Aftermath of Firefighter Fatality Incidents: Preparing for the Worst. SpecialReport

摘要

The purpose of this report is to provide information on the operational,organizational, and cultural impacts on fire departments during the aftermath of a firefighter fatality incident. The goal of the United States Fire Administration is to help fire departments suffering similar tragedies by offering suggestions for dealing with some of the issues that can be expected to arise after such an incident. While the applicability of these suggestions to individual fire departments may vary, they are based upon the experiences of six departments that have 'weathered the storm' in the past. To ensure the broadest possible input for the report, interviews were conducted with fire department managers, medical personnel, union representatives, and firefighters in companies affected by the tragedies. The operational details of the particular incidents were de-emphasized, since they had already been investigated in depth. Emphasis was instead placed on identifying the lessons learned about the impacts on the department and its members. Special attention was paid to identifying the long-term effects. The investigator's role during these meetings was as a facilitator, with the content of the interviews determined primarily by the participants.