FIREFIGHTER I AND FIREFIGHTER II
LESSON PLAN, PART II, TEACHING GUIDE
FIREFIGHTER SAFETY
INTRODUCTION Time: 5 Min.
ATTENTION:
Fire departments like most organizations are governed by rules and standard operating procedures. There are no exceptions to the rules! The success of the fire service mission relies on each fire fighters willingness to follow the rules and ensure
safety at all times.
REVIEW:
Now that you know your role as a firefighter lets combine them with the rules and regulations needed to perform safe fire fighting operations.
OVERVIEW:
During the next few hours we will discuss critical aspects of NFPA 1500.
MOTIVATION:
As a firefighter it is important that you know and understand proper safety procedures. NFPA 1500 provides the minimum standards we must follow.
TRANSITION:
Now let's discuss some aspects of NFPA 1500.
BODY TIME: 15 Hr. 50 Min.
PRESENTATION:
3. FIREFIGHTER SAFETY
a. Without reference, identify basic aspects about applicable occupational health and safety standards and fire fighter responsibilities as required by NFPA Standard 1500 with an overall minimum or 70% accuracy.
(1) Two basic factors that motivate accident control within the fire service:
(a) Life safety factor - stems from natural desire to prevent needless suffering from:
1 Physical pain.
2 Emotional stress.
(b) Economic factor - includes legal expenses and expenses caused by loss of manpower, apparatus, equipment, tools, property, or systems.
(2) NFPA 1500 contains minimum requirements for safety and health programs.
(a) The concept is to apply the same degree of safety throughout the fire service.
(b) Fire departments may also set safety standards unique to their stations.
(3) Employee interest
(a) Success of a safety program will begin at the top of the fire department administrative chain.
1 Administration's attitude towards safety is reflected in the attitude of the supervising officers.
2 This in turn affects the firefighters.
(b) Main goals should be:
1 Prevent human suffering, deaths, injuries, illnesses, and exposures to hazardous atmospheres and contagious diseases.
2 Prevent damage/loss of equipment.
3 Reduce incidence and severity of accidents and hazardous exposures.
(4) Firefighter Health Considerations
(a) Firefighters must be in good physical condition to handle physical demands of the profession.
(b) Essential information for firefighter personal health:
1 Stay informed about job-related health issues.
2 Follow recommendations for vaccination against hepatitis B.
3 Use precautions to avoid exposure to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
4 Learn proper lifting techniques to avoid muscle strains and other related injuries.
5 Use tools designed to assist in lifting heavy objects.
6 Properly clean and store tools and equipment used in patient care.
7 Maintain a regular exercise program to sustain physical fitness.
8 Maintain a diet that reduces cholesterol, fat, and sodium intake.
9 Be aware of cardiovascular and cancer risks such as smoking, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels.
10 Have regular physicals and medical checkups.
(5) An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is one way fire departments can help its members and their families.
(a) Include, but are not limited to the following programs:
1 Alcohol abuse.
2 Drug abuse.
3 Personal and interpersonal problems.
4 Stress.
5 Depression.
6 Anxiety.
7 Divorce.
8 Career development.
9 Nutrition.
10 Hypertension.
11 Smoking cessation.
12 Weight control.
(b) Should be readily available to all members and their families.
1 Should provide:
a Referrals to appropriate:
1 Health care services.
2 Alcohol treatment services.
3 Self-help groups.
4 Other professionals.
b Counseling and education on health concerns.
2 Should allow members easy, confidential access to counseling and professional help.
3 Any service provided for departmental personnel should also be made available to family members.
(c) Critical Incident Stress Debriefing:
1 Individuals react to extreme stress in different ways.
2 Critical Incident Stress Debriefings help firefighters cope with situations that might be encountered.
3 Process should start before firefighters enter scene (pre-briefing process).
4 If required to work more than one shift in these conditions, they should go through a minor debriefing, called a defusing, at the end of each shift.
5 They should participate in a full debriefing process within 72 hours of completing their work on the incident.
(6) Safety on the apparatus
(a) Most common danger that firefighters face is riding the apparatus to and from emergency calls.
(b) Do NOT dress while apparatus is in motion.
(c) All firefighters should ride within a fully enclosed portion of the cab.
(d) If not riding in enclosed seats, wear helmets and eye protection.
(d) If sirens and noise levels exceed 90 decibels, wear hearing protection.
(e) All firefighters must be seated with seat belts fastened. Seat belts should be large enough to accommodate a firefighter in full protective clothing.
(f) Do Not stand anywhere on the apparatus.
(g) If riding in unenclosed jump seat, safety bars are available to prevent falling.
