Non-Emergency Related Injuries

With fire fighting being such a high intensity and high risk job, it’s easy to assume that most injuries to fire fighters occur during emergency response situations. According to TCFP’s 2013 Injury Report, however, only about 60 percent of fire fighter injuries occurred during emergency situations. That means nearly 40 percent of those injuries took place outside of any kind of emergency duty. The 40 percent of non-emergency scene related incidents were comprised mostly of strains/sprains and wounds while performing station duties, skills training, or wellness/fitness activities.

Fire fighters put their lives and wellness on the line every time they are called out on an emergency run; however, one of the goals of TCFP’s Injury Reporting Program is to find ways to prevent avoidable injuries, such as those that occur during non-emergency situations.

Station Duties:

Most of the non-emergency injuries reported happened while performing regular station duties. This includes yard work, kitchen duties, and routine equipment checks and maintenance. A few important things to remember while at the station:

·         Make sure you are familiar with your department’s SOPs regarding emergency operations AND regular duties.

·         Always be aware of your surroundings and any possible (i.e. possible needle punctures while checking supplies, wet floors).

·         Be sure to use any equipment correctly and handle with care (i.e. manual tools, kitchen knives, chairs).

Training Exercises:
The second non-emergency activity that saw a significant number of injuries was training exercises. Training prepares you to accurately respond in emergency scenarios and it’s a great way to practice steps to prevent injuries on the actual fire field. During training, be sure to:

·         Double check the application of PPE and keep an eye out for any comrades that may have donned theirs incorrectly.

·         Be aware of the training atmosphere and take precautionary steps accordingly (i.e. drinking extra fluids, wearing appropriate clothing).

·         Remember ALWAYS to treat a training activity as if it were an actual emergency incident. (“Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.” –Vince Lombardi)

Physical Fitness:

The third most common activity that resulted in non-emergency related injuries was wellness/fitness training. Physical fitness is critically important to the fire fighting profession but equally important is making sure that it is being done correctly. While working out, remember:

·         Always use a spotter when working with weights and heavy equipment.

·         Warm up before performing any physical activity.

·         Drink more than the minimum amount of water needed for your body weight (e.g. a 200 pound man needs 100 ounce a day of water at a minimum; more about that here: http://bit.ly/JP9Jpk).

Not all injuries can be prevented but care should be taken to prevent the ones that can. Every different situation requires a different action. Being aware of your surroundings and determining what extra effort you need to make to prevent an injury from occurring is the first step. Be sure to visit our Resource Library  for informational videos on fire fighter safety practices. 

-As always, take care of yourselves and be safe out there.