Why Accountability is Important

This month we’re not going to focus our posts on any specific type of injury, or activity leading to injuries, that is being reported to us. Instead we’ll be focusing on Accountability, and how it can help you and your department to avoid injuries!

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s Courage to be Safe program identifies 16 Life Safety Initiatives.  The NFFF believes that these initiatives will create a culture of safety within our fire departments and that this will save lives and reduce injuries.  Initiative #2 is Accountability.  It reads, “Enhance the personal and organizational accountability for health and safety throughout the fire service.”  This initiative endorses acting with care, thoughtfulness, and caution.  It’s a cultural issue and an actionable issue.  If you act safe, you’ll not only be safer, but you’ll also be a good influence for your teammates.   The TCFP adopted Courage to be Safe and has required all certified fire protection personnel to complete this program by Dec. 1, 2015.  We believe this program will save lives and we want you to make these practices a priority in your departments.  Learn more today!

But, aside from these requirements, why should you care about Accountability?

Accountability requires everyone to take responsibility for their attitudes and actions in order ensure their safety.  Taking responsibility for your own safety reduces the likelihood that your teammates might have to come to your rescue, helps them find you when you do need help, and hopefully leads to fewer injuries and line of duty deaths.  Accountability is also contagious.  When you act safely you create a safer work environment and you set a good example for your teammates. 

Departments can implement these behaviors by following these NFFF recommendations:

Recommendation # 1: Develop a model accountability checklist for every position

in the organization for all the identified risks and standard practices associated with

those risks.

Recommendation # 2: Develop accountability expectations for all ranks of the

organization from the fire chief through the supervisory chain down to the individual

firefighter.

Recommendation # 3: Every organization should publish a safety accountability

statement that holds all members of the organization accountable at all times.

Specifically, Accountability means doing things like maintaining and using PPE properly, staying healthy and fit to do your job, wearing a seatbelt, accepting responsibility for your actions, operating your accountability systems properly, and training with accountability in mind and for possible downed firefighters needing rescue.

Learn more about why Accountability is important, and how to implement Accountability in your department

Assessing What They LACK: Accountability is Critical (Firehouse, 2011)

How Accountable is Your Accountability? (Firehouse, 2010)

Accountability: Keeping the Perspective (Fire Engineering, 2009)

Borrow these TCFP Library materials for even more information

THE 16 FIREFIGHTER LIFE SAFETY INITIATIVES
ACCOUNTABILITY  
ACCOUNTABILITY: ARE OUR FIREFIGHTERS SAFE?  

AND THE BEAT GOES ON 

Does your department have an Accountability SOP?

Do you have team members who act as safety role models for other firefighters?

Is safety valued in your department?