BY JAY LOWRY
These days, anyone who can pass a simple driver’s test can legally operate vehicles weighing thousands of pounds. Thousands of drivers with little training die in auto accidents every week.
Now, consider the size and speed of modern fire apparatus and apply the same policy of allowing firefighters with little training to operate these giant apparatus. It’s a prescription for disaster if a chief officer accepts that a commercial driver’s license (CDL) or comparable document qualifies firefighters to operate these large vehicles in a completely professional manner. We wouldn’t allow a pilot to take off without having gone through rigorous training. Why would we allow a firefighter with no rigorous training to drive apparatus?
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, 73 firefighters died as a result of apparatus accidents from 1994 to 2000, an average of more than 10 per year—an astounding number. Judging from regional media reports, many more firefighters and civilians are injured in accidents daily, and there are many more minor accidents that don’t receive media attention.
TRAINING IS A NECESSITY
The day has long since passed when a firefighter can simply jump in the driver’s seat and just drive. Fire officers who value the lives of their firefighters and the citizens of their community would refuse to let this happen. It takes more than being adept at taking corners or pumping to make a good driver. It’s widely and erroneously believed that obtaining a CDL is all the preparation needed to efficiently and safely drive fire apparatus.
CDLs are certainly a step in the right direction; the license does require that the driver have knowledge above and beyond that for driving a car. Nevertheless, the CDL doesn’t emphasize many of the dangers fire apparatus drivers encounter, nor does it take into account the design of the fire apparatus. What is needed in fire departments is an initial apparatus driver’s course and subsequent refresher courses offered as part of a continuing education program. A dedicated fire apparatus driver training program helps to ensure safety and adequate education and to prevent liability.
Safety. It’s well known that firefighters have enormous tasks on arrival at a fire scene. What’s often overlooked are the dangers they face en route. To be able to mitigate a hazard at a fire scene, a firefighter must first arrive. Fire officers are charged with firefighters’ safety, and that duty begins in the station, not at the scene.
Education. One can never know enough. A firefighter well trained in operating fire apparatus can pass on and help develop these skills in younger, less experienced firefighters.
Liability. In today’s litigious society, fire officers can expect to find themselves at the center of any investigation regarding an accident involving apparatus. Outside experts will be brought in to analyze and critique the department’s training methods—the initial training as well as regularly scheduled subsequent training that incorporates changes in applicable laws and lessons learned from recent incidents. If your department is just getting by with its driver training program, make sure you have an adequate legal team—you’ll need its services.
SIMPLE CHECKS
Conducting checks regularly can save your department’s reputation as well as members’ lives. For example, three times a month, depending on your work schedule, the battalion or district chief on each shift should ask to see the license of every apparatus driver. If the drivers don’t have their licenses on them, they shouldn’t be permitted to drive. If they can’t produce the license in a reasonable time, request a copy of the operator’s driving record from the department of motor vehicles. It may be that a member has lost his license because of a DWI conviction.
I know of one firefighter who was able to drive for a full year after having his license revoked for DWI. He knew that one battalion chief always checked driver licenses, so he avoided that shift until his license was restored. Imagine how embarrassed the department would have been if this driver were involved in an accident. Consider the legal and liability issues that would have arisen had that firefighter reported for duty intoxicated and become involved in an accident that resulted in an injury or a death. Make the driver’s license check a standard procedure.
Also, note whether the driver requires corrective lenses. If it’s stated on the license, then the driver should be wearing them while operating the apparatus.
Finally, create a database detailing all information about each piece of apparatus. If possible, use a digital camera to photograph the vehicles from every angle. Once a month, add to the database new information such as driver complaints about the vehicle; any mechanical problems; and scratches, dents, and dings. Correct the mechanical problems, and record in the database the date of the repairs, the types of repairs made, and any other information that might be needed for documentation should questions arise later. This information provides the fire officer with written evidence of all deficiencies reported and whether they were repaired.
MODEL DRIVER TRAINING PROGRAM
Every department should have an apparatus driver training program that includes a refresher course every two years to keep members current on new apparatus, laws, and trends.
