FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 8, 2005
For More Information, Contact:
System Planning Corporation
James M. Kudla
703/351-8238
Cell: 571-217-3633
jkudla@sysplan.com
Federal Government Releases SPC’s TriData Division Report on Economic Consequences of Firefighter Injuries
Arlington, Va. (Apr. 8) -- System Planning Corporation today announced that an
economic consequence study completed recently by its TriData Division for the
National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) has been released to the
public.
Firefighters face a significant risk of injury – with an estimated 81,000
injuries and 100 deaths in 2002 alone. Using information from the study, fire
departments nationwide can plan their fire prevention and firefighting
strategies better, with an eye toward reducing injuries and costs. NIST plans to
use the study as an aid to determining what new research might lead to a
reduction in injury costs and to enhanced fire safety.
The study, called The Economic Consequences of Firefighter Injuries and Their
Prevention, stressed the importance of programs that minimize emergency calls,
prevent accidental fires, and reduce the incidents of arson. It also calls for
early detection of fires using smoke detectors as well as improved on scene
command procedures to locate firefighters and understand threats to them. The
study praises firefighter bravery as "legendary and real," but calls for new
ways to instill safety awareness in firefighters. It also says that training
injuries can be minimized by developing better virtual reality simulations for
use in training firefighters.
The economic costs found in the study ranged between the $2.8 billion to $7.8
billion and reflect different cost estimation models—one with a narrow approach
to possible related firefighter injury costs, the others with broader views of
economic impacts.
In reaching its conclusions, The Economic Consequences of Firefighter Injuries
and Their Prevention considered workers' compensation payments and other insured
medical expenses, including long-term care; lost productivity and administrative
costs of insurance. It also factored in labor costs of investigating injuries,
along with the hours required for data collection, report writing and filing.
Other costs related to preventing injuries and reducing their severity included
expenditures for insurance coverage, safety training, physical fitness programs
and protective gear and equipment.
A copy of the study is available here.
About System Planning Corporation
SPC has established a national reputation as a leader in technology development
and national security planning and support for both government and industry
clients.
SPC brings 35 years of unique national security experience to solving homeland
security and domestic preparedness challenges that have reshaped America in the
past several years. SPC’s TriData division is involved heavily in homeland
security and domestic preparedness through studies and assessments for state and
local governments.
This blending of knowledge and experience at the federal, state, and local
levels provides SPC a distinct edge over virtually all of its competitors. SPC
is headquartered in Arlington, VA. For more information, visit the company’s web
site at http://www.sysplan.com.
-SPC-
