Categories: Safety

NVFC receives grant to focus on volunteer emergency responder health and safety

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The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has been awarded a Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) grant by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to further its firefighter health and safety initiatives and reduce line-of-duty injuries and deaths.

FP&S grants are part of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program and support projects that enhance the safety of the public and firefighters from fire and related hazards. This is the sixteenth FP&S grant the NVFC has been awarded. Thanks to support from these grants, the NVFC has been able to implement groundbreaking programs, including the Share the Load behavioral health support program and Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program, as well as release critical resources and training relating to cancer prevention, vehicle safety, culture change, injury prevention, and more.

With the new grant, the NVFC will be able to continue its work to mitigate the incidence of firefighter deaths and injuries through awareness, training, and resources. The project will build upon the success of the NVFC’s previous FP&S grant projects and focus on several key factors affecting firefighter health and safety, including cancer, behavioral health, and risks while responding to or on the incident scene. While many of the project components impact all firefighters and emergency services personnel, the NVFC will focus specifically on health and safety considerations for the nation’s volunteer responders.

Deliverables will include an awareness campaign, online and in-person training, and the development and distribution of resources. The grant also enables the NVFC to host its annual Training Summit, a two-day event that brings together firefighters and emergency responders from across the country to participate in health and safety training as well as promotes collaboration and information-sharing among attendees. Travel stipends will be offered to enable more responders to participate.

“The health and safety of our nation’s volunteer firefighters, EMS providers, and rescue workers are of the utmost importance to the NVFC,” said NVFC chair Steve Hirsch. “We thank FEMA for providing us this FP&S grant so that we can continue to do our important work to do everything we can to reduce injuries and deaths among those who serve. We look forward to building on the success of our previous campaigns and moving forward with new and exciting initiatives to provide responders with the knowledge and tools they need to protect themselves and their crew.”

Learn more about the NVFC’s health and safety initiatives at www.nvfc.org/ServeStrong.

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