This document provides information on 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives. It summarizes each initiative in 1-2 sentences and provides additional context. The initiatives focus on implementing safe practices, developing national standards for emergency response, ensuring access to counseling, increasing public education, and prioritizing safety in apparatus and equipment design. The overall goal is to reduce line-of-duty deaths and ensure all firefighters make it home safely.

1. Firefighter Life Safety Resource Kit
Firefighter Life Safety
Initiatives
Part II
Make Everyday a Training Day…So that Everyone Goes Home
c. 2006 NFFF

2. Initiative # 10
Grant programs should support the
implementation of safe practices and/or
mandate safe practices as an eligibility
requirement.

3. What Initiative #10 Means
There is grant money available for you to begin
implementing the initiatives. Grants should, however, be
tied to increasing safety measures. No safe practices/no
grant.
 If you ask for a grant to improve health and wellness,
for example, recommendations should be made and
implemented as a condition of future grants.
 Take time to learn how to write grants professionally
— beginning with the identification of granting
sources.

4. Initiative # 11
National standards for emergency response
policies and procedures should be developed
and championed.

5. What Initiative #11 Means
National Standards for emergency response policies and
procedures should be developed. At the local level,
departments may have to increase response times to “arrive
alive.”
 Help to adopt safe driving rules and enforce them.
 Secure loose objects in cabs and on vehicles.
 Respond to emergencies using emergency response
SOPs; no red lights and sirens to routine calls.
 Make sure all vehicles meet current safety standards.
 MOST IMPORTANT: MANDATE SEAT BELT USE!

6. Initiative # 12
National protocols for response to violent
incidents (including terrorism) should
be developed and championed.
Ky. Firefighter Killed, Second
Wounded in Shooting at Scene
of Domestic 'Worst Nightmare':
Domestic Dispute Call Turns to Tragedy
Memphis: Firefighting Presents More Dangers
Than Just Fire
Six Firefighters Shot, Injured in Indiana Violence
All Remain Hospitalized, One Seriously

7. What Initiative #12 Means
Fire and EMS workers deserve to have policies
which will reduce their exposure to all threats of
violence.
 Promote policies to “stage” violence incident
responses, removing the pressure to react
immediately. SOPs should include “GO” and “No-
GO” criteria.
 Learn all you can about responding to terrorist
incidents, regardless of your department’s size or
proximity to predicted targets.

8. Initiative # 13
Firefighters and their
families must have access
to counseling and
psychological support

9. What Initiative #13 Means
Firefighting is a high-risk occupation which, from time
to time, can put the employee and his or her family
under extreme stress. They deserve access to mental
health care.
 If you are feeling stress (depression/anxiety or
physical symptoms) seek help from physician, EAP
counselors, religious or other sources.
 Don’t “tough it out”; this could lead to bad results for
you and your family.
 Stress-awareness should be part of firefighter
training at all levels.
 Help a buddy you see struggling with stress-related
problems.

10. Initiative # 14
Public education must
receive more resources
and be championed as a
critical fire and life safety
program

11. What Initiative #14 Means
Public Education is a responsibility of all fire service
personnel. It should not be reserved for one week on
October. Increased civilian awareness will decrease
firefighter risks.
 Make communicating the fire prevention message to
the community a priority.
 Utilize USFA resources and materials—they are free
and excellent.
 Become an ambassador for community safety in
your church, children's’ schools, volunteer groups,
etc.
 Become an advocate for code adoption &
enforcement .

12. Initiative # 15
Advocacy must be
strengthened for the
enforcement of codes and
the installation of home
fire sprinklers

13. What Initiative #15 Means
The widespread use of residential sprinklers will
improve outcomes for civilians and decrease
firefighter injuries and LODDs.
 Ensure all firefighters understand how sprinkler
systems operate and the value they bring to reducing
Line of Duty Death’s.
 Actively advocate for residential sprinkler laws and
widespread adoption.
 If you build a home, consider the installation of a
sprinkler system—lead by example.

14. Initiative # 16
Safety must be a primary
consideration in the
design of apparatus and
equipment.

15. What Initiative #16 Means
Encourage your department to make “safety” the
highest priority in equipment and apparatus
purchases—as high as design and price.
 Form an apparatus committee and help set your
department’s policies on equipment and
apparatus purchases.
 Read professional journals and attend
conferences where new innovations in apparatus
and equipment are demonstrated.
 Learn NFPA standard 1901 regarding apparatus
safety standards.

16. Self-Evaluation Summary
• Is Your Department on the
path to a Line of Duty
Death ?
• Do you know what the path
looks like ?

17. Does it Look Like this?
• More Accidents
• Criminal Charges
• Incarceration
• Civilian casualty
• Firefighter casualties
• Older & Heavier
• Stiff versus Flexible
• High Cholesterol versus Low
• Insulin versus Non Insulin
• Experience Exchange versus Early Death

18. IF YOUR DEPARTMENT IS ON THE ROAD TO A
LINE OF DUTY DEATH YOU CAN BEGIN TODAY TO
CHANGE THE ROAD YOU’RE ON:
 Watch the videos in the Firefighter Life Safety
Resource Kit
 Conduct an organizational assessment and
implement changes
 Encourage and reward positive changes
toward safety

19. Make a Commitment TODAY…
Become an ADVOCATE for the
16 FIREFIGHTER LIFE SAFETY INITIATIVES
For more information on the
Courage To Be Safe…So Everyone Goes Home
program
www.everyonegoeshome.com