Summit County Fire Departments Participate in International Safety Week

Thursday, June 14, 2007 - Summit County, CO

Summit County fire departments-Red, White & Blue Fire District, Lake Dillon Fire-Rescue and Copper Mountain Fire Department will participate again this year in the International Fire and EMS Safety Stand Down, to be held the week of June 17-23.

Backed by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), the goal of this year’s Safety Stand Down is "Ready to Respond", focusing on proper training and equipment, preparing firefighters and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) to respond to, mitigate and return home safely from an emergency.

"Since the first Safety Stand Down three years ago, our local fire departments have really become aware of the need to keep safety at the forefront of every thing we do," said High Country Training Center Captain Paul Kuhn. "Not remaining cautious can cause routine activities to become hazardous," he said. 107 firefighters lost their lives in the line of duty last year, and there have been 44 deaths so far this year.

The High Country Training Center will be facilitating the week’s activities. They will include daily engine safety checks and basic firefighter/EMT skill reviews. Crews will also be reviewing their department’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and the 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives. More information on these can be found at: http://www.everyonegoeshome.com

The Stand Down will take place in communities all across the United States and Canada, as well as internationally. About 10,000 fire departments participated last year, and it is anticipated that the number will increase this year as fire departments realize the importance of this event. With interest coming from places such as Saudi Arabia, it is clear that safety is on the mind of people around the world. Many departments recognize that this event is imperative to the well-being of first responders and are taking action to improve their safety.

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Press Contact:
Capt. Kim Scott, PIO
cell: 970.485.4374
email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Brandon Williams
Lake Dillon Fire-Rescue, Public Affairs Coordinator
(970) 418-0562

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