To support initiatives developed by the Firefighter Life Safety Summit and the mission of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the United States Fire Administration to reduce firefighter fatalities and injuries, to encourage implementation of the new "Everyone Goes Home" campaign to make firefighter safety a national priority, and to support the goals of the national "stand down" called by fire organizations.

        [Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 180 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

1st Session
H. CON. RES. 180

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 22, 2005

Received and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

To support initiatives developed by the Firefighter Life Safety Summit
and the mission of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the
United States Fire Administration to reduce firefighter fatalities and
injuries, to encourage implementation of the new ``Everyone Goes Home''
campaign to make firefighter safety a national priority, and to support
the goals of the national ``stand down'' called by fire organizations.

Whereas for over 350 years our Nation's firefighters have dedicated their lives
to ensuring the safety of their fellow citizens and communities;
Whereas throughout our Nation's history too many firefighters have died in the
line of duty, leaving behind family members and friends to grieve their
tragic losses;
Whereas these volunteer and career firefighters served with pride and died with
honor;
Whereas in 1992 Congress created the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation to
lead a nationwide effort to remember the Nation's fallen firefighters
and assist their survivors through a variety of programs;
Whereas the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation is dedicated to preventing
future firefighter deaths and injuries;
Whereas the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation convened the first ever
Firefighter Life Safety Summit in March 2004 to support the United
States Fire Administration's goal of reducing firefighter fatalities by
25 percent within 5 years and 50 percent within 10 years through a
commitment of energy and resources;
Whereas the Life Safety Summit developed 16 initiatives to significantly reduce
firefighter fatalities and injuries, including the need to--

(1) define and advocate the need for a cultural change within the fire
service relating to safety, incorporating leadership, management,
supervision, accountability, and personal responsibility;

(2) enhance the personal and organizational accountability for health
and safety throughout the fire service;

(3) focus greater attention on the integration of risk management with
incident management at all levels, including strategic, tactical, and
planning responsibilities;

(4) empower all firefighters to stop unsafe practices;

(5) develop and implement national standards for training,
qualifications, and certification (including regular recertification) that
are equally applicable to all firefighters, based on the duties they are
expected to perform;

(6) develop and implement national medical and physical fitness
standards that are equally applicable to all firefighters, based on the
duties they are expected to perform;

(7) create a national research agenda and data collection system that
relates to the initiatives;

(8) utilize available technology wherever it can produce higher levels
of health and safety;

(9) thoroughly investigate all firefighter fatalities, injuries, and
near misses;

(10) ensure that grant programs support the implementation of safe
practices and mandate safe practices as an eligibility requirement;

(11) develop and champion national standards for emergency response
policies and procedures;

(12) develop and champion national protocols for response to violent
incidents;

(13) provide firefighters and their families access to counseling and
psychological support;

(14) provide public education more resources and champion it as a
critical fire and life safety program;

(15) strengthen advocacy for the enforcement of codes and the
installation of home fire sprinklers; and

(16) make safety be a primary consideration in the design of apparatus
and equipment; and

Whereas the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the International
Association of Fire Fighters, the National Volunteer Fire Council, and
the Congressional Fire Services Institute have partnered with a number
of other fire service organizations to call on all fire departments
across the Nation to conduct a ``stand down'' for firefighter safety
beginning Tuesday, June 21, 2005, during which fire departments are
urged to suspend all nonemergency activity and instead focus entirely on
firefighter safety in order to raise the level of awareness toward
firefighter safety and call attention to the unacceptable number of
line-of-duty deaths and injuries: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That Congress--
(1) supports initiatives developed by the Firefighter Life
Safety Summit and the mission of the National Fallen
Firefighters Foundation and the United States Fire
Administration to reduce firefighter fatalities and injuries;
(2) encourages implementation of the new ``Everyone Goes
Home'' campaign to make firefighter safety a national priority;
and
(3) supports the goals of the national ``stand down''
called by fire organizations beginning on June 21, 2005, and
encourages all career, volunteer and combination fire
departments across the country
to participate in this important and life saving effort.

Passed the House of Representatives June 21, 2005.

Attest:

JEFF TRANDAHL,

Clerk.