Standardization ofStandardization of

In AmericaIn America

I. DAVID DANIELSI. DAVID DANIELSAssistant ChiefAssistant Chief

Safety and Employee ServicesSafety and Employee Services

Seattle Fire Seattle Fire DepartmentDepartment

In This Presentation:In This Presentation:

• Is There Really a Problem?Is There Really a Problem?

• Signs of “Command System Dysfunction”Signs of “Command System Dysfunction”

• Moving Towards “Best Practice”Moving Towards “Best Practice”

Is There A Problem?Is There A Problem?

““The significant problems we The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that same level of thinking that

created them”created them”

Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein

The U. S. Fire ProblemThe U. S. Fire Problem

• One of the highest fire death rates in the One of the highest fire death rates in the industrialized world (14.9 deaths per million industrialized world (14.9 deaths per million population). population).

• Annually, fire kills more Americans than all Annually, fire kills more Americans than all natural disasters combined. natural disasters combined.

• Fire is the 3rd leading cause of accidental Fire is the 3rd leading cause of accidental death in the homedeath in the home

• 80 % of all fire deaths occur in residences.80 % of all fire deaths occur in residences.

The U. S. Fire ProblemThe U. S. Fire Problem

• About 2 million fires are reported each year. About 2 million fires are reported each year.

• It is estimated that over 40 percent of It is estimated that over 40 percent of residential fires and three-fifths of residential residential fires and three-fifths of residential fatalities occur in homes with no smoke fatalities occur in homes with no smoke alarmsalarms

• Direct property loss due to fires is estimated Direct property loss due to fires is estimated at $8.6 billion annuallyat $8.6 billion annually

• Americans accept fire as an inevitability.Americans accept fire as an inevitability.

““Two hundred years of tradition, Two hundred years of tradition, uninhibited by progress”uninhibited by progress”

Ancient American Fire Service ProverbAncient American Fire Service Proverb

American Fire Service American Fire Service

• To often, accepts FF serious injury or To often, accepts FF serious injury or deaths as “hazard of the profession”. deaths as “hazard of the profession”.

• Wear “most dangerous profession” as a Wear “most dangerous profession” as a “badge of honor”.“badge of honor”.

• Being scrutinized more than ever by Being scrutinized more than ever by communities, employees and government.communities, employees and government.

• To often wait until we are forced to change.To often wait until we are forced to change.

American Fire Service American Fire Service

• Averaged over 90,000 injuries per year in Averaged over 90,000 injuries per year in the 1990’s and was over 95,000 for the first the 1990’s and was over 95,000 for the first four years of the decade.four years of the decade.

• On average, 45% of these injuries occurred On average, 45% of these injuries occurred on the fire ground.on the fire ground.

• Over the period of the 90’s there were an Over the period of the 90’s there were an average of 96 firefighter fatalities on the average of 96 firefighter fatalities on the job.job.

Duty Firefighter FatalitiesDuty Firefighter Fatalities

96 95 94 91112

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

Compared to Canada...Compared to Canada...

• Or the years 1993 - 1997, the Canadian Or the years 1993 - 1997, the Canadian Center for Occupational Safety and Health Center for Occupational Safety and Health reports only 18 fatalities total in all of reports only 18 fatalities total in all of public safety employees (police fire and public safety employees (police fire and EMS).EMS).

• The absence of information on firefighter The absence of information on firefighter deaths suggests that the problem is not as deaths suggests that the problem is not as wide spread, if it exists at all.wide spread, if it exists at all.

Explanations for the ProblemExplanations for the Problem

• ““Most of the firefighter fatalities are Most of the firefighter fatalities are volunteers” volunteers” (Does it matter?)(Does it matter?)

• ““Firefighters aren’t as tough as the once Firefighters aren’t as tough as the once were” were” (Neither are the structures they enter)(Neither are the structures they enter)

• ““Over half of the fatalities are heart attacks” Over half of the fatalities are heart attacks” (Another example has tough we are not?)(Another example has tough we are not?)

• ““There are too many inexperienced chiefs” There are too many inexperienced chiefs” (Welcome to the 21st century!)(Welcome to the 21st century!)

