2011 Theme: Surviving the Fire Ground – Fire Fighter, Fire Officer & Command Preparedness – Mayday: Not If…When.With so many changes (budget cuts, staffing reductions, reduced training, etc.) in so many fire departments, it is a critical reminder critical for fire fighters to focus on their own survival on the fire ground. There is no other call more challenging to fire ground operations than a Mayday call — the moment when a fire fighter’s personal safety is in imminent danger. Fire fighter fatality data have shown that fire fighters “becoming trapped and disoriented represent the largest portion of structural fire ground fatalities.” The incidents in which fire fighters have lost their lives, or lived to tell about it, have a consistent theme — inadequate situational awareness put them at risk. MORE HERE TO HELP YOUR FD PREPARE FOR SAFETY WEEK:
NOTE: SAFETY WEEK, formerly known as safety "STAND DOWN" Week, is a collaborative program sponsored by the IAFC and the IAFF, coordinated by the IAFC Safety, Health and Survival Section and the IAFF Division of Occupational Health, Safety and Medicine, in partnership with more than 20 national fire service organizations.
Departments are encouraged to suspend all non-emergency activity during Safety Week and instead focus entirely on this years theme related training and education until all shifts and personnel have taken part. An entire week is provided to ensure each shift and duty crew can spend one day focusing on these critical issues.
