Resolution No. 46 COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Health & Safety Re: Wildfire and WUI Research and Education Collaboration 1 WHEREAS, the IAFF has always been the 2 leader in improving firefighter safety through the 3 sponsorship and collaboration of studies and applied 4 testing; and 5 WHEREAS, the Preamble to the IAFF 6 Constitution and By-Laws states, in part to promote 7 as safe and healthy a working environment for fire 8 fighters and emergency medical and rescue workers 9 as is possible through modern technology; to 10 promote the establishment of just and reasonable 11 working conditions; to place the members of the 12 Association on a higher plane of skill and 13 efficiency ; and 14 WHEREAS, since the 1970s we now burn 15 nearly 2.5 times the number of acres across the 16 United States, with fire departments across the 17 country now responding to over 330,000 wildfires 18 each year. Over 46 million homes in 70,000 19 communities are now located in high-risk areas, and 20 wildfires result in an annual economic impact of over 21 $14 billion; and 22 WHEREAS, the most prominent fire agencies in 23 the US all agree that wildland firefighting is decades 24 behind structure and high-rise firefighting, 25 highlighted during the first Wildfire Symposium held 26 in Sacramento, California (2014), and echoed by 27 representatives from CAL FIRE, the US Forest 28 Service, and the National Institute of Standards and 29 Technology, and the wildland taskforce of the IAFF;
30 and 31 WHEREAS, the 2015 National Fire Service 32 Research Agenda and the National Fallen 33 Firefighters Foundation have established as a priority 34 to conduct research on how science can improve 35 wildland firefighting training, tactics and response to 36 reduce fatalities, injuries and unintended outcomes, 37 continue research on firefighter health, injury and 38 diseases related to acute, chronic, and repeated 39 exposures to the risks of emergency incidents and the 40 fire service work environment. The research should 41 encompass all disciplines including wildland and 42 wildland-urban interface, and determine the 43 necessary components to be included in the 44 education process; and 45 WHEREAS, technology and testing 46 methodologies have advanced which now allow more 47 efficient and accurate testing processes for 48 appropriate staffing levels, PPE ensembles, 49 community protection standards, and fire fighter 50 exposure and health/safety risks; and 51 WHEREAS, there is a need to create a 52 comprehensive wildfire/wui program that meets the 53 diverse needs of urban and wildland fire agencies 54 with an emphasis on research and education on 55 health and safety, new tools, technologies, and 56 operational strategies to meet the evolving risks and 57 demands; and 58 WHEREAS, the continuation of more advanced 59 research and hands-on studies using improved 60 technological methodologies requires a financial 61 commitment by the IAFF to assure it remains not 62 only the leader in research and development but
63 proves through such a commitment one of our 64 highest priorities is improving the health and safety 65 of our members; and 66 WHEREAS, California State University San 67 Marcos (CSUSM) is a leader in analyzing and 68 resolving complex problems and has taken a strong 69 leadership role in research and education on 70 wildfire/wui; and 71 WHEREAS, WUI incidents today represent a 72 dynamic, complex environment where wildland, 73 structure, and vehicle fires merge, and we do not 74 clearly understand the risks this synthesis creates nor 75 have we trained and educated our first responders 76 adequately; and 77 WHEREAS, CSUSM has responded to the 78 needs of the wildland fire fighters, CAL FIRE, the 79 IAFF, federal agencies, and the recommendations of 80 the National Fire Service Research Agenda by 81 launching a new program focused specifically on 82 wildland/wui firefighting and health/safety; 83 therefore be it 84 RESOLVED, The IAFF work in collaboration 85 with California State University San Marcos to 86 further the scientifically based studies and advanced 87 education programs for fire fighters across the United 88 States; and be it further 89 RESOLVED, That the IAFF will include the 90 mission of Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) and 91 Wildland firefighting as integral to the IAFF focus; 92 and be it further 93 RESOLVED, That the IAFF will continue to 94 lobby at the National level agencies and 95 organizations and any other authority to ensure that
96 the IAFF wildfire/wui initiatives are given proper 97 recognition and support by our federal government. Submitted by: Local 2881, CAL FIRE, CA California Professional Firefighters Local 1014, Los Angeles County, CA Local 112, Los Angeles City, CA Federal Fire Fighters Joint Council Local 1289, Modesto, CA Local 1301, Kern County, CA Local 1067, Riverside City, CA Local 975, Austin, TX Local 3523, San Luis Obispo City, CA Local 3631, Orange County, CA Local 798, San Francisco, CA Local 2494, Fort McMurray, AB British Columbia Professional Fire Fighters Association Alberta Fire Fighters Association Saskatchewan Professional Fire Fighters Association Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts Hawaii State Fire Fighters Association Local 1463, Hawaii Local 1364, Ventura County, CA Local F33, San Diego, CA Local 1401, Santa Rosa, CA Local 2400, San Mateo County, CA Washington State Council of Fire Fighters Local 522, Sacramento, CA Local 2086, Littleton, CO Cost Estimate: None COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
CONVENTION ACTION: