Sept 15 2005.indd - International Association of Fire Chiefs

F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T
It’s all about teamwork
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address several goals that complement that plan during the 12 months I have the
privilege of serving as your president
In this column, I will address three of these goals especially important
to take the IAFC—the premier fire service leadership organization—to an
even higher level of professionalism and service. They’re also key in our
continuing focus on making our communities and fire service personnel safer.
The three goals that I will be focusing on are:
❖ Reaching out to establish working relationships and partnerships with
associations and organizations to assist us in promoting fire and life safety as
well as homeland security;
❖ Doing even more to lead the fire service and provide information and
programs that will continue the reduction of firefighter deaths and injuries, so
that EVERYONE GOES HOME
❖ Expanding our excellent work with the Congress to maintain the highest
level of funding and support for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant, the SAFER
Act, the Wildand-Urban Interface grants and other programs vital to funding
and supporting America’s fire service.
Everyone likes to talk about “thinking out of the box,” and that has been a
good guiding philosophy for the fire service. Now it’s time to get out of the box
and establish partnerships with non-fire organizations that can help the IAFC
provide greater fire and EMS protection from threats of fire, natural disasters,
acts of terrorism.
Your IAFC team is at work on this first goal and has already initiated
contact with several organizations to discuss matters of mutual concern. These
organizations include the League of United Latin American Citizens, the
National Urban League, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP),
the National Association of Home Builders, the National Association of Realtors,
the National Parent Teachers Association, the National Education Association
and the National Child Safety Council.
The second goal is to maintain our strong focus on leadership and methodologies
to eliminate and reduce fires and other hazards, thereby reducing the incidents
that lead to firefighter deaths and injuries. Our IAFC team developed and is
aggressively promoting the National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System
and is dedicated to determining how to further reduce firefighter deaths and
injuries through analysis and evaluation of near-miss events.
Our IAFC team’s government relations staff is the lead for our third goal.
They’re continuing to work with Congress to maintain appropriate funding
and support for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant, the SAFER Act, Wildland-
Urban Interface grants and the National Fire Academy as well as other legislative
issues of importance and concern to our membership. You can be sure that I will
be working closely with the Board and our staff to represent the interests of our
members to Congress and the Administration on these issues.
I want to stress why I use the term “team” when laying out goals for the
coming year. I cannot accomplish anything by myself. The management and
leadership of the IAFC is a team function and our mission is a team mission,
not an individual one. Your president cannot accomplish very much without
the support of the membership, the board of directors, the divisions, sections,
committees and the IAFC staff.
At the FRI general session, keynote speaker Terry Bradshaw specifically brought
that idea home. He didn’t win football games or national championships—the
Pittsburgh Steelers won those games as a TEAM. And I will do my best to bring
those same principles to the IAFC.
We have proven that we can meet and exceed our goals and objectives when we
work together, as one. Leading the fire service is our responsibility and I know
that we will do whatever it takes to get the job done
I am honored to have been elected to lead the “IAFC Team” for 2005-06 and,
with your assistance and guidance, WE will continue to succeed as the premier
fire service leadership organization in the world.
IAFC President Bill Killen is Chief of the Fire & Emergency Services
Department at the Holston Army Ammunition Plant (HSAAP/WSI) in
Tennessee.
Near-Miss Reporting System
launches nationally
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been “overwhelming,” according to
chairman of the Near-Miss task force,
acclaimed author and former firefighter,
Dennis Smith. “We know chiefs will
embrace this,” he said, noting that the
system’s challenge will be to get all fire
officers and firefighters on board.
“It is the spark and leadership of
fire chiefs to carry this forward and
the participation of firefighters who
understand that near-miss reporting
can save lives that will make a
difference.
“Safety is a science,” Smith said. “If
you have a number that is consistent
year after year as we do, with about
100 firefighter deaths every year, you
know there is something wrong.”
Smith, a former Bronx, N.Y.,
firefighter who wrote “Report from
Ground Zero” and “Report from Engine
Co. 82” was also founder of Firehouse
magazine. As such, he was invited to
give a keynote address at the National
Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s annual
memorial service.
“As editor of a magazine that covers
the fire service, I was aware of the
numbers,” he said. But at the NFFF
ceremony, he handed to families of
fallen firefighters flags that had flown
above the Capitol. He saw their faces
“and suddenly the numbers I watched
year after year became extraordinarily
dramatic to me.”
When IAFC Executive Director
Garry Briese called Smith to see if he
would participate in the formation of
a near-miss system, Smith said he did
not hesitate.
“We resolved to create this system
and we did it,” he said.
Now it is up to the fire service to
put it to use, said several at the press
conference, which was led by then-
IAFC president Chief Bob DiPoli
(Ret.).
U.S. Fire Administrator R. David
Paulison also spoke, noting that as of
noon on the day of the launch “we
already have 69 firefighter fatalities this
year.” But the system is a hopeful one,
he said. “This is not about fatalities.
It’s about preventing fatalities.”
Danielle Cagan, director of
community relations for Fireman’s
Fund Heritage, also spoke at the press
conference. “We can’t think of a better
use of our funds,” she said. “We are
proud to be a part of this.”
The system is funded by grants
from the Department of Homeland
Security’s Assistance to Firefighters
Grant Program and
Fireman’s Fund
Insurance Company
and is supported by
FirefighterCloseCalls.
com in mutual dedication to firefighter
safety and survival.
About the system
The system’s slogan “Prevent an
Injury. Save a Life.” sets the tone for
firefighters of all ranks to contribute
to a “national fire service kitchen
table” where lessons learned in one fire
station can be shared with the whole
fire service community.
Near-miss reporting is designed to
interrupt the error chain that leads
to disasters by elevating a firefighter’s
situational awareness and knowledge
base. The system is confidential, nonpunitive,
secure and voluntary.
Reports may be filed electronically
by visiting www.firefighternearmiss.
com or by completing a paper version
of the report. One of the system’s
hallmarks is that it provides reporters
with a list of similar reports so the
reporter can benefit from the lessons
learned from others.
More than 200 reports were filed
during the pilot test; a number that
exceeded expectations. Visits by
IAFC staff to several of the 38 pilot
departments not only stimulated
additional reports, but also provided
anecdotal success stories about the
system.
Deputy Chief Steve Mormino of
the South Farmingdale Volunteer Fire
Department said, “When I introduced
the program to my department, I was
met with wide-eyed stares, enthusiasm
and attention. I was amazed how the
firefighters were so interested and
how intense the feedback questions
were that came from them. Sure
there was some skepticism,” he said,
“but as the introduction continued,
their skepticism quickly changed to
enthusiasm and a concerted effort to
help reduce firefighter fatalities.”
For more information, visit www.
firefighternearmiss.com. You can
also e-mail nearmiss@iafc.org, or call
703/273-9815 ext. 364.
John B. Tippett Jr. is a project
manager for the IAFC and a
battalion chief with Montgomery
County (MD) Fire and Rescue
Services.
2 IAFC On Scene/Sept. 15, 2005