Thank You for Showing Up First

Summary

National First Responders Day is observed each year on October 28. This day recognizes the courage of first responders like firefighters, law enforcement, emergency medical services (EMS), and more. They answer the call when something goes wrong and run toward danger to protect others.

Integrating occupational safety and health into emergency preparedness and response helps protect first responders, so they can protect us. NIOSH staff evaluate hazards first responders face to identify ways responders and employers can prevent illnesses, injuries, and fatalities during emergencies. This bulletin highlights steps you can take based on NIOSH research and programs dedicated to responder safety.

For all first responders

Check before you go

You may encounter many potential hazards when responding to an emergency event or natural disaster. A NIOSH framework includes recommendations to protect responders and monitor health before, during, and after deployment. Ask your department if it uses a health monitoring plan for large responses and, if not, point them to this resource.

Know your exposure

If you transport or serve someone who turns out to have a certain life-threatening infectious disease spread through the air, Part G of the Ryan White Act requires the medical facility to notify your designated officer within 48 hours. NIOSH maintains the list of diseases that qualify. The law covers firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, law enforcement officers, and other emergency response professionals. Find out who your designated officer is before you need them. This will be someone within your organization who receives employee notification requests, collects exposure information, and provides exposure notifications. If you think you may have been exposed to a disease on the list, contact your designated officer.

Trust your respirator

The NIOSH Respirator Approval Program works to improve respiratory protection for emergency responders, including those rated for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear hazards. This work doesn't stop after approval; NIOSH conducts post-market activities like product audits to make sure approved respirators continue to protect users as intended. Check that your protection is approved by NIOSH and ask your safety officer if you have questions.

For the fire service

Learn from past investigations

The NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program investigates firefighter line-of-duty deaths and serious injuries, free of charge. Read past investigation reports for prevention actions to help avoid similar events or request an investigation.

Understand your cancer risk

Firefighters are exposed to chemicals on the fireground that could increase their risk of developing cancer. NIOSH and the Fire Safety Research Institute built a free online course on contamination control strategies. Take 45 minutes to discover actions to lower your exposure and reduce cancer risk. You can also use this infographic to learn how to remove your gear at a fire incident and find more resources for staying safe and healthy.

You can also help us better understand the factors that contribute to the development of cancer in firefighters. The National Firefighter Registry for Cancer is the largest effort ever undertaken to understand and reduce cancer risk among U.S. firefighters. All U.S. firefighters, with or without cancer, active, former, or retired, can join. Enroll today.

For law enforcement

Drive to arrive alive

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of line-of-duty deaths for officers – they are also preventable. Ask your department to review the Officer Road Code Toolkit together and follow best practices to prevent crashes and struck-by incidents.

Prevent needlestick injuries

Common work tasks may expose you to needlesticks and other sharps injuries, putting you at risk for exposure to bloodborne pathogens. Ask your department if they have a bloodborne pathogen exposure control program and how it works. Take steps to reduce your risk of sharps injuries and know what to do if it happens to you.

For EMS

Stay safe in moving vehicles

Ambulance crashes are a major safety concern for workers. NIOSH research resulted in the publication of 10 crash test methods that address everything from seating to storage cabinets in the patient compartment. Check your ambulance design and find strategies to protect workers during roadway incident responses.

Protect yourself, too

EMS workers experience high rates of nonfatal injuries on the job. Share this data with your safety officer if your department doesn't track injury patterns. Talk to them about preventing workplace injuries and exposures.

Our commitment

Thank you for showing up first. We're trying to show up for you too. Our work aims to empower employers and workers to create safe and healthy workplaces. The examples provided here highlight some of the research NIOSH has to offer.

Learn more about NIOSH's efforts to protect first responders and find resources for emergency preparedness and response.

Author information

CAPT Chad H. Dowell, MS, CIH, is the NIOSH Associate Director for Preparedness and Response.

Emily Kirby, BPH, is a Health Communication Specialist in the NIOSH Office of Communication and Research to Practice.

The authors would like to thank the following individuals for their contributions to this bulletin: Emilee Austin, Meghan Kiederer, Rebecca Knuth, Michelle Martin, Jennifer Tyrawski, and Rachel Weiss