Keeping It Safe Robert Tutterow
You have probably heard the axiom that firefighters are their own worst enemies. This month’s column is about a few news stories that add credibility to that statement. They all have a common theme—they involved accidents that were extremely preventable and inexcusable.
I saw an evening news story about firefighters being transported to a burn center after getting caught in a flash fire. The firefighters sustained burn injuries to their faces and necks. In this case, there was a follow-up story about the burn injury recovery, and footage was shown of their personal protective equipment (PPE). They were wearing neither a hood nor a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) face piece when the accident occurred. If the firefighters had been wearing these two PPE items, there would have likely been no burn injuries at all or maybe there would have been some slight first-degree burns where the hood was worn.
A few days later, a story broke about a firefighter’s gear catching on fire. This happened while the firefighter was using a circular cut-off saw on a garage door. Apparently, the gas cap on the saw was not secure and gas poured onto the turnout gear, which ignited from sparks from the saw. The firefighter using the saw was wearing an SCBA but did not don the face piece, and he was not wearing a hood. There was no injury, but the situation could have been far worse.
Then there was the news story of an engine losing control and overturning while making a turn at an intersection, with all four firefighters being transported to the hospital. One of the firefighters, the captain, was listed in critical condition after being ejected from the apparatus. Did his seat belt fail?
Another news story detailed two engines colliding while responding to a call. Eight firefighters were injured, and three of the eight were listed in critical condition. A few days later, a story broke about six firefighters being injured when two apparatus collided while responding to a call. This reminds me of the line: “We have met the enemy and it is us.”
I saw footage of several firefighters operating on the roof of a working warehouse fire, and not one of them was wearing an SCBA. I knew someone familiar with the department who made a comment about what I had seen. The response was jaw-dropping. I was told that department does not require firefighters to use SCBA during roof operations, as it is believed they hinder firefighters’ ability to perform their jobs.
A final news story to share (and I could go on and on) involved an engine company colliding with a sedan at an intersection. It was reported that all the firefighters were injured, though not seriously. The amazing part of the story was the minimal damage to the front of the engine (not much more than paint scratches), while the sedan was totaled. Size matters! But, the question that begged an answer was: How did the firefighters get injured? I can only surmise two ways: Either they were not secured by their seat belts, or there was a lot of loose equipment flying around in the cab—or both.
Granted, the news stories are not always accurate, and stories of this nature are good for ratings. So, there might be a bit of embellishment. Nonetheless, the incidents did occur, and many similar incidents occur more often than we might want to admit. There is no way to know how many do not make the news. I often quote or share a story from the late great Chief Alan Brunacini. He said, if you are going to get killed or die on the job, then find a new way to do it because almost all line-of-duty deaths (LODDs) have a similar track history. When will we ever learn?
As vicious as we can be to ourselves, social media sites are sharing unsafe and unhealthy photos and practices, which are being lauded. This includes things such as filthy helmets and operating with PPE that is not properly fastened. Does a clean helmet make you less of a firefighter?
We live in a time when there is an increasing amount of technology and research made available to help the fire service do its job more safely and healthfully. Yet, it seems a lot of us want to “stick our heads in the sand” and take the position that it will not happen to us or find convenient excuses to ignore what is available to help us. For example, “We don’t have time for preliminary exposure reduction (PER) because we might miss a call.”
Another principle Chief Brunacini advocated for every day was: “Risk nothing to save nothing. Risk a little to save a little. Risk a lot to save a lot.” In reviewing LODD reports and injuries for decades, I have found that it is the exception rather than the rule that there was a lot to save.
No doubt most fire departments are currently experiencing recruitment and retention challenges. While the reasons are many, one that should not be overlooked is that the younger generation is now thinking twice about embarking on a career path that is risky from both an injury perspective and a health perspective.
As the Nike tagline goes, “Just Do It!” It is a simple phrase that we should integrate into all our health and safety protocols. These protocols should be practiced without exception so that they become muscle memory. Maybe if we did, we would not have the recruitment and retention problems.
A final thought: What is our response when the bean counters say they aren’t going to fund presumptive cancer legislation, additional PPE, medical evaluations, etc., because they see pictures of you doing the wrong thing …over and over again?
ROBERT TUTTEROW retired as safety coordinator for the Charlotte (NC) Fire Department and is a member of the Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment Editorial Advisory Board. His 44-year career includes 10 as a volunteer. He has been very active in the National Fire Protection Association through service on the Fire Service Section Executive Board and technical committees involved with safety, apparatus, and personal protective equipment. He is a founding member and president of the Fire Industry Education Resource Organization (F.I.E.R.O.).
