Beginning June 21, 2006 and continuing until all shifts have been completed, fire departments across the United States and Canada will be asked to call attention to the unacceptable line-of-duty deaths and injuries across the United States and Canada. The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and 20 other fire service organizations are calling for fire departments to observe a "Stand Down" for fire fighter safety. Fire departments will be encouraged to check all apparatus and equipment, discuss health and safety regulations, review fire ground safety issues and take stock of training exercises and fitness goals.

This year the event will focus on emergency vehicle safety. The United States Fire Administration (USFA) and the IAFF have partnered to develop a comprehensive emergency vehicle safety program to increase fire fighter awareness of safety issues while riding fire apparatus and operating on roadway emergencies.

Consistently the leading causes of firefighter fatalities are stress and responding to alarms. Reflecting on these causes has led me to a simple approach to the prevention of these line-of-duty deaths which I will call the "4 S's" for safety. The 4 S's are Seat Belts, Stop Signs/Lights, Speed Limits, SCBA.

These are self explanatory: Seat belts save lives. We get hurt or killed way more often when we are ejected or thrown from a crashing or overturning vehicle. Seat belts keep us inside where we are much safer. End of discussion.

Stop when the signs or lights tell us to stop. The differences in response times are minimal especially if we are not involved in a crash while responding. The lack of attention paid by drivers today is abysmal. For one thing it's the law. Secondly it's the right thing to do. We need to stop at intersections to be sure vehicles with a distracted cell phone user and MP3 wearer are not wandering through at the crucial moment.

Speed limits; Watch Your Speed! The slight increase in response time is negated by the risk of not arriving at all due to a crash. Create and enforce a meaningful policy on speed limits in your department. Maintain a culture in your department for safe and effective speeds while responding.

What else needs to be said about SCBA? Wear your masks! Increasing the stress on our bodies by taking a feed of smoke and other toxins is not a sensible way to improve our chances of survival at a fire. Don't forget your waist straps. The recent incidents of cyanide exposure to firefighters in Providence, Rhode Island reinforce the dangers posed by the numerous toxic elements on the fire ground. (Next month's column will focus on the Providence incidents.)

Sit down, buckle up, stop when you should, watch your speed and use your SCBA. Getting there safely is the first step. When you get there use the mask, use your waist straps. Be fit to do the job. Follow these religiously and you have taken the major steps to ensure that you go home afterward and are not included in next year's death and injury reports. Be safe, be vigilant!