According to a report from WCIA, the Illinois Department of Labor’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (IL OSHA) issued eight citations and two fines to the Beardstown (IL) Fire Department (BFD) after it concluded the department violated standards at a fire last year that injured three members.
On May 16, 2021, the BFD responded to a building fire at 4th and Bay Streets. During the response, Chief Brian Becker and two other firefighters became lost on the second floor, called a Mayday, and were forced to jump from a second-floor window, falling approximately 21 feet below. All three suffered serious injuries and were treated at a local hospital. One building resident was also hurt in the fire.
IL OSHA’s investigation determined that several key factors contributed to the firefighters’ Mayday situation such as a lack of initial incident command, search-and-rescue operations taking place above an active fire in a building with no sprinkler system, and firefighters operating in zero visibility without a hoseline or tagline.
The report also identified 15 indirect causes of the incident and included 19 recommendations to prevent a similar incident in the future. IL OSHA issued eight citations to the BFD, two of which were repeat violations that carried monetary fines.
IL OSHA Acting Division Manager Erik Kambarian said the report was written for rank-and-file firefighters, fire officers, chiefs and elected officials. The report is a case study highlighting the establishing of strong, initial, and assertive incident command and matching tactics and strategies to available capabilities.
View the IL OSHA’s full report HERE.
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