Signs of Command Signs of Command System DysfunctionSystem Dysfunction

Command DysfunctionCommand Dysfunction

• Is a systemic failure in the incident Is a systemic failure in the incident management system of an organization or management system of an organization or jurisdiction.jurisdiction.

• Has six major symptoms.Has six major symptoms.

• Contributes every instance of multi-Contributes every instance of multi-firefighter emergency scene fatality and a firefighter emergency scene fatality and a significant majority of single instances.significant majority of single instances.

Dysfunction's ImpactDysfunction's Impact

• The American fire service averaged 96 The American fire service averaged 96 fatalities a year in the decade of the 90’s.fatalities a year in the decade of the 90’s.

• from 1995- 99, averaged 17 instances a year from 1995- 99, averaged 17 instances a year when when more than one firefighter died at the more than one firefighter died at the same incident.same incident.

• 71% of the multiple firefighter deaths 71% of the multiple firefighter deaths during this period can be traced directly to during this period can be traced directly to command dysfucntioncommand dysfucntion..

Single vs. Multiple FF FatalitySingle vs. Multiple FF Fatality

78

18

87

8

77

17

69

22

94

18

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

Single Multiple

Six SymptomsSix Symptoms

• Lack of Risk AssessmentLack of Risk Assessment

• Lack of Responder DisciplineLack of Responder Discipline

• Lack or Misuse of the Incident Management Lack or Misuse of the Incident Management SystemSystem

• Ineffective Incident CommandersIneffective Incident Commanders

• Lack of AccountabilityLack of Accountability

• Poor CommunicationsPoor Communications

Risk AssessmentRisk Assessment

• Service level expectation and system Service level expectation and system capacity often don’t match.capacity often don’t match.

• ““Heart” vs. “Head” responseHeart” vs. “Head” response

• Recognition and acceptance of levels of risk Recognition and acceptance of levels of risk at the scene. at the scene.

• Resource allocation inconsistent with level Resource allocation inconsistent with level of risk and potential benefits.of risk and potential benefits.

Responder Discipline Responder Discipline

• Predetermined tactical operations despite Predetermined tactical operations despite the situation presented.the situation presented.

• ““Self deployment” of responding units Self deployment” of responding units without direction or coordination.without direction or coordination.

• Tactical insubordination.Tactical insubordination.

• Responders are not “self limiting”.Responders are not “self limiting”.

Lack or Misuse of IMSLack or Misuse of IMS

• System design or implementation.System design or implementation.

• Recognition of span of control issues.Recognition of span of control issues.

• Practice and “real world” conflictsPractice and “real world” conflicts

• ““Tactical addiction” Tactical addiction”

Ineffective On-Scene CommandersIneffective On-Scene Commanders

• Inadequate trainingInadequate training

• Little or no strategic focusLittle or no strategic focus

• Incident “Micro”-ManagementIncident “Micro”-Management

• ““Urgency addiction”Urgency addiction”

AccountabilityAccountability

• Lack of a system.Lack of a system.

• Unwillingness to use the system.Unwillingness to use the system.

• Realism of system expectationsRealism of system expectations

• Coordination with incident activitiesCoordination with incident activities

CommunicationsCommunications

• Incident organizational structureIncident organizational structure

• Scene communications planScene communications plan

• Technological challengesTechnological challenges

• Information overloadInformation overload

Moving Towards Moving Towards “Best Practice”“Best Practice”

““If you don’t know where you’re If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you going, any road will get you

there”there”

Unknown Unknown

Incident Management Fallacies Incident Management Fallacies

• Command personnel will learn through Command personnel will learn through experience.experience.

• If an individual does an exceptional job as a If an individual does an exceptional job as a firefighter or company officer, they will firefighter or company officer, they will make a an exceptional incident commander.make a an exceptional incident commander.

• IMS slows the progress of “putting the fire IMS slows the progress of “putting the fire out”.out”.

Incident Management Facts Incident Management Facts

• Fire prevention advances in the 20th Fire prevention advances in the 20th century have minimized the opportunities century have minimized the opportunities for experience in the 21st century.for experience in the 21st century.

• The “command” skill set is different from The “command” skill set is different from the “task orientation” of a firefighter.the “task orientation” of a firefighter.

• IMS makes emergencies more efficient and IMS makes emergencies more efficient and effective. effective.

