Should CPR be a Mandatory Part of Firefighter I?

To begin with i'd like to say i believe CPR should be mandatory training for firefighters. before anyone responds to this, I am trying to find out, if anything and what is being done to accomplish this or prevent it. 

U.S. Fire Administration report on Firefighter Fatalities published July 2010, shows that in 2009 there were 90 Line of Duty Deaths (the lowest number since 1994). Of the LODDs of those 50 (55%) were classified as "Stress or Overexertion", of with 39 were determined to be cardiac arrest. 13 or those heart attacks were on scene fire duties, 6 on scene non-fire, 3 were in training, 3 were in route, 2 were returning, 5 were on other duty and 6 were after duty (under home town heroes act). 
In contrast 7 LLODs were lost, trapped or in a collapse. 

1. Why are the majority of Firefighters not trained to BCLS (Professional Rescue) level CPR & AED?
2. Why are DOH agencies not providing Firefighter Down Specific Protocols?
3. Why is there a lacking in EMT/CFR training directly for handling firefighter injuries?

In reading these questions you might think my department does this or be asking why we should. 
The fact is that NY Firefighter 1 class is not teaching even basic CPR. In New York OFPC is not providing SFIs as CPR certified instructors for outreach classes, and there does not appear to be any contracted service to provide Red Cross or American Heart CPR for them. This leaves individual agencies to fend for themselves, and leaves a major gap in the safety movement. 
Mayday, survival, FAST/RIT (rapid intervention teams), SCBA (mask) confidence, and even firefighter fitness and health all address the issues surrounding firefighter injury and fatalities. Yet, CPR is the first line of action in the largest area of firefighter deaths, cardiac events. 

So the big question here really is shouldn't CPR be officially made part of Firefighter 1?

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Permalink Reply by Sherm421 on October 6, 2010 at 11:13pm

i think it should be a manditory part of every firefighters training, even though a very basic skill, can be extremely usefull at anytime.

Permalink Reply by Fabulous Heather Days of Summer on October 7, 2010 at 5:36am

Yes - one of my chiefs died on the fire ground outside a fully-involved house fire - so yes, everyone should KNOW CPR and I basic first aid in our field, no matter your role - when you work around danger, be prepared...

 

Heat exhaustion / dehydration is another big thing I've seen - while i understand it is preventable, the issue still needs to be addressed when it happens.

 

And on several scenes we suddenly started to have medical problems with home/property owners a few hours into the situation. I remember one giant furniture store warehouse fire my medically-trained fire chief pulled me aside and made me babysit the property owner - a recent open heart surgery patient - literally i followed the property owner around the entire scene for 20 hours - monitoring his vitals and keeping him calm and making sure he ate and drank, etc. etc. etc. keeping his little hynee as safe as possible.

Permalink Reply by Alex Sharp on October 7, 2010 at 12:45pm

In California to recieve your FF1 the back of the packet to get signed off is First Responder.   When you get First Responder you get a professional rescuer AED & CPR cert.  If you don't have at least a First Responder then you are not going to get your FF1.  Most of us at our dept. have our EMT-B.  Although FF1 is not required it is requried that you go through a volunteer firefighting academy that starts in Nov. and ends in May.  It is every Monday night from 6 - 10.  Our chief requires that you get at least a FR before you go on any medical calls.

 

I know that some depts. don't do medical calls but we do so it is required training for us.

 

We run 1,500 - 2,000 calls a year and 90% of them are medical.

Permalink Reply by Lou Anne on October 8, 2010 at 12:38am
It is mandatory for the Level 1 to have CPR, First Aid and AED.
Permalink Reply by Ron Ayotte on October 8, 2010 at 7:17am
The question: Should CPR be a mandatory part of FF1?

The answer:
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Permalink Reply by Spanner 122 on October 8, 2010 at 7:43am
It's not mandatory? I would have never imagined that. It's what I consider basic care, only because on med calls that's what we end up doing (for VSA's of course), O2 and compressions.
I wouldn't think there would be a firefighter out there who wouldn't at least get the training needed on their own time.
Permalink Reply by Gary Stevenson on October 8, 2010 at 10:18am
Some states do not have many requirements as to what are the minimum requirements before being a "firefighter". I know OSHA has requirements that must be met before you can respond though. Anyone being certified to the 2008 NFPA 1001 standard, there are entrance requirements that need to be met before being certified to the Firefighter 1 level. At a minimum, infection control, CPR bleeding control, and shock management are mentioned in the standard.
Permalink Reply by Kenneth Gene Hall on October 8, 2010 at 4:22pm
south carolina require's first aid and CPR before you can take FF1. I think that at least EMT-B should be required. very simple first aid and CPR should be required in every state before you can take FF1. I would like to see EMT-B as a requirement too.
Permalink Reply by FF Nick on October 8, 2010 at 10:44pm
Mississippi must have BLS before you can even get into a basic class. It's part of the double 0 1 standard also if I remember correctly.
Permalink Reply by Patti Walz on October 11, 2010 at 10:21am
Why is the standard for each state/county so different? Would it not be better to have one set of standards? So if you have to call in other agencies from out of state to help with a wildland or ??? you know that everyone has teh same knowledge.
Permalink Reply by ReconMedic on October 11, 2010 at 10:39am
In MO it is required fro FF I. The IFSTA version 5 FF I & II book, which is the curren t one used it is required in that book, from what I recall.
Permalink Reply by Louise Thornton on October 11, 2010 at 10:44am
Amen to that.

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