The second annual Firefighter Safety Stand Down is scheduled to begin June 21 and will emphasize apparatus safety practices. Hundreds of departments are expected to participate in an effort to reduce the appalling rate of firefighter injuries and deaths resulting from apparatus accidents.

Apparatus safety has become a growing concern as the death and injury rate remains high. About 25% of firefighter deaths every year are the result of apparatus accidents while traveling to and from incidents. It is the second-most common cause of fire fighter line-of-duty death, behind heart attacks.

During the Stand Down, departments will cease all non-emergency activities and will focus on taking steps to improve apparatus safety within their departments. These steps might include implementing a mandatory seatbelt policy, performing apparatus safety inspections, conducting driver training sessions and many other activities. Ideally, the activities should be the first of an ongoing effort to improve apparatus safety and not just a one-time event.

For more information and suggestions on what your department might do during the stand down, go to http://www.iafc.org/standdown