Kuhl Hose and Perry Hiway hosted the "Courage to be safe... Everyone Goes Home" program Saturday.  Through the Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioners Office, the presentation was given by the Commissioner Ed Mann.  There were 14 Fire Departments represented with 77 in attendance.

Departments attending, Kuhl Hose, Perry Hiway, West Lake, West Ridge, McKean, Wattsburg, Lawrence Park, Fairfield, Harborcreek, Belle Valley, Kearsarge, Fuller, Erie Fire Department, Union City.

Students were presented with the question "What are you prepared to do?" in reference to the Courage to be safe program theme.  The 16 safety initiative were presented and then each department represented was asked to take one of the initiatives and come up with a 6 month plan to implement their ideas.

16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives

  1. Define and advocate the need for a cultural change within the fire service relating to safety; incorporating leadership, management, supervision, accountability and personal responsibility.
  2. Enhance the personal and organizational accountability for health and safety throughout the fire service.
  3. Focus greater attention on the integration of risk management with incident management at all levels, including strategic, tactical, and planning responsibilities.
  4. All firefighters must be empowered to stop unsafe practices.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Create a national research agenda and data collection system that relates to the initiatives.
  8. Utilize available technology wherever it can produce higher levels of health and safety.
  9. Thoroughly investigate all firefighter fatalities, injuries, and near misses.
  10. Grant programs should support the implementation of safe practices and/or mandate safe practices as an eligibility requirement.
  11. National standards for emergency response policies and procedures should be developed and championed.
  12. National protocols for response to violent incidents should be developed and championed.
  13. Firefighters and their families must have access to counseling and psychological support.
  14. Public education must receive more resources and be championed as a critical fire and life safety program.
  15. Advocacy must be strengthened for the enforcement of codes and the installation of home fire sprinklers.
  16. Safety must be a primary consideration in the design of apparatus and equipment.