Safety and Health Office
The Safety Officer position was created in 1974 to assist the Fire Chief in the prevention and reduction of on duty injuries. The former Chief of Fire Department, Mr. Herman Williams, Jr. who was a Captain at that time, was the first member to hold the position. in 1995 the position was elevated to Safety and Health Officer and one additional officer (Lieutenant) was assigned to the office.
The Safety and Health Officer is responsible for the planning and implementation of a program of employee safety to comply with all departmental, local, state and federal regulations. Conducting investigations of ail accidents involving Fire Department vehicles to determine the cause and to prevent recurrences. Observe and report to the Chief of Fire Department and/or Incident Commander recognized hazards and unsafe operating procedures and make recommendations for corrections. Maintain liaison with the Department of Public Works, Water and Waste Water Maintenance in matters relating to the inspection, maintenance, relocation or installation of approximately eighty seven hundred (8700) hydrants. Maintain liaison with other agencies that respond to fires or emergencies in matters that pertain to safety.
The Safety and Health Officer is the chairperson of the Fire Department's Accident Review Committee. This Committee was established to ensure that Fire Department members operate Department vehicles in the safest manner possible and that all laws and rules and regulations relating to the operation of authorized emergency are observed. Moreover, the Committee shall investigate and review the cause of any serious accident (i.e., accidents involving personal injury) and other accidents referred to the committee by the Chief of Fire Department in which a Fire Department vehicle is involved. The Committee shall classify accidents as preventable or non-preventable. The Accident Review Committee has the authority to recommend retraining and/or disciplinary action as a result of it's inquiry into the cause of a vehicle accident.
The Safety and Health Officer maintains records of all on duty injuries and conducts comprehensive investigations of the most serious injuries (burns, lacerations, smoke inhalitations, broken bones ). The Safety and health Officer also gathers the Department's OSHA 200 Summary forms, computes all of the information and forwards a final report to the City's Office of Occupational Medicine and Safety (OOMS).
The Safety and Health Officer and a committee from the Fire Department's Joint Labor/Management Safety & Health Committee are currently formulating a fitness and Wellness program which should greatly reduce injuries and total time lost due to sickness and injury.
When the City's Action Plan SWIFT (Snow, Wind, Ice. Flood. Tornado) is implemented, the Safety and Health Officer reports to the City's Storm Center and maintains liaison to Department of Utility Operations on hydrant problems and to Public Works on snow removal and/or other crises.
The Safety Officer conducts an annual inspection of all fire stations, apparatus, protective equipment and clothing.
During regular duty hours, 0800 - 1600, the Safety Officer respond on all working fires. After regular duty hours and on weekends, the Safety Officer respond on all additional alarms. In the absence of the Safety Officer, the Incident Commander will designate an Acting Safety Officer.