By Dr. JoEllen Kelly

Washington, D.C. - When most of us think of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Program, we think of fire departments across the country applying for grants to buy "stuff." In fact, the Fire Act Grant was conceived in 2001 as "an important component of the Administration's larger, coordinated effort to strengthen the Nation's overall level of preparedness and ability to respond to fire and fire-related hazards." As it was originally conceived, the monies from Washington were awarded to departments as a means to purchase response equipment, personal protective equipment and vehicles. Since 2001, 43,000 grants have been awarded, totaling $3.8 billion.

What is often overlooked in the official title Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program is that the Fire Act Grant is not just about equipment and vehicles. In 2005, Congress amended authorization to include funding for firefighter safety Research and Development. This amendment stated: "No less than 5% of the appropriation must be awarded for fire prevention and safety or research and development activities." While this does not sound like a lot, for Fiscal Year 2008 this amounted to $28,000,000.

If you go to the Fire Act Grant website you will see that there are three components to the AFG program; Fire Grants, Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants (SAFER) and Fire Prevention and Safety Grants (FP&S.) FP&S Grants are separated into two activities: Fire Prevention & Safety and Firefighter Safety Research & Development. Fire Departments are not eligible to apply for R & D funding; rather this category is reserved for organizations (academic, public health, and others), who have the expertise to research topics related to firefighter safety. Funded projects under R & D include "Database/data collection and analysis projects, social science projects and technology studies that address injury outcomes...such as firefighter safety, wellness, fitness or health." Under R & D, researchers are permitted to partner with fire departments who for example, supply human research subjects for study.

During the open forum on December 2, the immediate past grantees (2006) of R & D grants met in Washington DC to present their findings. Under guidance of the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA staff, dozens of researchers presented their fascinating and important results. The scientists and fire service subject matter experts presented material in two groups; Clinical & Behavioral Studies and Technology Studies.

Six Clinical and Behavioral Studies were presented on topics ranging from "Physical and Psychological Stress Associated with Structural Firefighting" (Indiana University and the Indianapolis FD), "Cardiovascular and Biomedical Response to Firefighting and PPE," (University of Illinois and Illinois Fire Service Institute), to "Firefighter Heart Disease Prevention Program" (St. Joseph's Children Center in Atlanta and the Gwinnett County Fire Department). The International Association of Fire Fighters (working with National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Worcester Polytechnic Institute) presented a second-year of research titled "Multi-Phase Study on Firefighter Safety and the Deployment of Resources." Fireground Rehab was the subject of a study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh and with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire and the Guyasuta Volunteer Fire Department. Finally, Harvard researchers presented news from their study on "Cardiovascular Disease Among Firefighters."

The second part of the day consisted of the Technology grantees reviewing their outcomes. First was a report by the Underwriters Laboratories (working with the Chicago FD) on "Structural Stability of Engineered Lumber on Fire Conditions." Then a report on "Special Extinguishment Agents for Firefighter Use" was presented by the UL team. Two teams working on firefighter tracking devices (from the University of Maryland and Worcester Polytechnic Institute) also presented. Additionally, wind-driven fire conditions were studied and reported by two groups, the Polytechnic Institute of New York University (along with the FDNY) and Fire Protection Research Foundation of the NFPA.

The day ended with an excellent panel discussion: "Three Perspectives-Technology, Clinical, and Fire Service: What Can the Locater Device with Physiological Status Monitoring Do...and What Can't It Do?" While it would seem that the intrinsic value of such locator devices is a no-brainer, the panel carefully outlined the value and important questions such devices raise.

All of these presentations were extremely impressive not only for their inherent integrity and rigor, but also for the dedication to firefighter safety exhibited by the researchers. While we would expect this from fire service subject matter experts and partners, we often overlook our other partners from hospitals, clinics and universities who are working to develop better PPE and equipment to augment firefighter safety. Physicians and clinical researchers working on firefighter health and wellness should be valued and supported.

The administrators of and advisors to the Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program should be supported for funding firefighter safety R & D. The important work being done in the clinical, behavioral and technology areas will certainly contribute to our on-going knowledge of how to make this profession safer. All firefighters should recognize and commend those in our allied fields who have dedicated part of their careers to firefighter health, safety and wellness.