The U.S.Fire Administration and the National Volunteer Fire Council have announced a partnership to study occupational health and safety in the volunteer fire service and to begin to develop initiatives, programs and strategies to reduce on-duty firefighter fatalities among volunteers.

"I am very pleased to work with the NVFC to examine critical health and safety issues among the volunteer fire service and develop initiatives to reduce the number of volunteer firefighter line of duty deaths," said R. David Paulison, U.S. Fire Administrator. "This partnership effort will also support the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Firefighter Life Safety Initiative and the NVFC Heart Healthy Firefighter Program to mitigate on-duty firefighter fatalities, and further ensure that Everyone Goes Home safely, following a response to an emergency."

The National Fire Protection Association's U.S. Fire Department Profile Through 2003, shows that nearly 71% of the fire departments in the U.S. are all-volunteer and more than 17% are mostly volunteer, representing the vast majority of fire departments who are dependent on volunteer firefighters to protect their communities.

The volunteer fire service has distinct issues related to health and safety such as time commitment availability, long distances away from training facilities, antiquated equipment, rural operations, declining number of volunteers, the wide age range of volunteer firefighters, etc. This study will examine occupational health and safety issues not just of active firefighting staff, but will also include EMS responders; fire-police and other traffic control emergency response personnel; and non-response support staff performing administrative and other non-emergency activities for the volunteer fire department. This study will also look at regional issues related to health and safety for the volunteer fire service.

"As volunteers represent a major component of the American Fire Service, it is critical to examine what specific occupational health and safety issues impact them, and develop initiatives and programs to reduce volunteer firefighter on-duty deaths," said NVFC Chairman Philip Stittleburg. "This is an extremely important issue of concern to the volunteer fire service and the NVFC is very committed to eliminating on-duty firefighter deaths through this innovative partnership."

For more information on the partnership effort, visit the USFA on the Web.