This year’s Fire-Rescue International (FRI), to be held August 25-29 in Dallas, will mark the fourth anniversary for the National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System, which has emerged as an essential source for case studies, training information, learning opportunities and firefighter safety information. The data collected as a part of this program is now being tapped in a variety of ways by firefighters, publishers and fire departments across the United States and Canada. Attendees at FRI 2009 will have two opportunities to explore the lessons shared through near-miss reporting. The two presentations—one designed for company officers and one for chief officers—aim to improve firefighter safety and fuel continued growth of the program.

On Aug. 25, from 3 to 4:30 p.m., Chief Billy Goldfeder of the Loveland-Symmes (Ohio) Fire Department will present “Near-Miss Case Studies for Company Officers.” One of the frequently identified deficiencies in company officers is experience. Traditionally, company officers have been rotated through busy units to build their experience base. This method is still used today, and it is tremendously valuable; however, the hit-or-miss nature of emergency response can make this a less-than-reliable method.

On Aug. 27, from 1:30 to 3 p.m., Greg Cade, former U.S. Fire Administrator and current Deputy Director of National Programs for the IAFC, will present a focused look at near-miss reports submitted by chief officers. The 450 chief officers who had submitted reports by the time conference materials were published have been joined by an additional 141 chiefs at the time of this writing. The total number of chief-submitted reports should be far more than 600 by conference time, further deepening the data set that our experiences can be drawn from.

Read more at the FRI Blog