Safety and Health for Fire Fighters

June 17th, 2013 8:50 am ET - Timothy R. Merinar, MS

This week is the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Safety and Health Week

which encourages fire fighters and emergency responders to work safely.
NIOSH has a longstanding history of working to protect firefighters. Through the Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program NIOSH conducts independent investigations of fire fighter line of duty deaths. Below are links to two of our recent reports.

Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation # F2011-31 Career Fire Fighter Dies during Fire-Fighting Operations at a Multi-family Residential Structure Fire – Massachusetts
Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation # F2012-29 Fire Fighter/Driver Operator Suffers Sudden Cardiac Death After Responding to a Residential Burning Odor Call – Illinois

As we enter the program’s 15th year, we welcome feedback on how NIOSH is meeting the needs and expectations of the U.S. fire service.
Timothy R. Merinar, MS
Mr. Merinar is a safety engineer in the NIOSH Division of Safety Research and the project officer of the Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program.