Transcript The Hugh Lee Newell Story

Seatbelt Safety
“Let’s Stop the Tragedies”
Tom Kiurski
Training Coordinator
Livonia Fire & Rescue (MI)
Seat belts – NO EXCUSES!
• 20% - 25% of the annual firefighter line-ofduty deaths occur while responding to or
returning from calls
• Lack of seat belts and speed are contributing
causes in many of these line-of-duty deaths
Seatbelt Safety
• Review video “No Excuses” with Dr.
Burton Clark on DVD #1, under “Seat Belt
Safety Support Videos”
• Review video “Seatbelt Safety on Fire
Trucks” from the Country Fire Authority,
Australia, on DVD #1, under “Seat Belt
Safety Support Videos”
Reasons firefighters don’t wear
seat belts:
• Even today, only 55% of firefighters polled
admit to wearing their seat belt.
• Why do firefighters feel that this piece of
protective equipment is optional?
• Name the reasons that firefighters may give
for not wearing their seat belts.
Review the following video at
www.YouTube.com by typing in “Cops
Arrest Firefighter”
• This firefighter obviously had one of those
excuses for not wearing his seat belt.
• Name the potential bad outcomes that could
have resulted from him stepping out of a
moving apparatus onto a highway.
Reasons firefighters MUST wear
their seat belts
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
It’s the law
NFPA 1500
Driving emergency apparatus is dangerous
They are a proven life saver
Readily available
Easy to use
Survival depends on it
Your family depends on you using them
The Hugh Lee Newell Story
•Columbus Fire Department driver
who was ejected and run over by the
vehicle he was driving.
•Back in 1972, prior to seatbelts in
apparatus, the Columbus firefighters
installed their own seat belts.
•Today, it is much easier to wear seat
belts; just click them on!
The Hugh Lee Newell Story
• View the “Hugh Lee Newell Story” on DVD #1,
under “Seat belt Safety Support Videos
Amarillo, Texas
• In 2005, Firefighter Brian Hunton was ejected
from moving apparatus, without a seat belt,
and he died.
• In 2008, a fire apparatus rollover accident
happened, and all four seat-belted firefighters
escaped safely.
• Amarillo FD policy states that unbelted
firefighters will be fired.
Why does it take a death or serious
injury in EVERY FIRE DEPARTMENT to
make a difference in the way we
respond to incidents?
Let’s honor those that have died
prematurely in these incidents by
wearing our seat belts all the
time, every time!
Detroit, Michigan
• Firefighter Joe Torkos
– Died, leaving behind wife and unborn child
– Not belted, low speed, lights and siren operating
– hit by speeding criminal
– Upon impact Joe was ejected, run over by his
apparatus, and trapped under the vehicle’s
wheels
– FF Torkos died at the scene
• Somerset Township, Michigan
– Tanker went around a curve and rolled over
– The firefighter driving had a seat belt on – no
injuries!
Photo by Scott A. Friess
The National Fire Service Seat
Belt Pledge
Do YOU have the courage
to sign the pledge?
Copy of pledge form found on CD-ROM under “Seatbelt Safety”
Safe Emergency Response
• View the “Responding with Seatbelts” video
by the Denver Fire Department (CO) on DVD
#1, under “Seatbelt Safety Support Videos”
NO Seat belt - LODDs
• Review the following NIOSH LODD Reports
found on the CD-ROM under “Seatbelt Safety”
– #2006-25, “Junior Volunteer Fire Fighter Dies and Three Volunteer Fire
Fighters are Injured in a Tanker Crash – Alabama”
– #2006-06 , “Volunteer Fire Fighter Dies in Tanker Rollover Crash –
Texas”
– #2005-35 , “Career Captain Dies and the Driver/Operator and a Fire
Fighter are Severely Injured in Apparatus Crash - Louisiana”
– #2005-28 , “One Career Fire Fighter Dies and Two are Injured in
Apparatus Crash – California
– #2005-27 , “Volunteer Fire Chief Dies From Injuries Sustained During a
Tanker Rollover – Utah”
– #2005-01 , “Career Fire Fighter Dies After Falling From Tailboard and
Being Backed Over by Engine – California”
Courage to make a difference – Wear
your seat belt and demand that
everyone else does too!