Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Department of Labor's Division of Occupational Safety and Health (IL OSHA), in collaboration with the Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI), has introduced a new online training course called "Defenses for Firefighters." This course aims to help firefighters balance personal safety with effective emergency response. The training provides guidance derived from real-world incidents, emphasizing the need for continuous risk assessment and control.

IL OSHA Chief Erik Kambarian highlighted the course's efficiency, stating, "The entire course takes only fifteen minutes. I would encourage all fire departments in Illinois to put their staff through it and then continually reinforce the principles." The objective is to ensure that every firefighter can safely navigate dangerous situations.

The course includes a handout that covers key defensive principles such as using seat belts, staying visible around traffic scenes, ensuring radio functionality before entering structure fires, operating as a team, recognizing structural risks like potential building collapses, knowing how to use equipment effectively, and speaking up if something seems amiss.

Participants are urged to adopt a disciplined mindset focused on risk awareness by assessing situations, following standard operating procedures (SOPs), understanding limitations, and avoiding an exclusive focus on task-level activities. The "Defenses for Firefighters" course is accessible through the IFSI training platform.

In Illinois, occupational safety and health standards enforcement is a joint responsibility between the U.S. Department of Labor's federal OSHA and IL OSHA. Federal OSHA oversees private sector workplaces while IL OSHA covers state and local government workplaces.