The International Association of Fire Chiefs officially launched the National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System at Fire-Rescue International in August.

Firefighters can report near-miss events at www.firefighternearmiss.com. The Web site will help the fire service track the close calls — incidents that don't lead to serious injury or death — and learn from them to increase its overall ability to protect firefighters and the communities they serve, according to the IAFC.

Firefighters who experience a near-miss event can fill out a quick, user-friendly report that is de-identified and posted so firefighters in other departments can learn from the experiences. All reports are voluntary, non-punitive and confidential.

Once a report is submitted, it will be read and analyzed by at least two fire service reviewers. These active-duty personnel ensure the confidentiality of the report, code it for data purposes and post it for review by the fire service. The analyzed data will be used to identify trends that can assist in formulating strategies to reduce firefighter injuries and fatalities. Depending on the urgency, information will be presented via program reports, press releases and e-mail alerts.

“It used to be that when a firefighter experienced a near miss, he or she might share it with fellow firefighters at the firehouse kitchen table over dinner,” said IAFC Immediate Past President Bob DiPoli. “The Near-Miss Reporting System is like a virtual kitchen table that allows firefighters to share those stories — and the lessons learned from them — with firefighters from around the country.”

The project is funded by grants from the FIRE Grant Program and Fireman's Fund Insurance Co. The Web site is endorsed by the IAFC and its Volunteer and Combination Officers Section and by the International Association of Fire Fighters, and it is supported by Firefighterclosecalls.com.

“By reducing accidents and fatalities in the fire service, this vital program will benefit every firefighter across the country,” said Darryl Siry, vice president of Fireman's Fund Insurance Co. and executive director of the Fireman's Fund Heritage program.

Firefighter death and injury rates have occurred at a constant rate, in spite of significant improvements in technology and personal protective equipment, and death and injury reports indicate that a number of these deaths are due in large part to human error and not to technological failure. The National Fire Protection Association estimates that for every 100 incidents of injury, one million close call incidents go unreported.

Firefighternearmiss.com is based on a successful safety program used in the aviation industry for the last 28 years. The airline industry can prove statistically that tracking near-miss incidents has significantly decreased the number of aviation injuries and deaths.

“The success of this innovative near-miss tool in the aviation industry in preventing accidents and passenger deaths and injuries has been unprecedented,” said U.S. Fire Administrator R. David Paulison.