Firefighter Safety, Article Critique Example

Being at risk while at work is a frightening thought, particularly when the risk is every day and to a high degree. Firefighting is one of the many occupations that have a high degree of risk. Firefighters are at risk of injury or death while on the way to a fire or on the way from a fire; they are at risk continually while at the fire scene; they are even at risk during their training.A firefighter’s job entails many risky activities, besides fighting fires, such as rescuing people and responding to emergency medical and hazardous incidents, and each year, tens of thousands of firefighters are injured or killed while performing these activities on the job (USFA, 2011). This is a significant number of firefighters suffering this fate.

One sure way to cut the number of firefighters injured or killed on the job is to prevent fires from occurring in the first place, according to Daniel Byrne in his article, “We Are Going In the Wrong Direction.” In lieu of the staggering fire death and injury statistics, this article has significance to the fire service community, as it is a means of bringing more awareness to the issue of fire prevention, firefighter safety and the things that firefighters go through in the line of duty. Drawing the public’s attention to the issue of firefighter safety and fire prevention on a regular basis could serve as a catalyst to improving conditions in this area. This is the issue surrounding the purpose of the article by Byrne—bringing awareness to firefighter safety and fire prevention.

This awareness is meant for not only the public but also the firefighters themselves, as they are the ones who face the danger and risk in their daily jobs. The firefighter’s job is inherently dangerous and constant reminders and training is imperative for firefighters to have better chances of survival (Byrne, 2009). Byrne postulates that regarding an approach to solving the problem of issues with fire prevention and firefighter safety is that efforts are going in the opposite direction in which they should go, in response to ongoing fire safety issues. He proposes that the “most efficient solution to any problem will be the elimination of that problem in the first place” (Byrne, 2009, p. 58), which he proposes should apply to firefighter safety—preventing fires in the first place.

The main argument of the article has to do with understanding that even despite the best efforts that anyone could put forth, fires are inevitable; however, firefighter training should include more substance on fire prevention. The article states that fire prevention is the last chapter in most firefighter education manuals and courses, which is stated should not be. The article states that a large portion of a firefighter’s job should be to train the public on prevention and survival when it comes to fires.

The article gives some compelling data about why fire prevention and fire safety is so important. For example, the article states that statistics show a number of deaths and injuries sustained by firefighters are while they are actually responding to fire alarms or returning from fire alarms or scenes. These tragedies do not always necessarily happen right at where the fire is happening. Additionally, it is interesting to note that the article points out that a staggering 73% of U.S. firefighters are volunteers, according to the NFPA 2007 Fire Department Profile. Byrne points this out to make a point of the fact that most volunteer firefighters are likely overworked and overstressed with little time to train; therefore, they are likely not spending much time on fire prevention education, then going out, and educating others. Byrne states that “Conceivably, 73% of the firefighters protecting our citizens from fire in this country may not learn prevention as part of their training, and the other 27% will get it at a later date” (Byrne, 2009, p. 60). This is what the author states and points out and reports that this is the national professional firefighter standard. This is another staggering statistic, when considering that lives are at stake.

Additionally, the article reports that more than 35 firefighters died while on duty just a few months into 2009, and those deaths happened while responding to or coming back from fires or fire alarms, which is something that firefighters have been losing their lives to for many years (p. 61). Other statistics gathered by the United States Fire Administration for 2011 include 1,389,500 fires with 3,005 deaths, 17,500 injuries, and losses equal to $11.7 billion.Many of the injuries and loss of life were firefighters. According to the USFA website, in 2012, 81 firefighters lost their lives while on duty; 15 firefighters died working wildland fires; 22 firefighters were killed working fire scenes; 18 firefighters died in vehicle crashes either on the way to or from fires; 39 firefighters died from heart attacks while dispatched to fires; and 45 firefighters lost their lives while responding to other emergency incidents(USFA-2, 2011).With these statistics, it is no wonder that many firefighters are lobbying for more fire safety in their jobs, just as Byrne is doing, which is a major reason why he wrote the article. He states, “Let’s cut firefighter deaths and injuries by preventing fires” (p. 58). However, is this completely doable? Byrne says, of course not, but he advocates for more effort toward this end, because it is worth it even if it saves one extra life and spares one extra family the grief of losing a loved one. This is the position taken in the article and it is justifiable based on the fact that every life is worth saving. Every firefighter has a right to go home at the end of the day.

Toward the conclusion of the article, Byrne challenges the readers to visit the USFA website and get free fire prevention and firefighter safety information, study it, and then share it in the community with others. In addition, he urges people to send messages to the government that fire prevention and firefighter safety is important, so that funding will not be cut from fire programs. Byrne does a good job in this article of proposing that each person take responsibility to learn and do more, as well as teach someone else to do the same. It is important that people get knowledge and awareness, but it is even more important for them to apply the knowledge and share the awareness, in order to nurture the initiative to increase firefighter safety and fire prevention so that lives are spared.

References

Byrne, D. (2009, July). We Are Going In the Wrong Direction. Firefighter.

USFA. (2011, February). Fire-Releated Firefighter Injuries Reported to NFIRS. Topical Fire Report Series, 11(7), pp. 1-11. Retrieved from United States Fire Administration: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v11i7.pdf

USFA-2. (2011). U.S. fire statistics. Retrieved from United States Fire Administration: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/data/statistics/