NFFF and Fireman's Fund Insurance Present Everyone Goes Home Safety Video Contest

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Over 20 percent of firefighter fatalities are vehicle related, and most of those involve the victims not wearing seat belts.  Inspired by the story of a New York firefighter who was involved in a motor vehicle accident while responding to an emergency call, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and their Everyone Goes Home program have teamed up with Fireman's Fund insurance to offer fire departments a video contest that will help to promote firefighter safety.

Assistant Chief Eddie DiMartino's Story

In February 2009, Eddie DiMartino, the Assistant Fire Chief of the Greenbush Fire Department in New York, was responding to an emergency call in inclement weather.  Because of harsh road conditions, Chief DiMartino's personal vehicle went off the roadway and flipped over.  DiMartino was not wearing a seatbelt and there was no airbag deployment.  When he arrived at the hospital he told nurses it was 1995 and did not recognize his wife, Meg.

It took several months for Eddie DiMartino to go through recovery and rehabilitation, and during this time his son began to have behavioral problems.  Meg DiMartino explains, "He actually had a little altercation with another friend at school, and the little boy in turn asked our son, 'Who are you mad at?  Why are you mad at me? Why are you pushing me?'  And he said, 'I'm not mad at you.  I'm mad at my Daddy.  I'm really mad at my Daddy because he didn't wear his seatbelt.'"

Firefighter Seatbelt Pledge

According to Assistant Chief DiMartino, first responders in the state of New York are not required by law to wear seat belts.  Requiring firefighters, paramedics and police officers to wear their seat belts lies with their agencies' policies and procedures.   After her husband's accident, Meg DiMartino made it her mission to develop a Seatbelt Pledge, which all of the members of the East Greenbush Fire Department signed.  DiMartino wanted to make her message national in scope, and so she contacted the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF).

Ron Siarnicki, the Executive Director for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation explains, "She wanted to tell the story.  She wanted to do something to help get departments to take the Seatbelt Pledge and to promote firefighter safety, especially surrounding vehicle accidents, which is the second leading cause of firefighter fatalities in our country."

Everyone Goes Home Safety Video Contest

The NFFF and their Everyone Goes Home program are using Eddie DiMartino's story as an example, and have teamed up with Fireman's Fund Insurance to launch the Everyone Goes Home Safety Video Contest.  They are calling for fire departments to create and enter an original video promoting a fire safety message.

Siarnicki explains the contest, saying, "We're hoping to get people to submit their video safety message.  We will then evaluate them, and through Fireman's Fund, the two winning entries are going to get a Bullard thermal imaging camera for free."

The Bullard T-4 Max Thermal Imagers are valued at approximately $7,000.00 each.  Entries must be submitted by May 7, 2010, and the winners will be announced in July.  An Honorable Mention will also be selected, and they will receive special recognition for their video.

Videos entered in the contest can be about anything related to firefighter training, health and safety, or risk reduction.  They must be based on any of the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation's 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives, and may be shot on any video recording device.  The NFFF will use the videos as education tools for firefighters across the United States.

Contest Information

For more information about the Everyone Goes Home Safety Video Contest, including rules and submission instructions, visit www.everyonegoeshome.com or www.firehero.org.

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