I track the FF fatalities carefully. This year I am logging them and keeping notes for the classes I will teach next year.
So far this year, in about 7 weeks, we have experienced 22 Firefighter Fatalities. That's TWENTY-TWO. Last year by this time we had 10. Ten is too many, but TWENTY-TWO?
For the last couple of years the numbers have been, thankfully, going down. This year might be the next 'blip' on the chart.
I can't help but wonder if the trend for us to do 'more with less' is having an effect on the numbers. Crews driving further, pushing harder, reaching beyond what is normally expected. and coming up short more often than usual.
I'm just speculating here as a watcher of the gruesome statistics, that we are seeing either an anomaly, or a direct result of massive down-sizing, budget squeezing, and robbing Peter to pay Paul. (Paul being the brother-in-law of the Mayor who has a construction company which employs the Mayor's son.)
I am also noticing what seems to be an enormous rise in the number of apparatus accidents. Now this may be due to the 'winter from hell' that many parts of the country are experiencing, but I suspect there is something else at the root cause. I don't collect or follow the data on these because, unfortunately, there are just too many of them and nowhere I can find to cull the data off of an Official site that might have good numbers.
Anyway, I couldn't help but notice. Maybe it's time for a safety stand down?
Just sayin'.
UU
So far this year, in about 7 weeks, we have experienced 22 Firefighter Fatalities. That's TWENTY-TWO. Last year by this time we had 10. Ten is too many, but TWENTY-TWO?
For the last couple of years the numbers have been, thankfully, going down. This year might be the next 'blip' on the chart.
I can't help but wonder if the trend for us to do 'more with less' is having an effect on the numbers. Crews driving further, pushing harder, reaching beyond what is normally expected. and coming up short more often than usual.
I'm just speculating here as a watcher of the gruesome statistics, that we are seeing either an anomaly, or a direct result of massive down-sizing, budget squeezing, and robbing Peter to pay Paul. (Paul being the brother-in-law of the Mayor who has a construction company which employs the Mayor's son.)
I am also noticing what seems to be an enormous rise in the number of apparatus accidents. Now this may be due to the 'winter from hell' that many parts of the country are experiencing, but I suspect there is something else at the root cause. I don't collect or follow the data on these because, unfortunately, there are just too many of them and nowhere I can find to cull the data off of an Official site that might have good numbers.
Anyway, I couldn't help but notice. Maybe it's time for a safety stand down?
Just sayin'.
UU
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