Firefighter Near-Miss Reporting System Reaches Reports Milestone
The goal of posting at least 1,000 reports this year was achieved this month, and the president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs says this "virtual firehouse kitchen table" is making emergency responders safer.
For the first time in its four-year history, the National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System has posted 1,000 reports in a single year, the International Association of Fire Chiefs announced Dec. 14. Since the program began, more than 3,100 reports have been submitted.
Analysis and overviews from many of the 2009 reports can be found in the 2009 Annual Report, which is available along with the 2010 Near-Miss Calendar, featuring training events, a monthly near-miss report, and discussion questions and tips.
Chief Jeff Johnson, IAFC president and chairman of the system's board, said the increase in reports indicates growing acceptance of near-miss reporting at every level of the fire and emergency services. "Learning from a near-miss story told around the firehouse kitchen table has always been intrinsic to our industry. The near-miss program has created a virtual firehouse kitchen table for everyone who visits FireFighterNearMiss.com. I commend every firefighter who took a proactive approach to firefighter safety by submitting a near-miss report in 2009. They have helped one of our own by sharing their stories."
Dennis Smith, who chairs the near-miss advisory board, said the new near-miss Facebook page will grow the system even more.
When a firefighter submits a report to FirefighterCloseCalls.com, he or she also can submit it to FireFighterNearMiss.com. FirefighterCloseCalls.com founders Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder and Capt. Gordon Graham have served on the near-miss advisory board since December 2004. And the near-miss program is researching the possibility of providing downloadable mobile applications as early as summer 2010.
The program is funded entirely by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program; the AFG Program and Fireman's Fund Insurance Company provided funds to set up the program, which IAFC administers.