Let's face it, safety is just an old-fashioned, out-of-date word. Safety officers used to get a bad rap for trying to control adrenalin and make sure firefighters followed safety precautions on and off the fire ground -- at least their influence is accepted in most departments.

While we're trying to get a handle on homeland security, perhaps we need some trendy, slick terminology that would make people realize they will change the direction of their life by not heeding safety precautions. Because of increased risks from new hazards, what if safety -- with a little marketing lingo -- became hazards of personal demise? If bombs could grow into weapons of mass destruction, couldn't safety become HPDs? Not wearing your seatbelt? That's a hazard of personal demise! It could kill you!

Why must we resort to these Madison Avenue techniques? Because countless cautions and warnings in the fire and emergency services appear to go unheeded until something unsafe happens. Safety affects so many areas of our lives that we're immune to it. Safety in the home, at work, in travel or leisure time -- it's a 24/7 topic. Want to change your life? A few minutes of unsafe driving, work habits or health habits and you're laid up or laid out. Is this unsafe or irresponsible?

When I was out in Baltimore recently for a fire show, I sat in on Dothan (Ala.) City Manager Dennis Rubin and Carrollton (Texas) Chief Bruce Varner's program. Chief Varner announced at the beginning of the class that there were 47 firefighter deaths to date this year. He said, "Something's wrong because we're still losing 100 firefighters every year."

Rubin stated "Twenty-eight percent of the firefighters are killed responding to or returning from a call." The duo went on to describe how firefighters are running red lights in spite of department rules against it, and not buckling their seatbelts (MY hot button!) In a video clip from a local television news program, the announcer said, "It's an out-of-my-way attitude." Varner said, "If a fire truck looks like it's going fast -- it's going fast."

IMMI, a research firm from Indianapolis, recently conducted a survey on behalf of Spartan Motors. Of the 108 participants, 55% were officers, 42% were firefighters and 3% were labeled as "others." When asked if they wore their seatbelt when riding in fire apparatus, 79% said yes and 21% said no. Of those who said yes, they were asked "How often do you wear your seat belt?" Sixty-three percent answered "always," 29% "most of the time," and 5% "half the time."

Top reasons why these respondants wear their seatbelts were:

1. Personal safety habit from automobile usage,

2. Fire department policy, and

3. Recognize the value of seatbelt usage from on-scene firefighter experience.

The last question was most interesting: Does your fire department mandate seat belt usage? Seventy-two percent answered yes, 26% no, and 2% didn't know.

Every fire publication writes regularly about safe practices, safe training, safe driving, health and fitness, seatbelts, NFPA Standards and IFSTA manuals but still firefighters die or are maimed. Death doesn't play favorites either -- career, volunteer and combination personnel are all at risk.

So what do we propose? Safety takes a conscious effort, it's an awareness issue.

The theme for this year's Fire-Rescue International is A Time to Lead, but from what we're hearing the real focus of this exhibition is safety. As chief or officer, your job is to keep your personnel safe and protected from the increasing dangers that face them, blood-borne diseases, manmade and natural disasters, and sometimes their own careless behavior at very basic fires.

We've received notices of new products to be introduced at FRI. Interestingly, the majority of the products are geared toward keeping you and your personnel safe including field-detection systems for biological agents; thermal imagers for helmets and even apparatus; unique bio-filters for face masks; software for hazmat that's a one-stop shop of nationwide resources, and the revolutionary bumper-to-bumper protection with a smart seatbelt and side airbag. Millions of dollars have been invested to keep you and your personnel safe!

Hazards of personal demise? Safety is a shorter word, it just needs more attention.

Janet Wilmoth, Editor
Jwilmoth@primediabusiness.com