Safety in the fire service

Safety in the fire service

Allen B. Clark, Jr.

Fire Service Consultant

Salina, Pennsylvania

I am interested in sharing information about two projects. The first is a credit course in fire department occupational safety that I developed as a recipient of the Yvorra Leadership Development Grant. I currently teach the class at Westmoreland Community College. If anyone is involved with or knows of a college-level course specifically designed for the fire service, I would enjoy knowing the curriculum, texts, format, etc.

The second part of my development is a safety audit explicitly for fire departments. The only other one I am aware of comes from Volunteer Fireman`s Insurance. It is more of a checklist than a true audit. Several portions are complete, and the main body is nearly finalized. The other safety professional working with me is interested in field-testing it. I plan an article and more information soon; meanwhile, I am willing to communicate with anyone with knowledge of or experience in safety auditing.

I believe both of these issues have the potential to affect dramatically the safety of our profession and reduce the injuries, fatalities, and economic losses we have suffered through the years. Let`s network to solve our problems.

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