Several fire fighters and paramedics were shot or shot at during the last two weeks while responding to calls. On Feb. 13, a lieutenant with the Lexington (Ky.) Fire Department was shot and killed, and two other fire fighters were wounded, while responding to a domestic violence call. On Feb. 23, a sniper shot at fire fighters from the Kansas City (Mo.) Fire Department while they were responding to a house fire. There, a paramedic was shot and injured and had to be rescued by fire fighters in the midst of the gunfire.

“We dodged a big bullet,” Kansas City Fire Chief Smokey Dyer said. “If it weren’t for the way we just happened to position the apparatus, fire fighters and emergency workers’ lives would have been lost. We had four engines and a battalion chief’s vehicle riddled with bullets.”



The International Assocation of Fire Chiefs recommends that all fire departments take the following actions:

• Review your SOPs and SOGs for responding to domestic violence situations.

• Meet with your command officers to discuss these two incidents (please see links below), and require them to meet with their companies as well.

• Review available resources—such as a survival guide for emergency responders, titled “When Violence Erupts,” which is available through Jones and Bartlett publishers. Jones and Bartlett is offering this publication at a 20%t discount rate to IAFC members. The discounted price is $25. Call 800-832-0034 or e-mail info@jbpub.com to place an order.
  

The IAFC continues to work on members’ behalf to address the issues of fire fighter safety. The association is seeking funding for a near-miss reporting system. Contact the IAFC at 703-273-0911 if we may be of assistance in these matters.

For more information on these incidents, visit the following links:

• www.kcstar.com

  . (Search for “paramedic shot.”)

• www2.lfucg.com/lexfire
• www.firefighterclosecalls.com