Last weekend, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation's second National Line-of-Duty Death Safety Summit brought together 225 leaders of emergency services organizations and associations to review the 16 Life-Safety Initiatives and recommend specific actions to stop firefighter deaths.

The meeting, hosted by the Fireman's Fund Insurance Co. at its offices in Novato, Calif., was kept on a tight schedule and masterfully facilitated by retired Chief Dennis Compton.

Only about half of the summit attendees had participated the original 2004 meeting in Tampa, Fla., and a lot has happened to the NFFF since then. Based on the hard work of Executive Director Ron Siarnicki, the NFFF has received extraordinary funding support.

Kevin Roche, fire marshal for the Phoenix Fire Department, presented some statistics on events since the previous summit. He said that 336 on-duty firefighters died (201 volunteer, 98 career, 36 wildland and one industrial), adding that the median age of firefighters who died was 47. The oldest was 78; 13 were under the age of 21, and 49 were over the age of 61.

Attendees were divided into six groups to brainstorm actions that would help the fire service achieve the goals of the 16 Life-Safety Initiatives. In the health and wellness group, recommendations included departments adopting a no-tobacco policy, obtaining vital signs from firefighters on a regular basis (you check the apparatus regularly, why not the firefighters?), and instituting mandatory medical screening in accordance with NFPA 1500 and the IAFC/IAFF Joint Wellness and Fitness initiatives.

Some of the recommendations put the NFFF at the forefront. For example, there was a call for the NFFF to develop a comprehensive training program for the implementation of health and wellness throughout the fire service. Another recommended that the NFFF "facilitate interaction with the military, academic and other sectors" working on issues of interest to the fire service. In the realm of grant funding, the NFFF should recommend "priorities for compliance with existing safety standards" and identify alternative funding resources.

But don't these recommendations fall within the mission statements of existing fire service organizations? I spend time with a number of people from different organizations, and more than one wondered where the NFFF was headed. I sensed a competitiveness between some of the organizations and the NFFF. Why? Is it because in an effort to grow, the foundation is creeping into other association's territories? Rather than defer and rely on their partner organizations' expertise, there is a perception that the NFFF is reaching for areas that could dilute their main goals: Support the families of fallen firefighters and prevent firefighter deaths.

Siarnicki often has said that there will come a time when the initiatives could be spun off to stand alone as a separate organization. In fact, at the summit he said, "These 16 initiatives can be applied to any field in the fire service, any organization and any activities." I suggest that the initiatives be a resource to which any organization or association can contribute and promote. It's a perfect opportunity for all organizations to work together.

On Saturday evening after dinner, there was a screening of Into the Fire, the documentary sponsored by Fireman's Fund. The movie's fire scenes were amazing, and I found myself nudging the chief next to me and saying "Wow! Look at that one!" as flames ripped across the screen.

It wasn't until later that I realized the awe that a rip-roaring fire can inspire in a person. It's the ultimate human-against-nature battle. This is what we're trying to protect our firefighters from? A primal response to control the fiery beast? Well, yes, but fewer than a quarter of on-duty firefighter fatalities are a result of this battle; the other three-quarters are preventable.