Key Safety Behaviors
Who: A newly appointed ( 11 months in grade) fire captain. What: Missouri Fire & Rescue Training Summer Fire School.
Where: Columbia Missouri. When: August 8, 1985. Why: To learn as much about firefighting as possible.
How: Through the efforts of instructors, reports and fire service leaders.
The keynote speaker at this event was Chief Alan Brunacini, Phoenix Arizona Fire Department, the most recognized fire chief, and the most listened-to instructor of my early career. Chief Brunacini spoke on key safety behaviors. The class was entitled "25 Key Behaviors for Firefighter Safety".
A few years earlier (1971) as a volunteer firefighter I attended another Summer Fire School. Tom Admire, the working for University of Missouri Fire Service Extension, spoke on basic firefighting. While his listing of key behaviors has been lost from my archives. He spoke of crew cohesiveness, avoidance of freelancing, following orders ( Yes there was a command structure before we labeled it as IMS), having a tool with you at all times and watching how the fire reacts to extinguishment efforts.
My point, there is nothing new about firefighter safety. We live the insanity spoken about by Benjamin Franklin. We re-package old ideas and recreate the basic known truths. I will list the 25 key behaviors given to us by Chief Brunacini. They look a lot like Tom Admire's lecture from 1971 and look a lot like the 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives.
1. Think.
2. Drive defensively.
3. Drive slower.
4. Intersections: STOP.
5. Do not run for a moving rig.
6. Always wear seat belts.
7. Full protective clothing with SCBA.
8. Don't ever breath smoke.
9. Attack fires with a sensible level of aggressiveness.
10. Always work under sector( now division or group) supervisor. NO FREELANCING.
11.Keep crew intact.
12.Keep a communication link to command.
13. Always have an escape route.
14. Never go beyond air supply.
15.Hose: big enough, long enough.
16.Evaluate the hazard. Know the risk you are taking.
17.Follow standard fire ground procedures.
18. Vent early, vent often.
19. Provide lighting on fire ground.
20. If it is heavy, get help.
21. Always watch your fire ground position.
22. Look and listen for signs of structural collapse.
23. Rehab companies.
24. Pay attention all of the time.
25. Everybody takes care of everybody else.
Some of these points are now labeled differently, RIT, crew resource management, risk management and rule of air management. If we would just follow any or all of these lists, if we would exhibit the behaviors called for by these key points, the 16 Life Safety Initiatives then maybe, just maybe.....
Michael Petroff