The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the U.S. Fire Administration announced the national rollout of “Everyone Goes Home” at a June 7 press conference in Washington, D.C. The program calls for the fire service to implement 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives to reduce firefighter fatalities by 25% in five years and 50% in 10 years.

Backed recently by about $1 million in funding from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program and the Fireman's Fund Insurance Co., the NFFF plans include:

• Developing “ready-to-use” training packages for distribution to about 30,000 fire stations across the country.
• Developing the “Everyone Goes Home” Web site, which will provide timely information and downloadable materials for training and education.
• Holding four mini-summits, each focused on a particular aspect of the Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives Project.
• Establishing two university-based research centers to develop projects relating to the 16 initiatives.
• Establishing a technology transfer effort to identify existing technology from the federal laboratory network that can be adapted to address firefighter safety priorities.
• Establishing a speakers bureau to provide presentations to as many fire service audiences as possible.
• Establishing the Firefighter Life Safety Seal of Excellence Award to recognize outstanding contributions to the program's efforts.
• Participating in fire service trade shows and meetings to promote the initiatives and to work with fire departments conducting demonstration projects relating to the initiatives.

The NFFF held the first two of the planned mini-summit meetings in San Diego on Feb. 1 and in Indianapolis on April 13. It plans to conduct the third mini-summit July 29 in conjunction with Firehouse Expo in Baltimore.

The National Fire Service Research Agenda Symposium was held in June at the National Emergency Training Center with funding from a grant from the National Institute for Science and Technology. (For more information, see the report on page 16.)

For updates on the “Everyone Goes Home” rollout, see “Fire Service Programs” at www.everyonegoeshome.com.