The Hanover County Fire-EMS recently received a significant improvement award from the National Safety Council for their work in reducing injuries to employees.
The award is the result of several initiatives and programs the department has implemented over the last few years to not only reduce accidents and injuries but to create a healthier workspace for their first responders.
These include the opening of a new Class-B tactical fire training tower using gas-fed props to reduce carcinogens, the installation of Plymovent systems to capture diesel exhaust within their stations, and the addition of the HAAS Alert System in their apparatus to alert drivers and other first responders when they are on the roadways or operating at emergency scenes.
“As we’ve implemented all of these programs,” said Captain Jeremiah Sheehan, risk manager with the department. “The idea is once someone comes to work in this profession – and it’s identified as a cancer-causing profession – we want these individuals when they leave to be in as good a shape as when they started.”
Hanover County Safety and Risk Manager Matt Phillips said it is refreshing to see the department has taken the message of safety seriously.
“Data tells us everything we need to know,” said Phillips. “It tells me we’re heading in the right direction in bringing the message of safety and risk management to the folks that are going to be out the door protecting us on a day-in and day-out basis.”
Learn more in the full video, below.