IAFF Announces 2007 Fire and EMS Safety Stand Down

April 5, 2007 -- The IAFF encourages all affiliates and members to participate in the Third International Fire and EMS Safety Stand Down, to be held during the week of June 17-23, 2007. This year's event offers maximum opportunity for fire departments to include all possible duty shifts. In addition to the expanded schedule, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) has been added as an area of focus because of the integral role fire departments have in EMS in communities across the United States and Canada.

The annual event calls for all U.S. and Canadian fire departments to suspend all non-emergency activity and instead focus entirely on fire and EMS safety. Programs and resources designed to improve member safety will be available from the IAFF to use in planning Stand Down activities.

The theme for the 2007 Stand Down, "Ready to Respond," reflects the many types of emergencies to which fire fighters and EMS personnel respond, and focuses on proper training, preparation and equipment required to answer the call and return safely.

"Fire fighter injury and death continue to occur at a consistent rate," says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. "We can and must do more to reduce the risks, thereby reducing the injuries and deaths to fire fighters."

The Stand Down is designed to bring international attention to the need to address preventable line-of-duty injuries and deaths among fire fighters. The IAFF encourages labor and management to work together to address and improve fire fighter health and safety.

For more information, contact the IAFF Department of Occupational Health, Safety and Medicine at (202) 824-9304 or the IAFF Department of Fire/EMS Operations at (202) 824-1594.

The 2007 International Fire and EMS Safety Stand Down is co-sponsored by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC).