A new Health and Safety Officer Academy will be presented by Chief Officers Stephen Raynis and Daniel Melia at the Fire Department Safety Officers Association annual Safety Forum, [www.fdsoa.org] September 21-22, 2015, in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. This accelerated program prepares fire officers for the successful completion of the Pro Board certified HSO exam that will be offered immediately after the program.
FDNY’s Stephen Raynis, Chief of Training, and Battalion Chief Daniel Melia, Incident Safety Officer, will present the new, two-day Health and Safety Officer Academy. The duo are popular instructors within the FDNY and have been teaching safety courses together for the past seven years. The two-day Health & Safety Officer Academy will be based on the 4th edition Occupational Safety and Health in the Emergency Services by James S. Angle, the text book used by FDSOA to develop the examination for Pro Board certification.
Chief Raynis has taught Occupational Safety and Health for Emergency Services at the college level since 2008 and is a member of the Technical Committee for NFPA 1521 Standard for Fire Department Safety Officer Professional Qualifications.
Raynis explained how this year’s program is different from previous HSO academies. “In addition to introducing the basic concepts of occupational health and safety in emergency service organizations as preparation for the HSO exam we will be introducing NFPA 1521 Standard for Fire Department Safety Officer Professional Qualifications 2015 edition, the new Job Performance Requirements (JPRs) for fire department HSOs as part of the presentation.”
The 2015 edition of NFPA 1521 Standard for Fire Department Safety Officer Professional Qualifications has been entirely rewritten to match the formatting of the Job Performance Requirement (JPR) documents that reside within the Professional Qualifications project of the NFPA.
Melia added, “In addition, we will share our unique experiences as FDNY safety officers. Case studies will be presented and student discussions will be encouraged. Time will be provided for students to share their experiences and the opportunity to learn from each other.”
Learning outcomes from this program include: insight into safety related regulations and standards, an understanding of the development, management and evaluation of safety programs, information management skills, safety considerations in the diversified workforce and future trends and technology in emergency service.
Both men have seen the role of a Health and Safety Officer significantly evolve in the past ten years and with the appointment of a HSO now required by NFPA 1500: Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program.
“Every department in the fire service should assign an HSO to develop and manage a health and safety management system to reduce firefighter injuries and death,” Raynis stated. “A Pro Board-certified HSO would be the individual assigned and authorized by the fire chief as the manager of the health and safety program for their department.”
“The fire service is ever changing and it is important for all leaders to keep on top of the changes and innovations to better protect those that serve,” Melia stated. “Health and Safety Officers save lives by developing and managing a department health and safety program to reduce and eliminate serious injuries and LODDs. It is the responsibility of the fire chief to ensure his/her department is in compliance with NFPA Standards 1500 and 1521.”
“We cannot put a price on a firefighter’s life,” said Raynis. “The role of a Health and Safety Officer brings a certain responsibility.”
In addition to the HSO academy at the Safety Forum, Raynis and Melia will also present Safety: Everyone's Responsibility. Key takeaways include: Learn a safety program that is very effective and can be taught in the firehouse kitchen and how to empower every firefighter to make the best decisions on the fireground so they are free to focus on operational success.
Melia added, “All of us in the fire service are in this together to ensure we all go home safely. We need to constantly strive to get better at our craft, accept the responsibility that each of us has a role in safety, and to learn from each other.”
Assistant Chief Stephen Raynis, FDNY Chief of Training, was Chief of Safety (Health and Safety Officer) for FDNY from 2008 until 2015. He is a Pro Board certified Health and Safety Officer and Incident Safety Officer. Raynis is a member of the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA), the American Society of Safety Engineers, the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the National Fire Protection Association and serves on the Technical Committees for the NFPA 1500 series. Raynis has a master’s degree in security studies from the Center of Homeland Defense and Security at the Naval Postgraduate School and is an Adjunct Lecturer for Empire State College, SUNY, teaching Risk Management in Emergency Services.
Battalion Chief Daniel Melia is a 34-year veteran of the FDNY and a Pro Board certified Incident Safety Officer. He has worked as the Executive Officer to the FDNY Chief of Safety since 2008 and is a certified Fire Instructor I and II. He teaches the Safety Component of the FDNY’s First Line Supervisors Program, the Captain’s Management program, Battalion Chief Command Course and Deputy Chief Development Course. Melia also helped develop and teach the FDNY Fireground Investigation course given to all FDNY Safety Chiefs. A member on the NFPA 1971 and 1851 committees, Melia also holds a BS degree from SUNY Cortland.
FDSOA was established in 1989 as a non-profit association. Its mission is to promote safety standards and practices in the fire, rescue and emergency services community. The association is led by a volunteer board of directors and has a small staff to handle day to day operations. FDSOA is dedicated to the issues that affect the critical role of safety officers in protecting and promoting the safety and health of fire departments, communities and first responders.
For more information regarding the FDSOA Annual Safety Forum, September 21-25, 2015, contact Rich Marinucci, executive director, at [email protected] or visit www.fdsoa.org.
