The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has released a new fact sheet highlighting important elements of NFPA 1584 Standard on the Rehabilitation Process for Members During Emergency Operations and Training Exercises. The new, at-a-glance resource debuts just in time for the 2021 Safety Stand Down campaign, “Rebuild Rehab,” later this month.
Each year, NFPA works with the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Safety, Health and Survival Section, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), and the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FSDAO) to bring attention to a particular responder safety concern. This year’s campaign challenges departments to reframe their thinking around rehab to mitigate all the impacts of firefighting.
Agencies across the country are encouraged to suspend all non-emergency activities from June 20-26 and focus on rehab education. An entire week has been set aside to ensure that all shifts and personnel can participate.
Many think simply providing food and beverages to firefighters constitutes a rehab program but rehab should encompass all areas of health, including cardiac, nutrition, exposure, mental health, hydration, and heat stress. Earlier this year, two young firefighter recruits - Victor Melillo of New Jersey and Peyton Morse of New York - collapsed during training drills. Although the cause and conditions for those two tragic incidents are not known, they and others underscore the importance of prioritizing rehab.
In part, the NFPA 1584 fact sheet, stresses that:
- Rehabilitation is an integral part of fire scene management, training exercises, and an occupational health and safety program
- Incident commanders, company officers, rehabilitation managers and firefighters all have critical roles and responsibilities
- Consistent terms including rehabilitation, recovery, active cooling, and passive cooling will ensure that all members understand key information
- Standard documentation can help crew members understand which rehab efforts to apply, what needs to be documented, and necessary tracking requirements
The Safety Stand Down site offers a wide array of resources for departments. Additionally, members of the fire service are encouraged to take and share the “2021 Fire Service Safety Stand Down Quiz” Sweepstakes. The informative and interactive online quiz, available at www.nfpa.org/fireservicequiz; features 13 questions and will be live through Wednesday, June 23. A limited-edition challenge coin commemorating this year’s Safety Stand Down theme will be given to 200 randomly selected participants.
For this release and other announcements about NFPA initiatives, research, and resources, please visit the NFPA press room.
About the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)
The IAFC represents the leadership of firefighters and emergency responders worldwide. IAFC members are the world's leading experts in firefighting, emergency medical services, terrorism response, hazardous materials spills, natural disasters, search and rescue, and public safety legislation. Since 1873, the IAFC has provided a forum for its members to exchange ideas, develop professionally and uncover the latest products and services available to first responders.
About the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC)
The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is the leading nonprofit membership association representing the interests of the volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services. The NVFC serves as the voice of the volunteer in the national arena and provides critical tools, programs, education, and advocacy for first responders across the nation.
About the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA)
The Fire Department Safety Officers Association 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 fields. FDSOA works to help first responders achieve proficiency, skills, and safety; and promotes the safety and health responsibilities that Safety Officers have to departments and communities.
About the NFPA
The National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) is a global self-funded nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property, and economic loss due to fire, electrical, and related hazards. The association began its work to solve the fire problem in a young, industrialized nation in 1896 and is recognized around the globe as a leader in advocating for safety. NFPA delivers information and knowledge through more than 325 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach, and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering the NFPA mission. In celebration of its 125th Anniversary, NFPA will be hosting a Conference Series and other initiatives that reflect the steadfast commitment to advancing fire and life safety by the association for the next 125 years and beyond. For more information or to view NFPA codes and standards for free, visit www.nfpa.org.
