NIOSH Releases Report on CA Inmate FF's Training Death
Source Firehouse.com News
California's inmate firefighter program should perform thorough medical evaluations of its participants following the 2018 death of a wildland firefighter during a training hike, according to a federal line-of-duty death report.
The recommendations are part of an investigation by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, and its findings were released earlier this month. The report deals with the death of 33-year-old inmate firefighter Anthony Colacino, who had joined the state's Conservation Camp Program that allows prisoners to request firefighting assignments.
On April 21, 2018, Colacino had been assigned to a campfire station as a structural firefighter, and he was on a training hike in moderately steep terrain while wearing full wildland PPE, web gear and a hose pack, according to the NIOSH. As he reached the top of the climb for a final lap, he dropped to a knee to catch his breath.
The trainee was told to drink water and rest. But less than two minutes later, other trainees noticed he wasn’t moving or responding to his name. The captain was alerted that additional support was needed, and the crew began treating the trainee for heat exhaustion
After the trainee was loaded into a vehicle, his breathing and pulse stopped, and the crew immediately started CPR. A medical station was waiting the vehicle at the fire station, but life-saving efforts were ineffective, and the trainee died of cardiac arrhythmia due to cardiomyopathy, the report stated.
Following an investigation into the incident, the NIOSH outlined the following recommendations:
- Pre-placement and annual medical evaluations that include a baseline electrocardiogram should be performed before any strenuous physical activity to rule out any cardiac issues.
- Firefighters should be cleared for duty by a health care provider knowledgeable about the physical and psychological demands of firefighting.
- A mandatory wellness and fitness program for fire department members should be implemented.
- Annual physical performance evaluations should be conducted for all firefighters.
Go to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health's website to read the full report.
