Statistics of Deaths and Injuries among Firefighters - Research Paper Example

Firefighter Injuries and Deaths Introduction Firefighters face the risk of exposure to grave perils to their health and lives owing to the kind of work that they do – they are required to save fire victims as well as protect property under very hazardous circumstances. Every year, about one-hundred firefighters in the US and its States are killed while on call and tens of thousands others face physical injuries. In the past ten years, the United States has witnessed several high-profile occurrences involving firefighter fatalities that have aroused countrywide interest on the question of firefighter mortality in the country. Despite the fact that there has been a gradual reduction in the number of firefighter fatalities in the last two decades, firefighter fatalities’ incidence for every 100,000 incidents has in reality augmented. In spite of a descending dip in the beginning of 1990's, firefighter fatalities’ level has gone back up to similar levels that took place in the 1980's (Usfa.fema.gov. 2011). In the year 2005, the United States of America experienced the death of twenty-one firefighters as they carried out their non-emergency-related on call undertakings. In addition, there were five sudden cardiac fatalities as well as one critical case of stroke among firefighters in their usual administrative and station tasks. Four firefighters suffered stroke or sudden cardiac attack death during such activities as parades, funeral detail, maintenance of fire apparatus and while attending conventions. Furthermore, three firefighters passed on following a crash of their helicopter as they lit fires at a set burn. Other crashes led to the death of five more firefighters, one each following a boat parade, as they headed to obtain a vehicle inspection sticker, while headed towards pumping out a residence, as they drove to a meeting, and during a conservation project (Fahy & LeBlanc, 2005). In the year 2006, 106 of the United State’s 1.2 million firefighters died while on call, with fifty of the deaths resulting from heart attacks. Another 600-1,000 officers suffer non-fatal heart attacks while on-call annually, and every year, roughly 10,000 injuries are as a result of falling slipping, or tripping (Forrest, 2007). The 2006 report from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health also indicate that in the US, approximately 95,000 sustain injuries while 100 others die while on duty each year (Peterson, 2010). Further reports from the United States’ NFPA indicate that there are numerous firefighter illnesses, injuries as well as fatalities every year. Military staff designated as fire fighters, full-time and seasonal employees of federal and state agencies who have the responsibility of fighting fire, prisoners serving as firefighting crews, volunteer fire departments and local career industrial fire brigades’ members, and civilian firefighters who work at military installations are among the victims (Fahy & LeBlanc, 2005). Causes of firefighter injuries and deaths and mitigation strategies There are different health disorders as well as impairments attached to firefighter’s job. These include lung cancer and other respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, injuries, traumas, and cancers of other body parts such as large intestines, kidneys or bladder. Since they go through traumatic experiences (post-traumatic stresses) that put their health and lives at risk, mental disorders are very common health disorders among fire fighters. Long following the initial trauma, serious health problems may arise (Szubert & Sobala, 2002). Research indicates that in times of wild land firefighting undertakings, incidences of heat stress injuries are usually very high. The firefighter can suffer from dehydration while he/she is operating under both high air temperatures as well as while operating under conditions with excessive radiant heat flux. This can also occur if positive preventative procedures are not implemented as a normal way of doing business on a every-day heat stress (Mangan, 2002). Apparently, about 33% of on-call fatalities that firefighters experience take place in the operational region where a fire breaks up. Among others, most deaths are attributed to electrocution, burns asphyxiation, sudden cardiac death, stroke, internal trauma, crushing injuries, as firefighters attempt to put out or control fires. Moreover, another 33 percent of on-call firefighter fatalities come about in motor vehicle and other kinds of accidents as the officers head towards or come out from an event. Additionally, 10% of the injuries reported among firefighters take place as they go through such training activities as live fire training, underwater/dive training, physical fitness activities, during classes and seminars, and during equipment and apparatus drills. Firefighters also die while executing non-emergency on-call activities and in the event of non-fire emergencies. Of all on-call firefighter injuries such as internal trauma, electrical shock, crushing injuries, asphyxiation, burns, and drowning, traumatic injuries account for over one-half (Peterson, 2010). Szubert & Sobala (2002) explain that recklessness as well as inappropriate firefighters’ behavior account for roughly a half of accidents with the main injury causes being stumbling, loss of balance, falling or slipping. Other factors that lead to accidents while on duty include bad physical conditions, firefighters’ lack of physical fitness, inadequate knowledge as regards risks that take place in various circumstances of duty performance, and lack of adequate firefighters’ equipment with modern technical means. Others include slack conduct outside actions, failure to do warm up prior to engaging in physical exercises and over-involvement in group sport (Szubert & Sobala, 2002 and Forrest, 2007). Also worth noting is the fact that largely, fire and rescue operations of firefighters hinge on the public expectations of them. More often than not, when the public is observing their operations, fire fighters will take on a method that is more prone to risk perhaps because of the public’s high expectations, which make them to go for a more aggressive approach. Furthermore, this influences the firefighter’s attitude and image as a hero; hence, they tend to sacrifice life while undertaking fire-ground duties. One major reason for the high rates of cardiovascular-related fatalities is the officers’ lack of awareness on the value of physical fitness together with the value of healthy living or even the risk of heat stress and the reason as to why it arises. Fatalities related to trauma may on the other hand emanate from the officer’s ignorance on reckless driving and its effects or safety-related problems as they work on roofs on top of a working fire (Svensson, 2006). During the fire seasons of the years 1987 and 1988, there were apparent impacts of short and long-term exposure to excessive wild land fires’ environmental smoke. During that time, smoke inversions continually troubled the direct fire area as well as the incident base camps and neighboring