Since each fire department is different, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to driver training. The Sacramento City (CA) Fire Department, for example, uses the Sacramento Regional Driver Training Facility at Mather Air Force Base to conduct its hands-on driving component of the program. The Tempe (AZ) Fire Department is located in the most progressive fire region in the country, which is reflected in its driver training program. The first internationally accredited fire department in the country, Tempe emphasizes apparatus driver training.
INITIATING YOUR PROGRAM
Following are some suggestions for initiating a driver training program.
- Consult the National Fire Protection Association standards. At a minimum, your drivers should meet the qualifications set forth in NFPA 1002, Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator Professional Qualifications. Ensuring that your drivers are meeting an acceptable national standard is vital. Should you have to go to court, your defense would be much stronger if you can show that your department follows nationally accepted standards. Using the recommendations in the NFPA standards might also be helpful when trying to obtain budget money for a driver education program.
- Determine what your state’s basic apparatus driver training requirements are and, if possible, establish a program that exceeds them. Many states set only the minimum standard so that even the most modest fire department can meet them. A department does itself no good if it simply meets the minimum guidelines, which is why there are huge differences among departments. Exceeding minimum standards allows for safer operation of vehicles.
- Consult with neighboring and other departments with established programs. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Take the best from several programs, and adapt the information to fit your department.
- Gather your research. Determine what you want your program to include. Develop the program to fit your department using these starting points:
—Incorporate all state requirements as well as NFPA 1002.
—Determine what is feasible and necessary for your department. If you don’t have a ladder truck, you don’t need to cover that area.
—Ensure that the instructors are certified through the state or a regional fire academy.
—Develop a lesson plan.
—Submit the plan for legal review by an attorney.
—Find a suitable location to perform driving evolutions.
ESSENTIALS
The following essentials should be incorporated into every driver training lesson plan.
- State and local traffic laws. How do they pertain to emergency vehicles? What are operators required to do when approaching a stopped school bus? Review applicable municipal and county traffic ordinances.
- State licensing requirements. Is a CDL required? Does your state require a Class E or Class III license?
- Departmental procedures. What are the new department standard operating guidelines regarding driving fire apparatus?
- Apparatus types. Discuss the specific apparatus types in your fleet—quint, tanker, and aerial, for example. Discuss tankers in depth, since these units account for roughly 50 percent of all apparatus accidents, especially rollovers.
- Makes and models. Discuss the specific differences among the various apparatus makes, including the locations of hazard lights, emergency brakes, and other features in your fleet’s units.
- Air brakes. All drivers should fully understand how these systems operate.
- Driving maneuvers. Cover items such as braking, turning, backing up, speed, and maintaining the minimum distance between vehicles. Discuss skid recovery, loss of brakes, overcompensation during a skid, and leaving the asphalt.
- Apparatus aerodynamics. How does the shape and size of a particular fire apparatus relate to its aerodynamics? Discuss yaw (i.e., vehicle movement from side to side) and the effect wind has on a moving object with high sides.
- Weather conditions. Discuss precautions that drivers should take in a variety of weather conditions (e.g., rain, snow, ice, and high winds) and the reasons speed must be reduced in such situations.
- Time of calls. Discuss conditions specific to the time of day. For example, if responding to a call at 1430 hours on a weekday, drivers must be prepared to encounter school buses and schoolchildren and drive accordingly.
This is not an all-inclusive list; the chief should add items as needed.
The next step is hands-on—actually driving the apparatus around cones, using the brakes, and downshifting. The training location should be large enough to accommodate a maneuverable driving course and be away from traffic, structures, and geological hazards (e.g., boulders, fault lines).
Once you’ve developed your lesson plans and selected a driving course site, review the program carefully. Ask other chiefs from around the country to evaluate and critique your plan. Have a town or county attorney review the plan to ensure that you have adequately covered the legal bases. Revise the plan as needed. It’s not a one-time shot; it’s a commitment to excellence.
JAY LOWRY has served in a variety of fire service positions from firefighter to chief fire marshal and has participated in various NFPA committees. He is currently finishing a book for first-year firefighters.
