Experts to Examine Strategies for Reducing Firefighter Deaths and Injuries
The Public Entity Risk Institute (PERI), a nonprofit research institute focused on risk management training and education, 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 September 22-October 3, 2008 in the PERI Symposium Center.
Moderating the Symposium is Dr. John Granito, a highly regarded author, instructor, and consultant in the fields of fire and emergency management services. 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 U.S. and discuss strategies for improving safety. Dr. Granito says that “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.”
The two-week Symposium will feature papers from a broad 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. According to Dr. Granito, 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.”
Each day of the Symposium, one or two expert papers will be presented. The following experts have been invited to contribute Issues and Ideas Papers:
Chief Alan Brunacini, Author, writing on situational awareness
Dr. James Cole, MD, Cardiologist and Elected Fire Commissioner, writing on heart fitness
Chief Dennis Compton, Author and Chairman, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation
Chief Brian Crawford, Author of “To Die For”, reprinted with permission from Fire Chief Magazine
Chief Harvey Eisner, Editor-in-Chief, Firehouse magazine
Dr. John Granito, EdD, Author, Researcher, and Symposium Coordinator
Dr.Thomas Hales, MD, MPH, Senior Medical Epidemiologist, NIOSH, CDC
Chief Bobby Halton, Editor-in-Chief, Fire Engineering magazine
Chief Fire Officer Mark Jones, Essex Fire Authority, Great Britain
Chief Ben Klaene, Author, writing on offensive/defensive fireground tactics and strategy
Michael Krueger, former US Coast Guard Patrol/Rescue; Author, and Fire Department Fitness Trainer
Commissioner/Chief Michael Lombardo, Buffalo NY Fire Department, writing on fireground risk avoidance
Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell, DrPh, EMT-P, Assistant to the General President of IAFF; LODD & I research
Chief William Pessemier, Oklahoma State University , LODD research on changing FD climate
Dr. Herbert Schulman, MD, Military and Civilian Psychiatrist, writing on risk taking
Chief Paul H. Stein, Author, writing on firefighter safety priorities
Terrance Stewart, City Manager of Cape Coral, Florida and a former Fire Chief, addressing cost
Dr. Stefan Svensson, PhD, Research Engineer, Swedish Rescue Services Agency
Steve Thorne, PE, CSP, former CIA Fire Protection; Dept. of Energy nuclear/ hazmat risk consultant
Dr. Brian Wansink, PhD, Cornell University & Dr. Collin Payne, PhD, Cornell University , commenting on their research concerning personal characteristics of heroes
Provided as a public service, PERI Virtual Symposium Programs are free and open to anyone with Internet access. Each morning, participants who enroll in the Symposium in advance will be emailed a link to the papers being presented that day. To enroll in the September 22-October 3 Symposium on Reducing Firefighter Deaths & Injuries: Changes in Concept, Policy, and Practice, go to the Symposium Center to fill out the short enrollment form. Registration is not required; however, only registered participants will receive Symposium emails each morning of the two-week-long program. Participants will be able to contribute to an online discussion by posting comments, posing questions, and sharing strategies for improving firefighter safety.