The Public Entity Risk Institute will present a two-week online symposium addressing the high rate of firefighter deaths and injuries. The free Symposium on Reducing Firefighter Deaths & Injuries: Changes in Concept, Policy, and Practice will be held Sept. 22-October 3, in the PERI Symposium Center at www.riskinstitute.org/symposium.

John Granito, a highly regarded author, instructor and consultant in fire and emergency management services will moderate the symposium. During the two-week forum, issues and ideas papers from industry experts will examine possible root causes for the high rate of firefighter line-of-duty deaths and injuries in the United States and discuss strategies for improving safety. Each day, one or two expert papers will be presented.

"Despite the concerted effort of every national fire service organization over the past several years to reduce these tragic statistics, significant reductions have not occurred," Granito said. "This symposium will bring a new focus on these costly human and financial burdens by examining and analyzing the culture, characteristics, history, policies and safety practices of our career and volunteer fire departments. Such an extensive and concentrated examination of possible root causes by experts from both outside and within the fire service has not yet taken place."

The symposium will feature papers from a range of experts including physicians, safety trainers in non-fire occupations, city managers, foreign fire officials from regions with lower death/injury rates, university researchers, and leading American fire chiefs and labor officials.