NIOSH is charged with investigating line of duty deaths when they occur. Part of the responsibility is to offer recommendations to fire departments. Normally these are within reason but in a recent release on a line of duty death in New York, one was unreasonable:

Fire departments should consider reducing the amount of equipment that fire fighters must carry while climbing ladders.

How is this supposed to be done when staffing is being attacked? At some point NIOSH, the Us Fire Administration and other officials have got to begin to state "lower staffing levels lead to increased risk of injury or death. Local government cannot expect firefighters to perform essential tasks with fewer personnel."

How are ladder companies supposed to lighten their load when essential work has to be carried out up top? The only way is to increase the number of firefighters! Yet, in New York, staffing is under the gun as it is in many cities.

NIOSH needs to begin their reports with a condemnation of cities, towns and the federal government prior to making recomendations such as the one above.

Read the FDNY LODD report summary here>>>