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Seat Belt Policy Failing
I'm a volunteer Fire Chief in NY. I recently instituted a seat belt policy that all FF's in apparatus must wear them. Of course there has been members that are against it due to "Change". I am trying to do the right thing and I know I will never change everything. The one ting that has me bothered is that a few members state that by implementing this policy I could be taking away death benefits from a member if they died if the FF did not wear the seat belt because it is a directive. Some members are saying that now with this policy the insurance companies would not pay out to the members family.
Others have said that I have blinders on that I should have looked at even the equipment in the cab that should either be removed that could be dislodged and kill/injure a FF. I agree I can see that and I know some companies have started to move equipment like halligans, axes, SCBA's etc. to the outside compartments. I know I cannot undo every past mistake from previous Chiefs but I am trying to make an effort at my end.
I guess now I am thinking how I can still keep the policy in place but still deal with all the criticism.
Others have said that I have blinders on that I should have looked at even the equipment in the cab that should either be removed that could be dislodged and kill/injure a FF. I agree I can see that and I know some companies have started to move equipment like halligans, axes, SCBA's etc. to the outside compartments. I know I cannot undo every past mistake from previous Chiefs but I am trying to make an effort at my end.
I guess now I am thinking how I can still keep the policy in place but still deal with all the criticism.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by T.J. on
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Mike I think it great that your trying your best and keep it up, if you can make one FF wear his belt then your job was a success, but with some FF's its a lost battle.
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Permalink Reply by Christian on
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If your remove the loose equipment in the cab. You must remove the 250 lbs of firefighter that can fly around the cab in certain incidents. As for taking away their death benefit, you are actually trying to take away their death. That argument is the worst thing I have ever heard. To say that they don't want a safety directive because if they don't follow it they could loose a death benefit? How about if they don't follow it they could lose their life!!
It seems to me your guys already have the thought that they are going to die in an accident and so what? You need to change that attitude and that won't be easy. I don't want to be killed in a fire, let alone a vehicle accident and I am going to do whatever it takes to get me and my crew home.
How would you feel if you removed this directive and the next day someone got killed because they weren't wearing their seat belt? I say stick to your guns and live with the criticism. You are doing the right thing. They will see that eventually. Change is tough, but death is tougher.
We are going thru the same thing in my company. The grumbling started right away but it is working now. Is it 100 percent, no, but increasing. One of the things I did with the whole topic of safety was, I had my guys imagine not that they were killed, but that one of the other guys was killed. I had them think about who was going to tell the family, who was going to go and help the family out, how they would feel at the funeral and other functions, then I said now, imagine it is you. It was easier for the guys to transfer their emotions for someone elses death to their own, then trying to have emotions for something they wouldn't be around for.
Check out www.everyonegoeshome.com for some good ideas for safety, and firefighter close calls for some good video to show to your guys. Buckle up, it sounds like you are in for a rough ride.
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Permalink Reply by Moose on
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Lets look at everything in the fire service that has resisted change. When my father was a firefighter he never used an air pack. By the time I became a firefighter he would put one on but never mask up. He said that it just didnt feel right and that he couldnt see, couldnt breathe, and couldnt tell what the conditions in the room were. That was over 20 years ago, and today we still are fighting the air pack battle of when and where to wear them. Some say they are not needed during overhaul, some do. MOST say they are not needed for car fires still, and MOST say they dont need them for roof operations.
Seat belts will just fall in with the rest of the fire service changes, you will have those that abide by the safety rules and those hard heads that just flat out refuse to change, for whatever their reasons. Its unfortunate but true. I believe in the importance of seat belts and that we all should wear them, but do I remember to put it on? MAYBE 2 out of ten times I respond on the truck. Thats bad, I know, but I was conditioned to do things a certain way during the first 20 years of my service and unfortunately it stuck. You just are not thinking about seat belts at 2 am when you are responding to a working structure, you are running through the tactics, the skills, what tools you will need, what steps you have to take when you jump out of the cab, is there anyone inside...Than when we are pulling up to the scene WHAMMO I think about not having my seat belt on. Hopefully some day I will start to think about it as soon as I respond to the firehouse. But until than I will keep reminding myself and others of the importance of seat belts and the need to wear them. Keep up the fight chief.
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Permalink Reply by Mary Ellen Shea on
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Which would you prefer.....taking some flack for implementing a sound policy, or planning a LODD funeral?
Say, there's a thought....
Next time one of your members gives you heat about wearing seatbelts, sit them down with a pad of paper and a pen and ask them to kindly outline the details of what type of funeral service they would prefer, because you don't want to trouble the family during their time of grief after they've received the news that you're dead because you were in what could have been a survivable incident, and were ejected and killed because you weren't wearing your seatbelt.
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Permalink Reply by Kimberly A Bownas on
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I think the issue of insurance companies not paying out because of the implement of the seat belt directive is a load of crap. Sorry but that is just an excuse. They may want to think about the fact that there is a seat belt law and we are not excused from that. the insurance company may not pay out because of the fact that the firefighter wasn't wearing their seat belt and what are they going to do then. This should never be an issue, seat belts are a must and should be used at all times. I wear mine whether it is in my vollie department or my paid EMS job and also in my POV.
Mary Ellen is correct also, maybe sitting down with the member and have them plan out their funeral and see what they have to say then. If it doesn't seem to bother them then maybe it is because they have blinders on.
