Take Survey to Help with Study on Fire Department Policies for Post-Fire Contaminant Control
December 7, 2021
The Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute (MFRI) and the University of Maryland Department of Fire Protection Engineering were awarded a FEMA research grant focused on fireground contaminant exposure control. As part of this study, MFRI/UMD is requesting departments, with and without contaminant exposure control policies, complete a quick survey.
The goals of this study are:
- to identify current approaches used by the fire service in the development, implementation, and management of contaminant exposure control policies and to disseminate this information to a national audience;
- to train health and safety personnel and leadership on current approaches used in contaminant exposure control and provide them with a platform to discuss successes and challenges in policy management; and
- to establish action items which address current challenges faced by the fire service in the development, implementation, and management of contaminant exposure control policies and bring this information to the attention of those responsible for the development of standards applicable to this issue.
Reviewing departmental policies is an important component in this study, so departments are encouraged to share their policies. If a department has a policy for post-fire atmospheric air monitoring and respiratory protection (i.e., policy establishing when SCBA use can be discontinued), PPE decontamination, or personal hygiene (wipes, showering, etc.), they are requested to upload the policy to the survey portal. While specific policy content may be discussed in the final research report and presentation of findings, department names will be removed and replaced by a generic identifier.
Take the survey now. For more information on the study, click here or email Jamie McAllister at jmcal@umd.edu.
