1. Operations
Knowledge is Survival Silent Killer
January 20, 2011 Produced by (IAFF/IAFC/FDNY)
John J. McNeil Approximately 50% of
Rhodes firefighter LODDs are
Consultants, Inc. heart attack and stroke
Produced by John J. McNeil, related. Carbon monoxide
Rhodes Consultants, Inc. poisoning is a great con-
tributor to heart attack
and stroke. Long term
exposure or an acute ex-
posure to carbon monox-
ide can have the same
Purpose of Fire fatal outcome for fire-
Zine fighters.
Silent Killer, a new edu-
To provide
members of the fire cation campaign urges
service with quips fire fighters to take per-
of valuable sonal responsibility for
information from a their health and safety by
plethora of recognizing the occupa-
resources tional hazards of CO ex-
available.
posure and wearing pro-
tective masks during both
active fire and overhaul
Fast Reading for a Fast Paced Fire Service operations to prevent un-
necessary risks. It also
encourages fire fighters
Command and $477 million in prop- Attic Fires in Residential
to get their CO levels
erty damage. Buildings is part of the
Attic Fires tested on the fire scene
(USFA) USFA's Topical Fire
with an approved nonin-
The leading cause of all Report Series. Topical
attic fires is electrical vasive portable device
The United States Fire reports explore facets of
malfunction (43 percent). and, if elevated, to seek
Administration (USFA) the U.S. fire problem
immediate treatment,
issued a special report that USFA shares with
The most common heat even if they are feeling
recently examining the fire departments and
source is electrical arcing well.
characteristics of first responders around
(37 percent). The Silent Killer cam-
Attic Fires in Residen- the country to help them
paign has a video which
tial Structures. keep their communities
Almost all residential build- was produced and nar-
Developed by USFA's ing attic fires are non- safe.
rated by actor, Randolph
National Fire Data Cen- confined (99 percent) and a To download a copy of
Mantooth. "Too many of
ter, the report is based third of all residential build- this topical report on
our fire rescuers and first
ing attic fires spread to attic fires go to:
on 2006 to 2008 data responders do not believe
involve the entire building. http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/
from the National Fire they too are in danger
Incident Reporting downloads/pdf/
Ninety percent of residen- and, consequently, do not
System (NFIRS). tial attic fires occur in one- adequately protect them-
According to the re- and two-family residential selves from becoming un-
port: buildings. knowing victims of CO
poisoning," said Man-
Residential building attic
An estimated 10,000 attic tooth, a vocal advocate
fires are most prevalent in
fires in residential build- for CO awareness and
December (12 percent) and
ings occur annually in the
January (11 percent) and prevention. "That's why
United States, resulting in
peak between the hours it has become my mission
an estimated average of
30 deaths, 125 injuries,
of 4 and 8 p.m. to ensure that each and
every fire fighter and

2. Volume 1 Issue 7 Page 2
Fire-Zine Knowledge is Survival
emergency first responder addition to the video, the Silent
knows and understands these Killer website features articles and Administration &
significant occupational haz- resources which address the Fiscal
ards, how to properly protect health and safety risks of CO poi-
2010 LODD Report
themselves, and how to prevent soning. (USFA)
unnecessary health risks to im- The United States Fire Admini-
prove the odds that they will be Planning stration (USFA) announced
around tomorrow to do what today there were 85 on-duty
they were born to do," Mantooth firefighter fatalities in the
2011 Near-Miss
said. United States as a result of inci-
Calendar
The 2011 Near Miss Calendar is dents that occurred in 2010, a
now available and includes a short 6 percent decrease from the 90
health and safety tip that offers fatalities reported for 2009.
advice on everything from heart
health to having fun. The 2011 The 85 fatalities were spread
Calendar Topics include: across 31 states. Illinois experi-
enced the highest number of
January: Know Your Job fatalities (9). In addition to Illi-
The new website,
nois, only New York (8), Ohio
www.thesilentkiller.net
February: Emergency Driver Safety (8), Pennsylvania (7), and Kan-
was specifically developed to
sas (5) had 5 or more firefighter
help raise awareness among
March: Incident Command fatalities.
fire fighters, first responders,
emergency medical service
April: Training Safety The Nature of These Fatalities:
(EMS) personnel, and their
48 Heart Attack 56.4%
friends and families about the
May: Annual Medical Exams 20 Trauma 23.5%
unsuspected occupational dan-
4 Asphyxiation 4.70%
gers of CO poisoning and how
June: Rehabilitation 4 Other 4.70%
best to protect themselves.
3 Crushed 3.52%
July: PPE 3 CVA 3.52%
Rhodes Consultants, Inc. 1 Burns 1.17%
August: May Day 1 Heat Exhaustion 1.17%
David Rhodes, President 1 Unknown 1.17%
rhodesconsultants@gmail.com September: Situational Awareness
678-776-5273 The Cause of These Fatalities:
Dedicated to October: SCBA 52 Stress/Overexertion 61.1%
Providing Professional, Afford- 11 Vehicle Collision 12.9%
able and Excellent November: Technical Rescue 5 Struck by 5.88%
Training and Consultation for Safety 5 Other 5.88%
Today’s Fire Service 5 Caught/Trapped 5.88%
December: EMS Safety 4 Fall 4.70%
2 Collapse 2.35%
1 Unknown 1.17%
FREE OFFER The Age of Firefighter / LODD:
Leadership Quote: 2 - Under 21
Grouped reports on each monthly 5 - 21 to 25
“An army of sheep led by a
topic are available on the 4 - 26 to 30
lion would defeat an army of Resources page of 12 - 31 to 40
www.firefighternearmiss.com and 16 - 41 to 50
lions led by a sheep.” 20 - 51 to 60
can be used for further discussion
on the monthly given topic. 25 - 61 and Over
———- Arab proverb
1 - Unknown