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Protect the Protectors
Our Firefighter Training Course
Carbon monoxide poisoning is one of the most common types of environmental poisoning in the US. It is a colorless, odorless toxic gas that poisons more than 95,000 people in the US each year.
Because carbon monoxide is produced whenever wood, fuel, or carbon-containing materials are burned, firefighters are at an increased risk due to the nature of their jobs. “Essentially all firefighting environments can be expected to contain high levels of carbon monoxide” (IAFF, 2023).
That’s why we are creating a firefighter training course. This training will be developed, created, and implemented in partnership with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF). NFFF has an existing platform for producing and publishing online learning content. Alongside NCOAA, NFFF will coordinate with course developers to create and publish the program and utilize its large firefighter database to promote the program nationally.
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44% of fire departments do not monitor carbon monoxide on the fire ground.
Many firefighters remove PPE during salvage and overhaul, which is when carbon monoxide levels are often highest.
Dangers of Carbon Monoxide to FireFighters
Only 14% of homes have a properly functioning carbon monoxide detector.
Carbon monoxide causes heart disease, the leading cause of on-duty death in firefighters.
While firefighters wear a self-contained breathing apparatus when they know they are entering a hazardous environment, the low prevalence of home carbon monoxide alarms, coupled with the vague symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, means that they may unknowingly enter buildings and areas with dangerous levels of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere.
The Solution
Training
This nationally available, CEU-certified online training program addresses the most pressing gaps in carbon monoxide safety knowledge in firefighters.
Equipment
Protect the Protectors will include education about underutilized lifesaving equipment to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, emphasizing the importance newer detection and diagnostic tools.
Evaluation
Measures include evaluating pre-test/post-test responses to ensure that the course is meeting the needs identified in the needs assessment. The post-test questions will determine whether the participants felt the course was a worthwhile time commitment and addressed their learning needs related to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Our Partners
