Everyone Goes Home - Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives Program

By Robert Colameta
Courage to Be Safe^SM National Program Manager

Some say the numbers are not changing. I guess it is all in how you look at it. We have always focused on line-of-duty deaths to firefighters. . Flying home from the Everyone Goes Home® Safety Summit held March 6 - 8, 2009 in Emmitsburg, and while cruising at 28,000 feet I thought about "the numbers." Then, it hit me. The numbers are changing. In 2008 we held our first Everyone Goes Home^® Safety Summit. Approximately 45 people attended. This year 151 attended.

Last year we had 201 trainers actively participating in our online trainer resource website. This year we have 415. Between June 01, 2007 and May 31, 2008 our learning media clips hosted on the EveryoneGoesHome.com website generated 1,481,457 hits. Between June 1, 2008 and March 10, 2009 we have generated 1,042.846 hits. With three and a half months remaining, we will hopefully increase those numbers, and exceed the previous year. The number of Courage to Be Safe^SM classes that have been delivered this season has nearly doubled. From that perspective, the numbers are changing. If we remain focused, the rate at which line-of-duty deaths occur will slow and begin to reverse.

This year's Safety Summit brought a diverse audience. Regional Advocates, State Advocates and Courage to Be Safe^SM Trainers attended as well as a diverse group of other fire professionals. Some wanted to hear our guest speakers and some were simply curious about what was going on with this campaign. Our advocates held strategic planning sessions to shore up plans relative to bringing the Courage to Be Safe^SM deeper into their regions and they set tentative goals for next season. Our trainer improvement session was filled to capacity as we looked at the finer points of campaign delivery. Trainers received advocate challenge coins for outstanding work and outstanding effort for the work that involved bringing the Courage to Be Safe ^SM program to their regions. They knock on the door, get into the community and spread the message. I could not be more proud of this growing effort. After the event closed early afternoon on Sunday March 8, 2009 nearly two dozen general attendees gave me their cards and asked to chat about how they might help. So, yes, the numbers are changing.

For More Information about Everyone Goes Home^® and Courage to Be Safe^SM Visit: www.everyonegoeshome.com/about/