EMMITSBURG, MD -- It will take everyone's involvement to reduce the number of firefighter injuries and deaths.
Firefighters heard that message repeated numerous times this past weekend during the Arrive Alive and Survive conference sponsored by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
The three-day event -- that attracted personnel from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. -- featured a range of topics including an overview of a fire in Prince William County that claimed the life of a young firefighter.
Each session, regardless of the topic, hammered home the same theme -- safety.
"We have the power to change things. But, we're not doing that. Just look at the numbers," said Denise Pouget-Rankin, assistant chief of safety for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services.
She told the crowd it's essential that firefighters who see an unsafe practice feel comfortable speaking up. A cultural change is necessary to encourage that, and safety officers must get the message out.
While it's bad enough to be losing personnel on the fire ground, it's worse when people die during training. "That's when things should go right. It's unacceptable. Yet, we're losing firefighters we're training."
The assistant chief shared Montgomery County's protocol that personnel must follow before conducting a live burn in a house.
"You don't take a rookie into a live burn on their first day," she said, adding that the county has training requirements that people must meet before they are allowed to participate.
Each officer associated with the burn detail has a checklist that must be accomplished prior to the exercise. It's essential that every single issue be addressed before the fire is ignited.
"Only one fire is lighted at a time. And, none will be in the path of an exit," she said, adding that firefighters need to look at what happened at the live burn in Baltimore that claimed the life of Racheal M. Wilson.
The audience was silent as Texas Paramedic Selena Schmidt explained how a call for a crash turned into a nightmare that left her and several other personnel hurt.
She and her partner were inside a wrecked car about to remove a patient on a backboard when another vehicle hydroplaned in the same place and struck the car.
Schmidt, who suffered the most severe injuries, was thrown onto the floorboard. Despite his injuries, the other medic crawled to the ambulance to inform dispatch of the incident, and the need for additional ambulances for the injured personnel.
For a time, it was not known if she would survive. After several surgeries and extensive recuperation period, however, she returned to work.
On her first shift back, she was at a wreck when the engine was struck. A similar incident occurred on her next day at work.
In addition to her EMS work, Schmidt travels to conferences to share her experience. She stresses the importance of vehicle placement on the highway to protect the crews as they tend to their duties.
D.C. Chief Dennis Rubin explained how he felt the night he got the call that his crew in Norfolk had been struck while at a car fire.
He pointed out that the burning car was in an HOV lane. The first engine pulled up along side a barrier, and the crew hopped it to get to the car. They were actively involved in their duties when the car was hit.
One firefighter dove into the car, while another was tossed onto the hood of striking vehicle and carried on down the road. As he was taught, Rubin said he held onto the hose. When it ended, he fell and was run over twice.
He was wearing full protective turnout gear and helmet. "I am convinced, convinced, convinced, convinced that it saved his life."
Montgomery County Safety Chief Richie Bowers pushed the importance of getting to the incident safely. He said crews aren't any help if they don't arrive. Firefighters also were encouraged to take advantage of programs like Near Miss. They were urged not only use the data for discussions, but report the close calls so everyone can learn.
Bowers said he was impressed by the seminar. "I believe it was a huge success. The participation was outstanding. What an opportunity to have those people available to speak. And, the networking that occurs is always an additional benefit."
