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Between 1997 and 2006, there were 30,564 fire deaths and 151,575 injuries attributable to fire. Only 1% of those represent burn injuries. The leading cause of fire death: SMOKE Inhalation.

Center for Disease Control; Runyan 2004; Hall 2002; USFA

Understanding how to prevent SMOKE related deaths or injuries requires a basic understanding of modern day fire smoke, how to prevent exposure through air management, and how to care for your PPE to eliminate skin absorption beyond the fireground.

The concept of Air Management revolves around the discipline of knowing how much air a firefighter has in their SCBA, monitoring that air, and ensuring it is being used to safely and effectively accomplish the task at hand.

Without detecting what toxicants exist on the fireground through metering and air monitoring, most especially HCN and CO because those are the only two that are treatable, firefighters and first responders will continue to be exposed to toxic environments and be caused to endure life altering illness, disease or instantaneous death.

Cyanide poisoning can be treated effectively if it is recognized promptly and intervention is initiated immediately. It is important that pre-hospital providers recognize signs and symptoms of cyanide poisoning and have smoke inhalation evaluation and treatment protocols in place.

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New! – Smoke Inhalation Protocols – PDM

The moment we’ve all been waiting for – new smoke inhalation treatment protocols. Drs. Dan O’Brien, Donald Walsh, Alan Hall and Colleen M. Terriff, PharmD, BCPS, have authored new treatment protocols. Immediately share this document with your medical directors and local hospitals. This is new life-saving medicine. Empiric Management of Cyanide Toxicity Associated with Smoke Inhalation.

Join the Fire Smoke Coalition today and help us continue our mission and gain access to member-only publications and training materials.

LA Smoke Symposium (January 2012)

The Fire Smoke Coalition, in partnership with RAE Systems, the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (LA), SAFER, and LAFD Union will host its Know Your Smoke: The Dangers of Fire Smoke Exposure program on January 27-28, 2012. This program, unlike San Francisco, will include 2-3 hours of live burn training focused on atmospheric monitoring on Saturday [...]

Mike McEvoy: Saving Civlians with Cyanide Antidotes

Dr. Mike McEvoy discusses the implementation of the Cyanokit into SOG’s for smoke inhalation treatment. If your department is struggling with new SOG’s to address cyanide toxicity in the smoke inhalation victim, this audio podcast can be extremely helpful. Interesting to note is that Saratoga County has used the Cyanokit on 8 civilians and no [...]

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Cobb County GA Smoke Symposium

The Fire Smoke Coalition will host a 2-day Know Your Smoke: The Dangers of Fire Smoke Exposure program at the Cobb County Department of Public Safety Training Center on February 24 and 25. The first is an 8-hour classroom session and the second day is a controlled burn session focused on atmospheric monitoring on the every day fire scene. Registration and details .

UK – Shortcomings in Treatment of Smoke Inhalation

New European guidelines highlight shortcomings in smoke inhalation in the UK. Read full article.

New 5-g Cyanokit Hits Market

Meridian Medical Technologies, Inc. announces launch of new 5-g, single-vial dose o Cyanokit. Press Release.

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What’s New?

This month we have added new smoke inhalation treatment protocols, provided by Chief Donald W. Walsh, Ph.D., EMT-P; PPE Washing Policies provided by Chief John Buckman, Indiana Fire Training Director and Chief of German Township Fire & Rescue; and opportunities for individual firefighters or departments to participate in beta testing two new firefighter training programs; [...]