On April 2, Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.) joined with 17 original co-sponsors from both parties to introduce H.R. 5686, the Firefighter Fatality Reduction Act of 2008.

The legislation promotes the adoption of national consensus standards for safe fire department operations by fire departments to safeguard the lives and health of their members. H.R. 5686 would require the Department of Homeland Security to determine the level of compliance with such standards among fire departments nationwide, and establish a task force to explore ways that governments can promote the adoption of such standards by fire departments.

“The continued prevalence of avoidable firefighter fatalities is the most serious problem facing the fire service today,” said IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. “I applaud Rep. Perlmutter for tackling this problem head-on, and am proud to join with him to ensure that fire fighters nationwide have the tools and resources they need to ensure their safety and the safety of those they protect.”

The IAFF featured the Firefighter Fatality Reduction Act as one of its key legislative priorities at the 2008 Alfred K. Whitehead Legislative Conference in March. More than 800 IAFF leaders lobbied their senators and representatives to support fire fighter safety standards and solicited congressional support for H.R. 5686.

To read a copy of the bill, click here.