Great job on getting it implemented in your department and just keep pushing the issue and you may have to get tougher about it. Just remind them that it is the law and we are not excused from the law....
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Permalink Reply by Peter Lupkowski on
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Here is another national proponent of firefighter seatbelt use. http://firefighterclosecalls.com/cc_apparatus.php
Keep after them Chief! My guys finally got so tired of me castigating them at every call, unhooking the pre buckled straps, and posting the "he died, and he didn't have a seatbelt on" articles that they gave up and started buckling up.
It is an uphill battle to start, but worth every second.
Safety One
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Permalink Reply by FETC on
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Chief,
First KUDOS to you for having the courage to keep your members safe. Changing the Fire Service culture is what needs greater focus on and change is needed to keep everyone coming home at the end of a call. Christian is right on the money with a unbelted firefighter being a flying missle in the cab as well as othe tools and equipment that is unsecured.
The website he quoted is from the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Each state has an advocate for the training portion, I am sure yours is represented. I reccommend you call or email the NFFF through www.everyonegoeshome.com and request that you want to sponsor a program. Best thing is they are very inexpensive or even free!
I have been delivering a program called "The Courage to be Safe" from the NFFF and it focuses on the TWO BIG LODD contibutors being, Health and Wellness and MVC (lack of seat belt useage) I am sure you members would enjoy the program and it is not the run of the mill, blah blah blah all statistics. Many in my past deliveries are crying at some of the testimonials... from children who lost their father.
Check it out and feel free to call or email me for more help.
Bill
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Permalink Reply by Spanner 122 on
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I would bet it's not failing, you are simply meeting resistence. typical in the fire service, no? I do have to agree though, if you have axes and halligan in your cabs, you aren't doing yourselves any favours. Anything loose becomes a projectile, hence the reason for the new NFPA legislation that states helmets need to be contained in the cabs (to keep them from flying around, as they are not to be worn while responding, they interfere with the seats and proper use of a seatbelt).
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Permalink Reply by Michael Harkey on
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Mike,
I also have met some resistance with changes. You did not make a new standard, you are only enforcing the ones set by the industry and lessons learned from past mistakes. After all if your department has an accident and there is no evidence that you try to enforce the best pratice standards, the surviving families will sue and will probably win.
By not enforcing the standards, we set new ones!!!
Keep setting the example and dont except less.
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I asked our workers compensation provider about the benefits being denied if a policy was not enforced and they said it can't be denied for just that (now that is my state and my provider) He actually offered me free programs to our department that address the issue before a claim is made... saves them money too.
As for change... get all of your officers onboard and then roll it out to the membership. Your line officer's are the one's who are in the trench's, either upholding or ruining Administration (policy makers). If they see resistance allow them to enforce the rules first at their level.
I will give two examples that I have personally used and now add to the program.
A guy refuses to wear the seat belt, says the policy is bullsh*t to firefighter B (who is belted and riding in the back also) Firefighter B tells him that if they were to get into an accident on this call and he died because Firefighter A flew across the cab killing him, that he wants the unbelted firefighter to tell his wife/children why daddy or mommy didn't come home after that call. Think about it... you could kill your buddy?
Example #2:
I was on a swap with Group 3, (not my group) We get a run for a car fire. We pull out of the station and start down the road. The call is in our district should be first due and is a two piece response. I reach back to grab the accountability tags from the firefighters behind me and notice that Firefighter Joe (who is seated behind the driver) is not wearing his seat belt. I ask the firefighter to buckle up.... he says... No! that policy is bullsh*t and I cant don my airpack.
He was challenging me.... I was on a swap, not my regular group. Now obviously his officer may allow the guy to not wear his seat belt, who knows, but this is my watch... so I say to the driver, pull the truck over... right up there. A nice wide breakdown lane ahead.... he says WHAT? I said, you heard me... pull over the truck and shut off the red lights. As he starts to pull over the truck, I reach for the radio mic and tell the guy in the back I am going to place this unit out of service unless you buckle up that seat belt.... took about 10 seconds and something got thrown at this guy from the other tail firefighter, saying put on your damn belt we are not going to let District 1 beat us to this car fire....... I heard a CLICK moments later.
You see, having the courage to be safe is not able being a hero... it is about doing the right thing even though the right thing is sometimes not POPULAR. I was not going to allow a negligent act ruin anyone's career. I thought of this when my wife told my kids, I am going to have dad pull this car over if you two do not stop hitting eachother. Boys ages 6 and 10, while we were commuting to FLA.
Bigger boys... bigger toys. Company Officer ressponsibilites at times can be just like adult daycare : )
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Permalink Reply by Tony P on
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Good on you Chief, keep it up. You'll get there.
We're obliged by Chief Officers Standing Orders to wear seatbelts. Very few people do. I'm as bad as many - but I'm trying to mend my ways. I've noticed that some of the newer, younger members are doing their belts up after they see my putting mine on. My next move is to get the Brigade Management Team to agree that we have to change, to come into line with the SO's. Then it will go to the general membership. And I'm expecting a fight from the 'old school' guys. The ones who were used to riding on the back of the truck without a safety belt.
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Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on
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I like it!
Chief, another thing to try to get across to all of your members is that they can be killed in this business. Review the LODD stories with them at a classroom drill. Teach them the concept of "Everyone Goes Home" and that that requires the cooperation of each member.
You are doing the right thing, and as others have said - whatever you do, someone will always criticize your actions. Too bad for them.
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