OSHA regulations further require fire fighters not to start a fire fighting exercise unless a team of at least four volume has been assembled.This requirement was put in place as a means of ensuring that assisting firemen were availcapable just in case those fighting the fire needed it. Although noble in its intentions, Critics argue that this piece of regulation, know as 2 in/2 out protection standard hinder less than four firefighters who arrive at the place of fire on time to manage fire opening before it grows. As such, they argue that time that could otherwise be used to combat the spread of the fire is lost as fire fighters attempt to establish render teams (Marshall, S.T, 2004). Deaths that occur when firefighters are traveling to the fire destination are also on the rise. This are documented as Motor Vehicle Collisions (MVCs), and has accounted for an norm of 22. 5 percent annual fatalities in the US since 1984. In a haste to respond to fire alarms, major(ip)ity of fire fighters who perished in MVC s are in private vehicles. This is because the fire fighters can respond to a fire emergency from anywhere. Most MVC fatalities resulted from collisions.Disregard of the traffic rules is a major cause of such fatalities as firefighters forget/ignore wearing posture belts (USFA, 2009). In 2007, data by the OFPC Academy of on fire apprehension on fire fig hter casualties revealed that 33 percent of all casualties was not determined, while 26 percent either suffered fractures, dislocation, sprain, swelling, strain, amputation or a crush. 13 percent were suffering from undisclosed pain and an bear upon percentage suffered abrasions, bruises, cuts, wounds or punctures.4 percent had been affected by hazardous inhalants, while an equal number suffered burns. Two percent of the casualties had shortness of breath. Human error also plays a significant role in firefighters deaths. Sometimes, the firefighters may be too ignorant to safety precautions that they end up jeopardizing their own lives. In other cases, some one elses negligence or o guardianships may end up casing fire fighter deaths. The latter is best explained by the four teenage fire fighters who perished in the North central majuscule fire in 2001.The four young men were part of a crew that had been pulled to a safe location after the fire became too enormous, but later sent out in an attempt to fight it. The water pumps that were to draw water from a nearby Chewuch River refused to start and the young men deployed their fire resistant tents on a poor priming just steps away from a safer ground (Maclean, J. N, 2007) Programs that would reduce death and injuries among firefighters The protective gear used by firefighters during fire fighting mission has been subject to criticism for a long time now.To begin with, there were gaping incompatibilities between components such as the hood, the SCBA and the gloves. In past years, the fibre of the hood and the SCBA greatly improved. The weak link to the protective ensemble and so became the gloves. Many fire fighters claimed that the gloves hindered them from performing tasks such as manipulating switches, holding tools and taking hold straps. The reason behind this was that the gloves could not fit perfectly, with the finger gloves being too long. recruit fighters also said that the materials used on the g loves decreased a persons agility and thus could affect the response time (LaTourette, T, 2003). To rectify these weaknesses that may end up causing injuries to the firefighters, I would project that materials, fit and the agility of the firefighters be considered before the manufacturers can settle on the specific material to be used on the firefighting gear. other plan that would have significant impact death and injury drop-off among the firefighters is the safety culture concept (Pessemier, W.2009). This would require empowering individuals and organization with risk handling skills that would not compromise their fire fighting goals. This means that the firefighters would be skilled on fire fighting methods that poses minimal risks to their wellbeing. The fire departments in different states will also need to develop and implement effective systems to manage springy safety behaviors among the firefighters. In addition, the state needs to provide sufficient pecuniary reso urce for the continued training of firefighters on critical safety measures.Members of the fire service departments must also be willing to challenge any assumption, survey or practice that they think can jeopardize their safety (Pessemier, W. 2009). Another approach that can decrease the number of fatalities that happen to firefighters, is adopting the safe person model. This model, which was proposed by Mark Jones, a deputy fire officer in the UK, would also work in the United States. Jones described the safe person model as the combined responsibilities between individual firefighters and Organization responsibility. individual responsibility requires the fire fighter to be a competent person, able to work with a team whereby the fire service take for granteds the initiative of selecting masses suited for the fire fighting exercises, providing them with the right information, instructs