(h) Always use handrails when mounting or dismounting apparatus.
1 Reduces the chance of slipping and falling from apparatus.
2 One exception - do NOT use handrails when dismounting an apparatus that has an aerial device extended close to electrical wires. (Always jump clear of electrically charged apparatus.)
INTERIM SUMMARY:
(7) Safety in the Fire Station
(a) Hazards in the fire station endanger firefighters and visitors.
(b) Personal safety
1 Safety hazards common to any fire station.
a Two most common causes of injury:
1 Improper lifting techniques.
2 Slip-and-fall accidents.
b Common injuries related to improper lifting and carrying techniques:
1 Back strains.
2 Bruises.
3 Sprains.
4 Fractures.
c Improper lifting techniques may also damage equipment if it is dropped or handled improperly.
d Back injuries:
1 Most expensive single type of accident.
2 Occur with surprising frequency.
e Every firefighter should be instructed in correct method of lifting.
1 Do NOT attempt to lift or carry an object that is too bulky or heavy for one person to safely handle.
2 Get help to lift or carry it.
f Slips, trips, and/or falls:
1 Generally result from poor footing caused by slippery surfaces, objects or substances on surfaces, inattention to footing on stairs, uneven surfaces, and similar hazards.
2 Can result in minor and severe injuries and damaged equipment.
g To prevent slips, trips, and falls:
1 Stress good housekeeping.
2 Floors must be clean and free from slipping hazards (loose items and spills).
3 Aisles must be unobstructed and stairs should be well lighted.
4 Maintain handrails, slide poles, and slides in a safe condition.
(c) Tool and equipment safety
1 Poorly maintained tools and equipment
a Can be very dangerous.
b Can result in costly accidents.
2 NFPA 1500 stresses importance of safety in every aspect of tool and equipment:
a Design.
b Construction.
c Purchase.
d Usage.
e Maintenance.
f Inspection.
g Repair.
3 When working in fire station shop or on emergency scene, use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
4 Observe the following procedures when using hand and power tools:
a Wear appropriate PPE.
b Remove jewelry, including rings and watches.
c Select appropriate tool for job.
d Know and follow manufacturer's instructions.
e Inspect tools before use to determine their condition. If deteriorated or broken, replace it.
f Provide adequate storage space for tools. Return them to storage promptly after use.
g Inspect and clean tools before using.
h Consult with and secure manufacturer's approval before modifying tools.
i Use spark-resistant tools when working in flammable atmospheres.
(d) Hand tools
1 Inspect all tools before each use.
2 Use of "cheaters" (homemade tool-handle extensions) is unsafe. Can overload tool beyond it design capabilities.
(e) Power tools
1 Grinders, drills, saws, and welding equipment.
2 Used improperly can cause serious or life-threatening injury.
3 Only firefighters who have read and understand tool manufacturer's instructions should be allowed to use power tools. Instructions should be accessible to firefighters.
4 Repairs
a Should be made by trained and authorized personnel.
b Keeping accurate records of repairs - can help spot misuse before the tool causes an accident.
5 Electrical tools not marked "double insulated" should have a three-prong plug. Bypassing the ground plug can cause injuries or deaths from unpredictable electrical shocks.
(f) Power saws
1 Common types used by firefighters:
a Rotary saws.
1 In the station - usually bench- or table-mounted.
2 At the emergency scene - usually of rescue or forcible entry design.
b Chain saws.
2 May be found in fire station or on emergency scene.
3 Safety rules:
a Match saw to task and material to be cut. Never push saw beyond design limitations.
b Wear PPE, including gloves and eye protection. Avoid loose, dangling clothing that may become entangled in saw.
c Have hoselines in places when forcing entry into an area where fire is suspected or when performing vertical ventilation. Essential when cutting materials that generate sparks.
d Avoid using saws when working in a flammable atmosphere or near flammable liquids.
e Keep unprotected and unessential people out of work area.
f Follow manufacturer's procedures for proper saw operation.
g Use caution to avoid igniting gasoline vapors when refueling a hot, gasoline-powered saw. Best to allow it to cool before refueling.
h Keep blades and chains well sharpened. A dull saw is far more likely to cause an accident than a sharp one.
(8) Safety in Training
(a) NFPA 1500 requires all personnel who may engage in structural fire fighting to participate in training at least monthly to reinforce safe practices until they become automatic.
(b) Other types of training are required on an "as needed" basis.
