Safety must be a primary consideration in the design of apparatus and equipment.
Today’s fire service leaders whether they are fire chiefs, other chief fire officers, equipment committees, or equipment manufacturers have a vested interest and a legal responsibility to provide for the safety of firefighters. Yet, each day these groups struggle with the issue of preventable firefighter injuries and deaths, and the need to incorporate safety as a primary consideration in the design of fire service apparatus and equipment.
New technologies and innovations are available that can significantly reduce the potential for injury and deaths related to fire service apparatus and equipment failures or shortcomings. It is important to understand, and explore the technologies and innovations available today. We must also consider the best practices that can be implemented to improve fire fighter safety, thereby reducing the potential for injury and death.
The 16th Initiative ratifies the belief that no firefighter should die in the line-of-duty due to apparatus or equipment-related issues.
Initiative 16 Resources
Initiative 16 Research
Latest Initiative 16 News
- FDSOA’s New Aerial Maintenance Program – The Fire Department Safety Officer Association announced a new hands-on Aerial Maintenance program will be part of the 2019 Apparatus Maintenance & Specification Symposium. Aerial Maintenance: What you need to know program, with Instructor Mike Adams, Fleet Supervisor, South Metro Fire Rescue Authority (SMFRA), Colorado, on Wednesday, January 23rd in Orlando, Florida.
- Take the International First Responder Seatbelt Pledge – If your department has not taken the International First Responder Seatbelt Pledge, please take a moment learn more about the program and sign the pledge online today!
- NFFF congratulates Jack Sullivan on receiving the FDSOA Lifetime Achievement Award – Richard Maddox, chairman of the FDSOA board of directors, announced John (Jack) Sullivan, director of training, Emergency Responder Safety Institute, the 2018 winner of the annual Dave Dodson Lifetime Service Award.
- Strategic Vision Helps Ensure Firefighter Safety and Enhance Service – To help fire departments around the nation adopt the 16 initiatives, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation has created a new handbook, The Strategic Vision Guide: An Action Plan Using the 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives.
- Personal safety is just a click away – To help encourage more individuals and departments to use their seatbelts at all times, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) has revamped the International First Responder Seatbelt Pledge website, making it easier than ever to use.
- National Fallen Firefighters Foundation is a Proud Sponsor of the F.I.E.R.O PPE Symposium – The Symposium is a hard hitting, factual series of presentations about the PPE that most firefighters use on a regular basis. The topics covered at the PPE Symposium support Initiatives 7 and 16 of the Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives.
- Resolve to reduce line of duty deaths for the New Year – The most important element in firefighter safety is you, the firefighter. Join the NFFF in reducing firefighter injuries and lowering the number of LODDs each year to below 50.
