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Ask firefighters about the most challenging part of their job,
and you might be surprised by their answers. Sure, knocking down
a wall of flames is tough. And, searching through a burning building
for people who might be trapped is stressful.
But firefighters will probably tell you one of the biggest battles
they fight daily is just getting funding for training and fire
safety equipment.
With fire departments across the country constantly handcuffed
by budgets, MSA knows the lives of firefighters hang in the balance.
That's why we're supporting the push to get the Firefighter Investment
Response Enhancement Act (FIRE) through Congress.
The legislation calls for $3.1 billion to be allocated incrementally
over the next six years for firefighters' training and safety
equipment purchases. (This was first reported in Spotlight
on Safety in the Fall 1999 issue on page 6 as $5 billion over
five years.)
The FIRE Act was merged into a federal Department of Defense
funding act and is slated to go before a joint U.S. House and
Senate appropriations committee in September, according to Dan
Glucksman, public affairs director for the International Safety
Equipment Association (ISEA).
"I think it will go a long way toward keeping firefighters
safe," Glucksman said. "There's some support, but I
would still say it's 50/50 at this point."
Give firefighters the same support they give you
James Monihan, former Chairman of the National Volunteer Fire
Council and its current Delaware state director, told a Congressional
subcommittee this spring about how tough it is for volunteer fire
departments to buy expensive safety equipment.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA),
nearly 75% of all firefighters are volunteers. More than half
of the approximately 100 firefighters who are killed each year
in the line of duty are also volunteers, he said.
"Even though many of these departments have the essentials,
they cannot gain access to new technologies. At no other time
have advances been greater in equipment to protect them and make
their jobs safer," Monihan testified. "Yet because the
newer technology is so expensive, many volunteer fire departments
can only dream of owning it."
Some departments can't even afford the essentials. Monihan pointed
to the Brixey and Rockbridge Volunteer Fire Department in Ozark
County, Missouri, as an example. With an annual budget of $6,500,
the department responds to a 150-square-mile area. About $2,200
goes to their insurance premium, leaving about $4,000 for fuel,
upkeep of equipment, and any upgrades they can make. Their members
go into burning buildings wearing sweatpants over jeans, he said.
"One of the largest problems faced by America's volunteer
fire service is funding. Most volunteer departments serve small,
rural communities, quite often as the area's only line of defense,"
Monihan said. "Unfortunately, these departments are struggling
to provide their members with adequate protective clothing, safety
devices, and training to protect those communities."
At the same time, the federal government asks the fire departments
to respond to calls involving terrorism, hazardous materials,
natural and man-made disasters, and wildland/urban interface fires,
he said.
Demanding conditions demand excellent equipment
In his 43 years of volunteer firefighting, the Lewes (Delaware)
Fire Department firefighter has seen firsthand how valuable the
right training and equipment can be. However, turnout gear costs
more than $1,000 per set and self-contained breathing apparatus
are close to $3,000 each. Thermal imaging cameras can cost up
to $25,000, he said.
"Unfortunately, many volunteer fire departments are unable
to take advantage of this new technology because of budget restraints,"
Monihan said. "Do you know how many pancake breakfasts it
takes to buy a $25,000 piece of equipment? Many departments can
tell you, because that is how they have to pay for it."
Investing in firefighters' protection and training pays off
The funding problem isn't limited to volunteer companies. Frederick
Nesbitt, director of Governmental Affairs for the International
Association of Fire Fighters, told the Congressional subcommittee
why its appropriations are needed to protect our nation's firefighters.
"Most deaths and injuries suffered by firefighters are preventable.
In every investigation into firefighter fatalities, NIOSH found
correctable problems," Nesbitt said. "Proper training
and equipment, adequate staffing, and other programs save firefighters'
lives. Unfortunately, too many jurisdictions do not provide these
basic protections. They make firefighters' health and safety the
last priority in their departments' budget."
Ron Herring, director of marketing for MSA, said MSA helps fire
departments with fundraising kits and other ways of obtaining
funding, but it's often not enough. With the proper funding to
help fire departments buy what they need, we all can concentrate
on matching the best protection with their needs.
Herring related an incident at a trade show in Indianapolis this
spring when several firefighters approached him at MSA's booth.
The firefighters, from Columbia, South Carolina, said MSA safety
equipment helped save one of their own when a ceiling collapsed
during a building fire that produced 1,700-degree heat.
"His friends said the only reason he's alive is the safety
equipment he was wearing," Herring said. "You look at
that, and you say, 'Wow, that's why we're making it!'"
Please join MSA in pushing for Congressional funding for firefighters.
Contact your Congressional representatives NOW to make sure they
support the Firefighter Investment Response Enhancement Act.
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