16 Life Safety Initiatives

7. Utilize available technology wherever it can produce higher levels of health and safety.
10. Define and advocate the need for a cultural change within the fire service relating to safety; incorporating leadership, management, supervision, accountability and personal responsibility.
12. Advocacy must be strengthened for the enforcement of codes and the installation of home fire sprinklers.
13. Public education must receive more resources and be championed as a critical fire and life safety program.
15. Focus greater attention on the integration of risk management with incident management at all levels, including strategic, tactical and planning responsibilities.
16. Firefighters and their families must have access to counseling and psychological support.

1. All firefighters must be empowered to stop unsafe practices.
2. Grant programs should support the implementation of safe practices and procedures and/or mandate safe practices as an eligibility requirement.
3. Develop and implement national medical and physical fitness standards that are equally applicable to all firefighters, based on the duties they are expected to perform.
4. National protocols for response to violent incidents should be developed and championed.
5. Thoroughly investigate all firefighter fatalities, injuries, and near-misses.
6. Create a national research agenda and data collection system that relates to the 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives.
8. Develop and implement national standards for training, qualifications, and certification (including regular recertification) that are equally applicable to all firefighters based on the duties they are expected to perform.
9. Enhance the personal and organizational accountability for health and safety throughout the fire service.
11. Safety must be a primary consideration in the design of apparatus and equipment.
14. National standards for emergency response policies and procedures should be developed and championed.