| In 2004, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation convened in Florida and developed 16 Life Safety Initiatives to prevent line of duty deaths and injuries to fire department personnel. The year that these initiatives were developed saw 4,840 injuries and 17 deaths suffered by firefighters responding to calls, according to a report by the National Fire Protection Agency. Today, through more enhanced training and a stronger commitment to safety, those numbers have substantially decreased. The NFPA reported that 2011 saw a reduction of nearly 1,000 injuries and only 4 deaths while firefighters were responding to incidents. A crucial factor of this injury reduction is the importance placed on personnel wearing seatbelts. Arcadia Volunteer Fire Company is strongly committed to the 16 Life Safety Initiatives, and vital importance of seatbelt usage in emergency vehicles. 100% of the riding members of the Arcadia Volunteer Fire Co. have signed the International First Responders Seatbelt Pledge, making Arcadia the third company in Baltimore County to reach such a milestone. The seatbelt pledge was created in 2006 after the tragic death of a firefighter who fell from his vehicle. By pledging to wear their seatbelts, personnel accomplish three of the 16 initiatives, including defining the need for culture change, enhancing personal accountability, and firefighters being empowered to stop unsafe behavior of the fire service. Within the first five years of the seatbelt pledge's inception, over 150,000 members of over 850 departments have joined in. The pledge program has been so successful that it has even been adopted in three other countries. "Arcadia Volunteer Fire Company is excited to have 100% compliance of our membership to this pledge and we fully support the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation's safety initiatives, designed to keep us safer", said Jeff Wickline, Captain of the Arcadia Volunteer Fire Company. |
.jpg)