and trains them accordingly, in addition to providing them with protective equipment and rig ht supervision( riskinstitute. org). Deaths that occurred due to motor vehicle collisions as firefighters respond to emergency calls can also be reduced by training the fire fighters on basic road safety tips.Such includes wearing safety belts at all times and driving carefully despite the need to get the emergency venue on time. According to USFA statistics, only 21 percent of the firefighters who died on MVC cases had worn their seat belts when the collision occurred (USFA, 2008). Checking on the seaworthiness of volunteers should also be a priority for all fire services. Health screening before the volunteers can be given the green ignite to work should be mandatory. This should be made in order to appraise each persons medical history.Such should include their age, weight, rip pressure, cholesterol levels, weight, Family history and their physical tolerance levels (Sharkley, B. 2008). People aged above 45 years, who have physically inactive and those who have heart illness t hreat factors should be taken for extra checkups. Those with conditions such as high blood pressure should not be considered as the condition could end up in heart problems during exertion. Healthy adults should then be taken up as volunteers after the medical review.After taking up the firefighting volunteer roles, people aged 40 and more years should ensure that they continue engaging in cardiovascular activities. This is because regular exercises reduce the risk of developing heart diseases. Firefighters who have experienced situations that could have cost them lives should also be boostd to speak up as other people can learn from their experiences. As noted by John B and Tippet Jr. (2005) in their report titled Improve Leadership, report near misses, encouraging firefighters who have experienced near-misses would serve as a learnedness venue for other firefighters.Such a program would be voluntary, confidential, impregnable and non-punitive for the firefighters who tell thei r ad hominem accounts (John, B & Tippet,Jr. 2005). Laudable firefighter fatality reduction initiatives Under the auspices of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), firefighting organizations convened a run into in 2004 and came up with 16 initiatives that if implemented would see to the reduction of the firefighters fatalities in the United States.They include ensuring that fire fighting organizations had a responsible and accountable leadership, include tactical planning and strategic approaches at all levels when responding to emergencies, encourage firefighters under their organizations to employ safe practices only and develop a training and standardization mechanism which should be followed by all organizations. Additionally, the organization suggested that there should be a set standard for fitness standards, and that all initiatives towards fall the fatalities among firefighters should be documented.Conclusion Reducing the number of deaths and injuries among t he firefighters is a challenge that would take efforts from both individual fire fighters and the firefighting organizations that they work for. It takes individual assessment to pretend the risks involved in a firefighting scenario and hence such requires good personal choices. On the other hand, it is the responsibility of the firefighting organizations to ensure that people working in the organization either as career firefighters or as volunteers beseeming the medical and physical requirements.It is also the organizations prerogative to ensure that firefighters are trained accordingly, have the right equipment and that they have the correct firefighting wear. Only then can people in the United States realize yearn to have less deaths among people who take up the hardest job and risk their lives when doing it. References John B and Tippet Jr. (2005). Improve leadership, report near misses Learn from others about prudence ourselves. Retrieved January 28, 2009 from http//www. i afc. org/displayindustryarticle. cfm? articlenbr=27206 Jones, M. (2008).Concept, policy and Practice The UK fire context. Retrieved January 28,2009 from http//www. riskinstitute. org/peri/images/file/S908-D7-Jones. pdf LaTourette, T. Et al (2003). Protecting speck responders. New York Rand publishers. Maclean, J. N. (2007). The Thirty Mile Fire a Chronicle of courage and Betrayal New York. Henry Holt Marshall, S. T. (2004). Suppressing Volunteer Firefighting. Publication regulation. Retrieved January 28, 2009 from http//www. allbusiness. com/human-resources/workplace-health-safety/317752-1. html Pessemer , W.(2009). synopsis Developing a safety Culture in the Fire Service. Retrieved January 28, 2009 from http//www. everyonegoeshome. com/newsletter/2008/february/safetyculture. html Sharkey, B, J. (2008). Cardiovascular Risks of Wild land Firefighting. Retrieved January 28,2009 from http//www. firejock. com/articles/Cardiovascular%20Risks%20of%20Wildland%20Firefighting. htm US Fire Administration (USFA). (2008). Historical overview firefighter fatalities. Retrieved January 28, 2009 from http//www. usfa. dhs. gov/fireservice/fatalities/statistics/index. shtm