1 When new procedures or equipment are introduced.
2 Should be at least two training sessions of this type per year.
(c) Maintaining Personal Safety
1 All personnel participating in training should be fully clothed in protective gear.
2 Physical fitness:
a Trainees with colds, severe headaches, or other symptoms indicating physical discomfort or illness shouldn't continue until a medical examination can determine their fitness.
b Older trainees and trainees who apparently are not in good physical condition should be watched closely for signs of:
1 Fatigue.
2 Chest pains.
3 Unusually labored breathing during heavy exercise.
c Physical discomfort or illness can lead to accidents.
d Accidents can be prevented by determining physical condition of all participants before training.
3 Horseplay during training MUST be forbidden.
(d) Maintaining and Servicing Equipment
1 Equipment used for fire training evolutions must be in excellent condition.
2 Items used for training often wear out faster than those used routinely in fire station.
3 All tools and equipment should be inspected before each drill to ensure reliability.
4 Records must be maintained on all equipment used for training.
5 Test training equipment IAW manufacturer's instructions and applicable standards.
(9) Emergency Scene Safety
(a) Upon arriving at scene, officer in charge (IC) must decide:
1 Whether it is safe and/or feasible to attempt an emergency operation.
2 Whether the operation requires rescuing victims or stopping property loss.
3 When the risks involved in either situation are great enough to warrant limiting actions of fire fighting personnel.
(b) Firefighters must remember:
1 They did not cause the emergency .
2 Are NOT obligated to sacrifice themselves in a heroic attempt to save the victim, especially not in an attempt to recover a body.
3 Irresponsible and unprofessional for firefighters to take unnecessary risks.
4 Function of fire/rescue service is not to add victims to situation.
(c) IC's first priority must be firefighter safety; the second priority is victim's safety.
(d) IC should never choose a course of action that requires firefighters to take unnecessary risks.
(e) Crowd Control
1 Essential to proper scene management.
a Usually responsibility of law enforcement agency on scene
b May sometimes have to be performed by firefighters or rescue personnel.
2 IC's responsibility to ensure scene is secured and properly managed.
3 Bystanders should be restrained from getting too close to incident for their own safety and for that of victims and emergency personnel.
4 Friends or relatives of victims
a Often difficult to deal with. Treat them with sensitivity and understanding.
b Should be gently but firmly restrained from getting too close.
c Should be kept some distance from actual incident but within cordoned area.
d Should not be left entirely on their own, a firefighter or other responsible person should stay with them until victims have been removed from scene.
5 Cordoning off the area
a Keeps bystanders a safe distance from scene and out of the way of emergency personnel.
b No specific distance.
c Zone boundaries should be established taking into account:
1 Area needed by emergency personnel to work.
2 Degree of hazard presented by elements involved in the incident.
3 General topography of area.
d Can be done with rope or fireline tape tied to:
1 Signs.
2 Utility poles.
3 Parking meters.
4 Other objects that are readily available.
e Monitor boundary to ensure people do not cross line.
(f) Personnel Accountability System
1 Each department must develop a system of accountability that identifies and tracks all personnel working at an incident.
a System should be standardized.
b All personnel must be familiar with the system and participate when operating at an emergency incident.
c Must also account for those individuals who respond to scene in vehicles other than fire department apparatus.
2 Accountability is vital in the event of a serious accident or structural collapse.
(g) Tag System
1 Personnel can be equipped with a personal identification tag.
2 Upon entering the fireground perimeter, leave tags at a given location or with a designated person:
a Command post.
b Apparatus compartment.
c Company officer.
d Control officer.
e Sector officer.
3 For quick reference, tags can be attached to:
a Control board.
b Personnel identification (ID) chart.
4 Upon leaving fireground, collect tags.
(h) SCBA Tag System
1 Provides closer accountability for personnel inside a structure.
2 All personnel entering a hazardous atmosphere must wear full protective clothing with SCBA.
3 Each SCBA is provided with a tag:
a Name of the user.
b Air pressure.
4 Upon entering building, give tag to designated supervisor.
5 Supervisor:
a Records time of entry and expected time of exit.
b Does a brief check to ensure all protective equipment is properly used and in place.
6 Provides:
a Complete accountability for those inside.
b Ensures they are in proper gear.
7 Firefighters leaving danger area take back their tags so the control officer knows:
a Who is safely outside.
b Who is still inside the structure or danger area.
8 Relief crews are sent in before estimated time of sounding of low-pressure alarms.
SUMMARY:
We discussed Firefighter safety, common fire service hazards, and NFPA 1500, Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program.
REMOTIVATION:
Safety is paramount in fire protection ! If you know your job and follow rules, accidents on the fireground may not involve serious injury or death.
ASSIGNMENT:
N/A Continue with the next lesson.
CLOSURE:
How far you progress in this career field will depend on how well you do your job and carry out your assigned responsibilities.
