Second National Firefighter Safety Stand Down Scheduled for June 21
Fairfax, VA, March 6, 2006...Building
on the success of the first National Firefighter Safety Stand Down
in 2005, the Board of Directors of the International Association of
Fire Chiefs (IAFC) has called for the second annual stand down to be
held starting Wednesday, June 21, 2006, and continued until all
personnel and duty nights have been covered. Fire departments are
urged to save this date and plan to participate in the event.
Last year, an
estimated 10,000 fire departments participated in the National
Firefighter Safety Stand Down. Activities were posted on the IAFC
and its partner’s Web sites. The IAFC Safety, Health and Survival
Section will be updating the recommended activities, and when those
details are developed, they will be distributed.
“Sadly, 106
firefighters died in the line of duty last year. Since many of the
accidents occurred in department vehicles, we have decided to focus
this year’s stand down on emergency vehicle safety, where we can
have the most impact. We must take dramatic steps to reduce the
alarmingly high firefighter death and injury rates,” said IAFC
President Chief Bill Killen. “While firefighter safety must be part
of everyday life in the fire service, the Safety Stand Down raises
awareness of the issue and calls national attention to the
unacceptable number of firefighter line-of-duty deaths.”
Once again, the
IAFC will be reaching out to other fire service organizations to
join forces and involve the entire fire service in the event. Last
year, 19 organizations partnered with the IAFC for the first stand
down.
