[Press Release] : Fire departments nationwide participate in 2006 Safety Stand Down

[pr-l at news.gocolumbiamo.com]

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Gary L. Warren, Jr. - (573) 874-7644 

Fire departments nationwide participate in 2006 Safety Stand Down

COLUMBIA, MO (June 22, 2006) -- The Columbia Fire Department, like many
fire departments throughout the nation, is participating in the 2006
Safety Stand Down. Last year Columbia Fire Department personnel
participated in a teleconference hosted by the University of Missouri
Fire and Rescue Training Institute.

This year's Stand Down started Wednesday, June 21, and will continue
until all duty days/shifts have been covered.

Fire departments across the nation are being urged to suspend all
non-emergency activities to focus entirely on firefighter safety. This
years' Stand Down will focus on emergency vehicle safety.

The Stand Down is taking place to raise the level of awareness toward
firefighter safety and call attention to the unacceptable number of Line
of Duty Deaths (LODD) and injuries. In all, 20-25 percent of firefighter
LODD involves vehicle-related incidents, such as firefighters being
struck while the operator is backing the apparatus or the apparatus
being involved in a crash. This is currently the second leading cause of
death for firefighters; the first is heart attacks.

This year, all personnel of the Columbia Fire Department will
participate in training sessions geared around a presentation from FEMA,
IAFF (International Association of Fire Fighters), IAFC (International
Association of Fire Chiefs), USFA (United States Fire Administration)
and the Department of Homeland Security to name a few. This presentation
is titled "Emergency Vehicle and Roadway Scene Safety."

This year's program focuses on emergency vehicle safety, responding
to emergency scenes and apparatus placement at the emergency scene. 

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Archived press releases can be viewed online at: 
http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Public_Comm/Public_Information/Press_Releases/

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