Overview The National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System is a voluntary, confidential, non-punitive and secure reporting system with the goal of improving firefighter safety.

Definition of a Near Miss A near miss is an unintentional, unsafe occurrence that could have resulted in an injury, fatality or property damage. Only a fortunate break in the chain of events prevented an injury, fatality or property damage.

Program Goals Provide an opportunity for firefighters to share experiences which can help prevent injuries and protect the lives of other firefighters. Collect information which can assist in formulating strategies to reduce the number of firefighter injuries and fatalities. Foster a safety-focused culture that recognizes errors as an inherent part of human behavior.

The Near-Miss Connection 1 Serious Accident 15 Major Accidents 300 Near Misses 15,000 Observed Worker Errors

Why Share Near-Miss Experiences? To share lessons learned with firefighters on a national scale. To prevent another firefighter from getting injured or killed. To identify patterns in injury-producing behaviors. Aviation industry found that sharing near-misses improved overall safety.

What will be done with the collected information? Members of the fire service community can learn from other firefighters. Officers can use the reports in training drills. Fire service community will receive bulletins, program reports and alerts depending on the urgency of the information collected. Training academies can incorporate near-miss reports in building curriculum. Fire service associations can use the reports as part of an improved emphasis on safety to their members. Manufacturers will be notified when reports are received regarding performance issues with equipment.

Program Development Advisory task force was created comprised of fire service experts and near-miss system experts. Focus groups helped develop the reporting form and the Web site. 38 departments beta tested the Web site from May thru August Web site launched nationally at Fire-Rescue International in August As of November 4, reports have been posted to the Web site. The following statistics are based on these reports.

Reports by Department Type

Reports by Rank/Title

Reports by Event Type

Reports by FEMA Region Not Given Reports have been received from 34 states.

Reports by Cause N/A

This project is funded by grants from the Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program and Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company. The project is supported by Chief Billy Goldfeder of FirefighterCloseCalls.com in mutual dedication for firefighter safety and survival.

The project is administered by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) in consultation with the National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System Task Force. The project is endorsed by IAFC, International Association of Fire Fighters and the Volunteer & Combination Officers Section of the IAFC.