communities for many days. Reports indicated that incidences of upper respiratory tract infections were high among firefighters with the infections persisting for periods as long as three to four months following the firefighter’s operations – the officers involved were spending more than multiple twenty-one day assignments under these conditions (Mangan, 2002). Although the national media’s interest has only been short-lived, the consciousness of the unrelenting high fatalities levels has transformed the structure of the fire service and impelled numerous organizations as well as fire departments to initiate firefighters’ protection programs (Usfa.fema.gov. 2011). Firefighting departments have come up with different strategies to assist in the reduction of firefighter injuries as well as deaths. A good example is that of the Memorandum of Understanding among the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL), NFPA, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which was reached in the year 2005. Its focus was on safety and protective outfits and equipment as well as emergency reactor for firefighters’ use. Nationwide, all fire departments were persuaded to set aside a day in which they would focus on safety through the co-sponsoring of NFPA and a number of other fire service organizations in the first yearly National Firefighter-Safety Stand Down (Fahy & LeBlanc, 2005). The Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program is also a NIOSH’s program and since the year 1998, the program has undertaken surveys on firefighter injuries and deaths while in the line-of-duty and it has come up with recommendations for the prevention of the same in future. While carrying out surveys, NIOSH used a model called the Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) model. Every survey gave a summary of the incident and then incorporated suggestions for the prevention of similar/related incidences in future. FACE program aimed at avoiding job-related causalities all over the nation through identifying and examining work situations portray high danger of injury; and then setting up and passing prevention policies around to individuals who can arbitrate in the place of work (Peterson, 2010). In order to thwart firefighter injuries and fatalities, it is important that firefighters be trained in order to equip them with exceptional skills, aptitude and physical suitability, owing to the profession’s physical, biochemical as well as organizational features. It is also important for firefighting candidates to have good hearing, sight, and color distinction (Szubert & Sobala, 2002). Additionally, there is need for meticulous examination of expertise, schemes and approaches for the management of fires as well as other emergencies. There is a need for the extension of firefighter training for the actual firefighters and officers. This will enable the parties involved to execute their duties in a safe manner. Furthermore, the need for experts and professionals to work hand in hand with firefighters and other fire officers is imperative in order to come up with a group of competent firefighters in addition to providing a safe environment for these officers (Svensson, 2006). To reduce injuries that take place on the ground, a proficient and secure individual concept should be developed. Also crucial is efficient teamwork as well as the promotion of incorporated contact among the various stakeholders. In any fire safety-training program, these form a very essential element (Klein, 2001). For effective firefighter expertise, positive fire behavior should be the guiding light. Every firefighter and other fire officers must understand wholly the ways in which fire grows under various situations on the fire ground. In connection to this, firefighters as well as other fire officers should be acquainted with various things for safety. To start with, they should have the knowledge of both ventilation-controlled and fuel-controlled fires. They should also have the knowledge of the way in which varied materials and entities act in the event of fire. As Mangan (2002) states, these officers have a personal responsibility of guaranteeing their personal potential of executing the job by displaying good physical condition. To be able to work on multi hour as well as multiday fire tasks efficiently, they should go for the right nutritional choices. They should as well uphold healthy lifestyles that will assist them to remain on the job in times of reduced sicknesses resistance. Other than firefighters’ individual responsibility, fire agencies have a crucial responsibility of providing an environment that encourages healthy and safe workforce. This may consist of exercise facilities; health-screening plans and work capacity testing (Svensson, 2006). Conclusion Apparently, there have been numerous cases of fire fighter injuries and deaths during the last 20 years and as discussed earlier, this is attributable to a number of several factors such as environmental, institutional and individual factors. Through such factors as new technologies’ and basic facilities and safety equipments development, study, research, the proper use of staffing, enhanced operations among others; the reduction of the number of firefighters who die annually should be achievable (Usfa.fema.gov. 2011). There is also dire need to provide fire fighters as well as other fire officers with sufficient training in order for them to become proficient enough in dealing with fire accidents. At the personal level, firefighters should strive towards developing diverse qualities invaluable in assisting them in developing aptitude as well as confidence as in they work. They should also aim at developing a healthy lifestyle in order to maintain themselves in the occupation. References Fahy, R. & LeBlanc, P. (2005). Firefighter Fatalities in the United States. Retrieved from http://www.myfirecompanies.com/filelock/h3814431431157562750.pdf Klein, R. (2001). Risk Assessment and Firefighter Safety. Patterns of Injury in the United Kingdom. Retrieved from http://christianregenhardcenter.org/symposium-series/2002/2001/Papers/klein2.pdf Mangan, R. (2002). Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities among Wildland Firefighters. Fire Management Today, 62(3), 36-40. Peterson, K. (2010). Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program: Findings from a National Evaluation. Retrieved from http://www.rti.org/pubs/rr-0008-1003-peterson.pdf Szubert, Z & Sobala, W. (2002). Work-Related Injuries among Firefighters: Sites and Circumstances of their Occurrence. International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, 15(1). 49-55. Svensson, S. (2006). Reducing fire fighter fatalities: The Knowledge Based Approach. Retrieved from http://www.osfa.info/sites/osfa/uploads/documents/S908-D7-Svensson.pdf Usfa.fema.gov. (2011). Historical Overview. Retrieved from http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/statistics/history.shtm Forrest, S. (2007). Study Looking At Lighter, Cooler Equipment To Reduce Firefighter Injuries, Deaths. Retrieved from http://news.illinois.edu/news/07/1026firefighters.html Read More