HR0247 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0247 LRB103 25854 LAW 52205 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Between 2016 and 2021, over 374 firefighters in the United States lost their lives in the line of duty, according to data from the National Fire Protection Association; and

WHEREAS, The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has identified five top causal factors of line-of-duty firefighter deaths and injuries, known as the NIOSH 5; and

WHEREAS, The NIOSH 5 factors have evolved as a list of the top five contributing factors that lead to the tragic line-of-duty deaths (LODDs) of our brave firefighters and first responders; and

WHEREAS, The NIOSH 5 are the operational factors that lead to a fatality, where a subsequent NIOSH investigation of these tragedies reveals one or more of these five causal factors more than any other factor; and

WHEREAS, The list has evolved to include five key causal factors, which are improper risk assessment, lack of incident command, lack of accountability, inadequate communications, and lack of standard operating procedures (SOPs) or failure to follow SOPs; and

WHEREAS, Improper risk assessment describes a poor size-up, often what first responders describe as a lack of a "full 360", meaning a complete survey of the area of the emergency and the establishment of a sufficient situational awareness by those on the ground that are addressing the emergency; and

WHEREAS, Lack of incident command describes emergency situations where independent actions and/or a lack of command structure may create dangerous situations for first responders; while an independent initiative is sometimes encouraged, firefighters need one command point, with a clear communications and orders structure, and the intentions of the commander need to be understood by all responding firefighters; and

WHEREAS, Lack of accountability refers to insufficient awareness of each firefighter's role, their presence, and their responsibilities throughout the emergency, even when the emergency has ostensibly subsided and until the last firefighter has left the scene; and

WHEREAS, Inadequate communications can refer to a lack of technical familiarity, training, and practice in effective communication under challenging emergency situations; and

WHEREAS, Lack of standard operating procedures (SOPs) or failure to follow SOPs describes a lack in the establishment of a sufficient plan, structure, or playbook that can help commanders and firefighters more safely navigate the stages of an emergency from beginning to end, even during those common challenges when the unexpected arrives; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge fire departments and other public safety agencies to analyze the culture of their respective department and to ensure a culture is in place that promotes training, communication, and accountability in order to help mitigate the NIOSH 5 from occurring; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge fire departments to continue to critique their response after fires, to learn from past experiences, and to include in their culture and procedures open discussions about the NIOSH 5, studying NIOSH reports as a crew, and utilization of the Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage fire chiefs and city personnel to promote a culture of training, communication, and accountability through utilizing Crew Resource Management Training to improve departments and help prevent line-of-duty deaths (LODDs); and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage departments to upgrade their radio communication system to ensure each portable radio has an Emergency Alert Button (EAB), to understand what the EAB is and how it functions when activated, to know the specific EAB functions present on their portable radio and their communication system capabilities, to know that the EAB prioritizes transmissions for the portable radio when activated, and to be proficient in Mayday standard operating procedures, guidelines, and training that involve the EAB function; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we pledge to support the State's firefighters, fire departments, and public safety agencies in this endeavor; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we recognize that the continued deaths and injuries of our brave firefighters and first responders are a stark reminder of the importance of reiterating the basic concepts of firefighting and that the top five occupational factors distinctly show that a fire department's culture can lead to LODDs; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal, Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois, Illinois Fire Chiefs Association, Illinois Association of Fire Protection Districts, Illinois Firefighter's Association, and the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance.