Photo John M. Buckman III

Editor's Note: At Fire-Rescue International last week, the IAFC's Safety, Health & Survival Section announced several awards. As a strong supporter of the Section's efforts, we at FireRescue magazine would like to congratulate all of the award winners for their efforts in improving firefighter safety and survival.

Billy Goldfeder Fire Service Organizational Safety Award
This year’s recipient of the Billy Goldfeder Fire Service Organizational Safety Award is Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue in Oregon.

The department established a comprehensive Occupational Health & Wellness Services program to strengthen all District personnel so they can meet the medical, physical and mental demands of performing daily functions in and out of the workplace. The mission is to educate employees through a variety of channels about lifestyle behaviors and their influence on one’s health and vigor throughout a lifetime.





The Occupational Health & Wellness Services actively participates in the District’s annual budget process. Occupational Health & Wellness Services is funded annually for:

• 3.0 FTE (1.0 FTE Wellness Coordinator, 1.0 FTE Nurse, 1.0 FTE Program Assistant).
• Full physical examinations for uniformed personnel and all new employees.
• Fitness equipment ($15,000/annually).
• Contract professional services (physician, laboratory services).
• External training and professional development.

As part of the program, the District established a Safety Committee, a Wellness Committee and a Peer Fitness Trainer Committee.

Included in this program are:
• Medical Wellness
• Return to Work Program
• Physical Fitness Assessment
• Physical Fitness Program:
• Peer Fitness Trainers
• Pre-Hire/Recruit Academy
• Behavioral Health
• Fitness Consultations & Health Education

Safety Officer of the Year
Tim McElwee of the Prescott (Ariz.) Fire Department is this year’s Safety Officer of the Year. Tim is a member of the Training Section of Arizona State Fire Marshal’s Office, a member of the Safety Officers Association, a member of the Prescott area’s Interagency Fire Emergency Management Group, and an adjunct instructor at Yavapai College.

His contributions and accomplishments include:

• Implemented and manages on-line safety and training programs.
• Fortified Rapid Intervention Crew procedures by including evaluation and rehabilitation as a requirement and part of the incident command system during emergency operations to increase the overall safety of fire department personnel.
• Supports specialty training programs such as emergency medical service, technical rescue, hazardous materials, aircraft rescue firefighting, and wildland firefighting by ensuring safety is always factored in.
• Developed Position Task Books, manages the program, and monitors each employee’s progression and current status/proficiency to perform in a position.
• Conducts after action reviews after significant or stressful events and after bi-monthly training to review what worked, what didn’t, what safety concerns there were, operational issues, etc.
• Responds as Safety Officer to any structure fire, major traffic accident, wildland fire, aircraft incident, on duty and off.

Gary Briese Safety Performance Award
The recipient of the 2009 Gary Briese Safety Performance Award is Chief James E. White, Winter Park (Fla.) Fire Rescue.

Chief White’s commitment to firefighter safety was never more evident than with the successful design, development and implementation of a safer ambulance patient compartment for America’s firefighters. Beginning with a basic goal to improve safety, this team took an idea for a safer patient compartment to safety designers and vehicle manufacturers who listened and initiated today’s movement toward ambulance passenger safety.

Specifically, this organization’s personnel directly contributed the initial ideas and professional expertise to move the design changes needed to bring the manufactures of ambulances to a higher level of passenger safety. This design “the safer ambulance” incorporates dramatically improved and usable personal restraint systems for firefighters. But the thought process didn’t stop with seatbelts. Knowing firefighters often have to get up to reach equipment and controls, the design moved all those critical elements to a position where a seated and belted paramedic has the ability to remain safe and treat their patient.

Obviously a major challenge to the success of this safety initiative was the need to convince not only the manufacturers that a safer patient compartment was sorely needed and marketable, the idea had to sell to the firefighters as well. The new design allows accomplished that.

The leadership seen with the Ambulance Safety Initiative not only took firefighters to a higher level of safety, but the agency has offered their experience and education to others. As an example, a special partnership with the professionals at NIOSH has found these changes being considered in discussions for future changes to national standards.

Alan Brunacini Executive Safety Award
This year’s recipient of the Alan Brunacini Executive Safety Award is Kevin McGee and the Prince William County Department of Fire Rescue.

On April 16, 2007, Technician I. Kyle Wilson died in the line of duty while performing occupant search and rescue activities on a single-family-dwelling structure fire. The loss of Technician Wilson was the first line-of-duty death in the 43-year history of the Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue.

Following the loss of Technician Wilson, the department formed an Investigation Team, which was directed to examine the operational events that occurred. Its Line-of-Duty Death (LODD) Investigative Report contains more than 250 recommendations for organizational and system improvements. The improvements range in complexity and many have budgetary impacts that cannot be achieved in a single fiscal year. However, the report provided a framework for improvements that, when enacted, will improve responder safety and elevate service delivery to the citizens and visitors of the County. The department reviewed all recommendations included the report and established priorities and focused areas for further improvements.

The department committed to sharing the lessons learned in the hope of preventing an injury or the loss of another firefighter in a similar situation. Since the publication of the Investigative Report in January 2008, the Department has begun implementation of the recommendations and has openly shared their lessons learned with the fire and rescue community. Department personnel have presented its findings in more than 60 formal presentations, reaching approximately 3,700 fire and rescue personnel.