The National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System reached a milestone this month when it posted the 1,000th report for 2009. This marks the first time in the program’s 4-year history that 1,000 reports were received in a single year. The total number of reports received since the program launched in 2005 is more than 3,100.

Chief Jeff Johnson, IAFC president and chairman of the board, credits the increase in report submissions to the growing acceptance of near-miss reporting at every level of the fire and emergency service: “Learning from a near-miss story told around the firehouse kitchen table has always been intrinsic to our industry. The Near-Miss Program has created a virtual firehouse kitchen table for everyone who visits FireFighterNearMiss.com.”

Johnson went on to say, “I commend every firefighter who took a proactive approach to firefighter safety by submitting a near-miss report in 2009. They have helped one of our own by sharing their stories.”

Dennis Smith, chair of the Near-Miss advisory board, commented that several developments will continue to raise awareness and acceptance of near-miss reporting, including the recent launch of a Near-Miss Facebook page (www.facebook.com/firefighternearmiss) that will reach new audiences.

FirefighterCloseCalls.com recently announced that when a firefighter submits a report to the site, they now have the option of also submitting it to FireFighterNearMiss.com.

FirefighterCloseCalls.com founders Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder and Captain Gordon Graham have served on the Near-Miss advisory board since December 2004. According to Smith, “Chief Goldfeder and Captain Graham continue to demonstrate their commitment to firefighter safety, health and survival by strengthening the partnership between these two consequential initiatives.”

The Near-Miss program is also researching the possibility to provide downloadable mobile applications, which may be available as early as the summer of 2010.

Analysis and overviews from many of the 2009 reports can be found in the 2009 Annual Report. The report is now available along with the 2010 Near-Miss Calendar. The calendar features a monthly near-miss report with discussion questions and tips. The focus of this year’s calendar is predominantly training events. For complimentary copies of the 2010 Near-Miss Calendar and the 2009 Annual Report, e-mail info@firefighternearmiss.com with your name, mailing address and requested quantity.

About the National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System
The National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System is an all-hazard, voluntary, confidential, non-punitive and secure tool to provide data and case studies for efforts related to the prevention and reduction of firefighter injuries and fatalities. The program is entirely funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. The AFG Program, along with Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company, provided funds for the creation of the program. The program is administered by the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

About the International Association of Fire Chiefs
The IAFC represents the leadership of over 1.2 million firefighters and emergency responders. IAFC members are the world's leading experts in firefighting, emergency medical services, terrorism response, hazardous materials spills, natural disasters, search and rescue, and public safety legislation. Since 1873, the IAFC has provided a forum for its members to exchange ideas and uncover the latest products and services available to first responders.

International Association of Fire Chiefs
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703-273-0911 www.iafc.org