Editorial: In Harm's Way

While I was writing this editorial, one person who was taken hostage in Iraq, a U.S. citizen working for a contractor, is a volunteer firefighter from Mississippi. We hope that he and others are released unharmed. Many firefighters were called to active duty and are still serving or recently returned from Iraq. With so many soldiers fighting, dying and being injured, we hope they return home soon and stay safe from the fighting.

Speaking of shooting and fighting, in recent months, several firefighters and EMTs have been shot and one died during the performance of their duties here in the U.S. A few such incidents occurred in fire or EMS stations. Assaults, domestic disputes and attacks by emotionally disturbed people were some of the apparent causes. It is yet another risk we face when we respond to emergencies. If there is any chance that you may encounter such a situation when responding, perhaps it would be better to wait for police to arrive and provide security. These are but a very few such incidents among the millions of calls we respond to annually, and the possibility of it happening is remote, but it only takes a second to become a statistic. Better to err on the side of safety.

We are pleased to now be working with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in presenting summaries from its Firefighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program. Featured in this issue are investigations of multiple firefighter deaths published with the intent of sharing the lessons learned with every firefighter. NIOSH speaks with fire departments across the country, yet apparently many firefighters still are unaware of these. Identification of contributing factors enables researchers and safety specialists to develop strategies for preventing future tragedies. The program does not seek to place blame on any fire department or any firefighter. We want our readers to be aware of this valuable information in hopes that we can reduce line-of-duty deaths. For more information, please visit www.cdc.gov/niosh/firehome.html.

Contributing Editor Billy Goldfeder forwarded the following from the Cincinnati Enquirer: The investigation of the death of Cincinnati Firefighter Oscar Armstrong III at a house fire last year revealed failures at many levels to size-up the danger that day. The 200-page study of the incident makes no such mistake in sizing-up what it will take to make sure Armstrong didn?t die in vain. The investigators, including fire officers, firefighters, Local 48 representatives, city officials and outside safety experts, warned that radical changes are required in how the fire force operates. ?Traditionally, the Cincinnati Fire Department ... doesn?t embrace change very well,? investigators concluded. They warned that changes recommended in the study ?need to be embraced by every member? of the department. If time prevents you from reading the entire 200-page report, at least read the lessons- learned section, pages 52-68, Chapter 7. That in itself is a map for any fire department to use as an evaluation. You can find the entire report at http://www.wcpo.com/news/2004/local/03/30/report.pdf.

About 20,300 applications for the Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program 2004 were submitted to the USFA/FEMA. Those applications requested in excess of $ 2.3 billion. For the 2004 program, $700 million is expected to be distributed. Fire departments have certainly showed the need for assistance. Previous budget battles have brought us to this point. The FIRE Act is up for reauthorization during this congressional session. Programs like these are vital and must be refunded. A must-read is this month?s Fire Politics column, in which Dennis Compton focuses on four important issues, including the FIRE Act. Compton details the Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI), the recent line-of-duty death summit and the need for a senior executive in the Department of Homeland Security to represent the interests of the fire service. As Dennis says, we have to use our political influence to make progress in every way possible. We all need to start rubbing elbows.

In this issue, we focus on three major incidents that occurred in Pennsylvania. In Pittsburgh, a collapse during a church fire killed two firefighters and injured 28 others. A major multi-casualty accident involving 30 tractor-trailers and 14 other vehicles claimed six lives and injured 17 people. In Gettysburg, a fast-moving fire ripped through an apartment house.