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EGH Seatbelt Pledges
Hello to all of my brothers and sisters on FFN!
I was just curious how many individuals and departments out there have taken the Seatbelt Pledge from the Everyone Goes Home program? How do you feel about these programs being implemented? How do you feel these initiatives have been received in your department?
To learn more, please visit Everyone Goes Home.com.
I was just curious how many individuals and departments out there have taken the Seatbelt Pledge from the Everyone Goes Home program? How do you feel about these programs being implemented? How do you feel these initiatives have been received in your department?
To learn more, please visit Everyone Goes Home.com.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by T.J. on
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I think it great, that way the department has something to fall back on to if you get in an accident and your found not wearing the seatbelt but you made the pledge too.
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Well than don't make it as a pledge, make it a document then or a SOG it does not matter to me but all FF's need to know to wear their seatbelts and I think signing something makes then think a little more than just "OK" I'll wear it from now on.
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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on
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What it does show is that your department on a whole is committed to wearing their seat belts. Is it a legal contract, no. Does it bring on the thought process when you hop the rig, maybe not. It is a honorary commitment to yourself as well as your department.
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Permalink Reply by lutan1 on
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I'd like to see an anonymous survey done to research who has signed the pledge and who of those will admit (anonymously) that they HAVEN'T worn their seatbelt.
I bet the figures would be staggering....
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I'm sure you are right. Thats why there are programs to govern speeds, and now apparatus that will not engage in gear unless all the seats with occupants are buckled and also have a visable seat display showing who is without a belt.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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Everyone should be able to go home the next morning... common sense and our responsibility to our families and community dictate that we act accordingly, failure to follow the rules can prove to be a fatal mistake... buckle up! TCSS, Mike
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My department has a SOP in place for seat belts to be used everytime. We also signed the seat belt pledges. The seat belt pledges are mostly being used as not just a honorary commitment for themselves, also their co-firefighters. They also are being used to push legislation to obliterate "options" and "out clauses" that some states have.
I understand your "defiant" about signing the pledge. I think the reasons you gave are stupid but thats my opinion. Just because your not in favor of something like the pledge, doesn't mean that it holds true value to some departments. Instead of looking at the negative side (which there truely ISN'T one) look at all that the pledges across the country have done for posative change from the manufacturers and NFPA.
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Permalink Reply by Tony P on
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I'm with Damnthing. I think that a 'pledge' is a feel-good thing.
We don't have any such pledge. Our SOP is ''seatbelts must be worn'. Simple. Put it in the SOP's and instruct officers to enforce those SOP's. No signature on a piece of paper that really means nothing, and has no legal standing. Just make it the rule and enforce it.
A 'pledge' like this has about the same weight as a "New Years' Resolution". And how many of those last past New Years' Day?
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Permalink Reply by Jessie Miller on
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I agree to a certain extent about your feelings towards the pledges. I believe the pledges were initially started to get the fire service to begin to think about implementing more firefighter safety initiatives into their SOPs. The firefighter safety shift is a major cultural change in the fire service. I believe NFPA would have been met with a large amount of defiance if they were to make a regulation stating that all fire departments would be required have SOP's that all firefighters in their department wear their seatbelts in POV's and apparatus. I realize NFPA is not law, but NIOSH and OSHA listen to it. If your department doesn't, the harder you are going to be dinged if something goes wrong and you didn't follow the regulations.
I feel the seat belt pledges were a good step in the right direction. When incorporating change, you have to make small steps. Getting NFPA involved and mandating seatbelt SOP's would have caused an uproar in my opinion. By making it optional for the time being, I believe it is giving fire officials the opportunity to make the decision for themselves which would go a lot smoother than shoving it down their throats. My hope would be that the seatbelt pledges would cause many more departments to incorporate seatbelt SOP's into their departments voluntarily. It is a proven fact that people are more likely to stick with things when they do it on their own free will.
I don't feel the pledges are pointless. I believe they are a step forward in the change of idealism in the fire service. I would love to see every department in the United States have an SOP mandating seatbelt use. As for now though, this is not feasible.
Thank you all for your input in this matter. I would be curious to hear your ideas on how you feel the best course of action would be to get non-compliant officers to incorporate this into their SOPs.
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I understand what you say about trying to get this thing in gradually, trying to get firefighters themselves to agree and therefore 'own' the process. But at some stage someone has to come out and say 'you will do this'. There are just too many old-timers around who still say 'we've always done it this way' and too many younger people, male mostly, who have more testosterone than sense. It was far easier here, the Chief Fire Officer just came out and said 'seatbelts will be worn'. And about 60,000 volunteers and career staff just have to do it. Like it or not.
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I wish every department would do what your department did, Tony. It takes good, progressive officers. Hopefully we'll train more of them as time goes by.
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I'm curious to hear your opinion on this, but how would you feel it were state mandated or even federally mandated? I guess it would come down to how would you enforce it, but it just seems like it would be a better way to get out from under some of these officers. I'm not saying eithe way, just a thought that crossed my mind. From my experience, ideas don't seem to run up hill very well. Pisses me off! Ha ha ha. It is unfortunate the number of officers I see who could do something, but choose not to. Seatbelts are a state law in the state of Ohio...how does this law not apply to emergency personnel??
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