Preventing Deaths and Injuries of Fire Fighters when Fighting Fires in Unoccupied Structures

Document

• NIOSH Alert Preventing Deaths and Injuries of Fire fighters using Risk Management Principles at Structure Fires

Related Materials

• Peer Reviewers’ Comments [PDF 34 KB]
• Response to Peer Reviewers’ Comments [PDF 41 KB]

Required Elements for Initial Posting

Title: Preventing Deaths and Injuries of Fire Fighters when Fighting Fires in Unoccupied Structures

Subject: Summary of fatality statistics and selected case reports.

Purpose: To highlight hazards and provide recommendations for preventing fire fighter deaths and injuries when working in structures that are known or suspected to be vacant or unoccupied.

Timing of Review: Spring 2008

Primary Disciplines or Expertise Needed for Review: Fire fighter injury prevention

Type of Review: Individual

Number of Reviewers: 6

Reviewers Selected by: NIOSH

Public Nominations Requested for Reviewers: No

Opportunities for the Public to Comment: Yes

Peer Reviewers Provided with Public Comments Before Their Review: No

Peer Reviewers:

Matt Chibarro
Organizational Affiliation: Fire Protection Engineer, Occupational Safety & Health Administration
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Fire protection engineering, safety and health regulations and federal standards
Recommended by: NIOSH
Richard Duffy
Organizational Affiliation: Special Assistant to the President, International Association of Fire Fighters, AFLCIO
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Fire fighting, labor relations
Recommended by: NIOSH

William Goldfeder
Organizational Affiliation: Deputy Chief, Loveland-Symmes Fire Department, International Association of Fire Chiefs, Safety Health and Survival Section
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Fire fighting, fire department management, occupational safety and health
Recommended by: NIOSH

Robert Neale
Organizational Affiliation: Training Specialist, United States Fire Administration, National Fire Academy
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Fire fighting, training, education, safety and health
Recommended by: NIOSH

Heather Schaffer
Organizational Affiliation: Director, National Volunteer Fire Council
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Fire fighting, volunteer fire department organization and management
Recommended by: NIOSH

Robert Solomon
Organizational Affiliation: Vice President, National Fire Protection Association
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Fire protection engineering, national consensus standards
Recommended by: NIOSH

Charge to Peer Reviewers:

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is planning to publish a NIOSH ALERT document titled “Preventing Deaths and Injuries of Fire Fighters When Fighting Fires in Unoccupied Structures.” This document addresses considerations of defensive versus offensive fire attack based on knowledge regarding occupancy, and the need for evaluation of the risks versus gains of these strategies.

Since you have programmatic interest or expertise in this subject, we would appreciate you or your designee’s review of this draft document. Please send your comments by March 15, 2008 directly to NIOSH.

Please note that because this is a pre-decisional draft, we request that you not further distribute this document outside of your organization, and that it not be publicly cited or quoted. Thank you in advance for your assistance in reviewing this document.