FORSYTH COUNTY, Georgia – The Forsyth County Fire Department will focus on the safety, health and survival of firefighters and emergency medical technicians as part of an international campaign to reduce line-of-duty deaths within the fire/EMS service. In 2007, 115 firefighters died in the line of duty nationwide; already this year, more than 40 have been lost. The purpose of Safety, Health and Survival Week June 22-28 is to reduce these deaths and injuries by calling attention to safety practices and improving them.

“We believe that it is critical year-round to emphasize health and fitness, and we will focus on specific training and reviews during this week in June,” Fire Chief Danny Bowman said. “Safety and training have always been a priority of the Forsyth County Fire Department and taking part in this annual event helps keep that priority in focus.” The theme of this year’s Safety, Health and Survival Week is “Committed to Long-term Results.” The campaign encourages long-term investments by both fire chiefs and firefighters to enhance their health and safety. The theme reflects the need for organizational action that supports and encourages a culture of safety. Safety, Health and Survival Week will bring international attention to the need to address preventable injuries and deaths among fire fighters.

The Forsyth County Fire Department and its counterparts around the nation and the world will focus on preparing firefighters and EMS personnel for their daily duties by reviewing their training and the proper use of equipment to ensure safe response, mitigation and return from all emergency situations. Failure to remain cautious can cause routine activities to become hazardous, as illustrated by fire-service and EMS line-of-duty deaths and injuries.

“As a department that has experienced the tragedy of the loss of firefighters to line-of-duty incidents, Forsyth County fire personnel understand all too well the dangers associated with our job,” Captain Jason Shivers said. “This week of safety, health and survival training will serve to refocus our attention on the things we can do, as professionals, to ensure that we all go home at the end our tours.”

The 2008 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week is sponsored by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF). Formerly known as the Safety Stand Down, the campaign is part of the IAFC’s new, comprehensive Fire/EMS Safety Support System.