Safe Command Systems Safe Command Systems

• Begin prior to the incident with physical Begin prior to the incident with physical and emotional fitness as well as quality and emotional fitness as well as quality training for all members.training for all members.

• Increase level of safety for responders by Increase level of safety for responders by increasing the functionality of command.increasing the functionality of command.

• Increase survivability for fire occupants Increase survivability for fire occupants through more efficient use of resources.through more efficient use of resources.

Where Do We Lack?Where Do We Lack?

• Enough actual emergencies to hone the skills Enough actual emergencies to hone the skills of command personnel.of command personnel.

• There is no widely accepted “standard of There is no widely accepted “standard of care” for IMS. care” for IMS.

• Specific training for Command Officers to Specific training for Command Officers to increase their command skill.increase their command skill.

• Verifiable methods of ensuring that Verifiable methods of ensuring that command personnel are competent.command personnel are competent.

Best Practice ModelsBest Practice Models

• Common frames of reference for the Common frames of reference for the development of organizational policy.development of organizational policy.

• Common foundations for performance Common foundations for performance standards.standards.

• A template for training standards.A template for training standards.

• A tool for evaluation of performance in the A tool for evaluation of performance in the field.field.

Who Must Lead the Move?Who Must Lead the Move?

• National Fire Service Incident Management National Fire Service Incident Management ConsortiumConsortium

• National Fire Protection AssociationNational Fire Protection Association

• Firescope/National Wildfire Coordinating Firescope/National Wildfire Coordinating GroupGroup

• IAFC/IAFFIAFC/IAFF

• Int’l Fire Service Accreditation CongressInt’l Fire Service Accreditation Congress

• Int’l Incident Management FoundationInt’l Incident Management Foundation

Nat’l Fire Service IMS ConsortiumNat’l Fire Service IMS Consortium

• Continued development of IMS model Continued development of IMS model procedures guides.procedures guides.

• Continued research and development into Continued research and development into IMS improvements such as the upgrade of IMS improvements such as the upgrade of the Safety Section.the Safety Section.

• Continued leadership in the coordination Continued leadership in the coordination the efforts between other important IMS the efforts between other important IMS organizations.organizations.

NFPANFPA

• Development of a professional qualification Development of a professional qualification standard for the American fire service can standard for the American fire service can best be implemented through the NFPA best be implemented through the NFPA consensus process.consensus process.

• The decision on how to address this issue The decision on how to address this issue will be made at the Fall 2000 meeting of the will be made at the Fall 2000 meeting of the NFPA.NFPA.

Firescope / NWCGFirescope / NWCG

• Should cooperate with the Consortium and Should cooperate with the Consortium and the NFPA to ensure that necessary upgrades the NFPA to ensure that necessary upgrades to the IMS are instituted.to the IMS are instituted.

• Must be willing to assist the American Must be willing to assist the American structural fire service as it moves through structural fire service as it moves through the development process.the development process.

IAFC and IAFFIAFC and IAFF

• It is important that the leaders of both It is important that the leaders of both management and labor recognize the management and labor recognize the connection between safe command systems connection between safe command systems and firefighter safety.and firefighter safety.

• Cooperation between the two is paramount Cooperation between the two is paramount to any successes that might be achieved in to any successes that might be achieved in the IMS arena.the IMS arena.

IFSACIFSAC

• Is the entity best suitable to formalize the Is the entity best suitable to formalize the certification process once an NFPA certification process once an NFPA consensus standard exists.consensus standard exists.

International Command International Command FoundationFoundation

• World wide efforts to collect and identify World wide efforts to collect and identify IMS best practice will be critical factors in IMS best practice will be critical factors in addressing IMS issues in America.addressing IMS issues in America.

• It is possible that the American fire service It is possible that the American fire service is not able conquer the many years of is not able conquer the many years of tradition through a single, internal tradition through a single, internal approach, thus an opportunity to affect that approach, thus an opportunity to affect that change may exist. change may exist.

Other NeedsOther Needs

• IMS specific training opportunities IMS specific training opportunities

• IMS specific conferences and information IMS specific conferences and information exchangesexchanges

• IMS training curriculumIMS training curriculum

• IMS research and development effortsIMS research and development efforts