September 2017 Monthly Meeting – Luncheon @ Shandon Court

Topic: Safety & Health in Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services – Presenter: Leo DeBobes, CSP

People working in fire, rescue and emergency services, whether career or volunteer, are faced with a myriad of occupational health and safety risks that may result in injury, illness or death.  While application of the hierarchy of controls is routinely practiced across most industries, this discipline is extremely dynamic and the work environment is often unpredictable, so risk assessments need to be approached differently than many safety professionals might anticipate. Occupational health is an often unrecognized factor in firefighter/EMS safety, and stress, exertion, and other medical-related issues, which usually result in heart attacks or other sudden cardiac events, continue to account for the largest number of fatalities.  In addition, fire service personnel are routinely exposed to potential carcinogens in the work environment and even in the stations.  Heat and noise are also significant issues which will be addressed. Firefighter/EMS Safety Considerations that will be addressed include:

• Training Safety, including live fire evolutions
• Apparatus Safety, including response to the scene and at the scene
• Fire Emergency Operations Safety, including  structural fire hazards, collapse risks,  fall hazards, vehicle fire hazards, collapse hazards
• Safety at EMS Emergencies, including extrication risks, violence, and infectious diseases
• Safety at Specific Types of Incidents, including high angle rescue, confined space rescue, trench/excavation rescue, hazardous materials emergency response, ice rescue and water rescue
• Safety After the Incident, including hazards during overhaul operations and returning to quarters
• Station Safety, including shop safety, tool safety, and indoor air issues unique to apparatus stations