“We are what we repeatedly do. Safety, then, is not an act but a habit.”

– A.K. Owusu

Division Chief – Occupational Health & Safety

Division Chief Owusu joined the department in 2001 as a recruit firefighter. From there he charted his career path through the fire service and attained the positions of firefighter, EMR instructor, HAZMAT Technician, senior firefighter and training officer. Chief Owusu also taught classes at the South Carolina Fire Academy. He was ultimately named the department’s interim Chief of Training and currently serves as head of CRFD’s Occupational Safety & Health Division (OS&H).

As head of the OS&H, Chief Owusu passionately advocates for the safety and health of all CRFD employees and strives to guide the department towards achieving the safety goals set forth by the division.

The goal of the Occupational Health and Safety Division (OS&H) is to maintain a safe work environment for all employees of the Columbia-Richland Fire Department.

The OS&H chief sets out to achieve this goal by reviewing, evaluating, and analyzing the workplace as well as designing programs and procedures to control, eliminate, and prevent disease or injury to employees.

The health and safety of all CRFD employees is of paramount concern to CRFD leadership. The Occupational Safety & Health Division prioritizes the safety and health of all employees by:

• Recommending measures to help protect workers from potentially hazardous work methods, processes, or materials.
• Inspecting or evaluating workplace environments, equipment, and practices to ensure compliance with safety standards and government regulations.
• Conducting inspections and enforcing adherence to laws and regulations governing the health and safety of CRFD employees.
• Ordering suspension of activities that pose threats to workers’ health and safety
• Investigating workplace accidents to identify causes and determine how such accidents can be avoided in the future
• Facilitating and conducting safety training or education programs

The OS&H Division utilizes various committees and programs for the successful delivery of a safe and healthy work place for CRFD employees.

 

COMMITTEES

 

CRFD Safety Committee

• Evaluates and makes recommendations for the department’s safety and health program
• Conducts annual review of the company safety and health program
• Submits written recommendations for safety/health improvements
• Assists in reviewing reports completed for all department safety incidents, including injury accidents, illnesses and deaths
• Assists in hazard assessment and control

 

CRFD Vehicle Accident Review Board

• Establishes procedures for reviewing reports for motor vehicle accidents involving department vehicles
• Reviews vehicle accidents so that recommendations can be made for appropriate corrective action to prevent recurrence.

Occupational Health and Safety Program

The Columbia-Richland Fire Department operates an Occupational Health and Safety Program to ensure a physically and mentally healthy workforce and thus minimize occupational injuries, disability retirements and workers’ compensation costs, while complying with occupational health and safety regulatory requirements.

Firefighting is a uniquely stressful and dangerous job that requires working in unpredictable and often toxic environments. Due to the demands of this occupation, firefighters are at increased risk for job-related cancer, mental health concerns and cardiovascular events. The OH&S Division ensures that programs are readily available free of charge to all employees to mitigate the adverse effects that come with this career and life in general through the CRFD Wellness Program.

The CRFD Wellness Program is a comprehensive program that comprises:

• Annual medical examinations
• Firefighter cancer prevention initiatives
• Mental health awareness and education
• Fitness evaluations
• Physical conditioning
• Nutrition education

 

Annual Medical Examinations

Our first responders are our most important resource. We place the health and wellness of our personnel above all else, and the NFPA annual physical initiative that the department has adopted is a concrete example of that. The physical is meant to ensure that firefighters who want to serve are able to do so for as long they want to, within the parameters of safety.

The purpose of the NFPA 1582 physical is to reduce the likelihood of suffering a preventable line-of-duty death—something that none of us can afford. It is available at no cost to all CRFD firefighters and provides a baseline health assessment to determine whether or not the firefighter is likely to incur a debilitating injury or medical event in the course of performing your duties as a first responder. NFPA physicals have identified potentially fatal underlying conditions, allowing personnel the opportunity to either seek treatment while continuing to work or return to work after treatment.

All career and volunteer firefighters are required to participate in this program annually. NFPA 1582 physicals are not mandatory for support personnel or auxiliary members although all personnel are encouraged to participate.

The City of Columbia has an employee clinic in place where employees are treated for general health issues. Health visits to the COC employee clinic is free of charge to all employees.

 

Mental Health

Mental health is as important as physical health. First responders are exposed to many traumatic events, which take their toll on our psyches in different ways. Therefore, maintaining mental and emotional wellness is of great importance. One way to maintain your mental well-being as a firefighter is by having regular visits with a qualified mental health professional.

To this end, the CRFD has various programs in place for all personnel.

 

• CRFD Chaplain Program

Fire department chaplains provide CRFD employees and their families appropriate assistance, advice, comfort and referrals whenever such services are requested. A list of CRFD chaplains and their contact information is posted at all fire stations and also available on Vector Solutions.

 

• The Family Life and Officer Wellness (FLOW) Program

The Family Life and Officer Wellness (FLOW) program is a proactive approach to first responder wellness. This program is managed by certified counselors from Post Trauma Resources LLC. A certified FLOW counselor is available to help personnel and families deal with stress and other problems that can affect the employees as well as their families. All interactions with the FLOW counsellor or any member of Post Trauma LLC staff is strictly confidential and protected by confidentiality laws.

 

• Peer Support Program

The CRFD Peer Support Program is an informal, private opportunity, available 24 hours a day for you to speak to someone like you, to assist with any issues you may be having difficulty with in your life. Peer supporters have received formal training in listening skills and are able to recognize, help to prevent, understand the effects of stress, and refer you to the FLOW counselor, if needed. The program is headed by the department’s Family Life and Officer Wellness Program (FLOW) counselor and is managed by Post Trauma Resources LLC.

The FLOW and Peer Support Programs are available free of charge to all CRFD members who need help in dealing with all forms of stress including emotional, post trauma, marital, financial, etc. All interaction with the FLOW counselor and Peer Support Team members is strictly confidential.

There are other mental health services and assistance programs which are free to first responders across the state. The City of Columbia also offers employee assistance programs such as “AllOne Health”, free of charge to all employees.  A list of these programs is posted at all stations and can also be accessed in the Health & Safety section on Vector Solutions.

 

Fitness Programs

Fitness programs are led by the CRFD Wellness Committee which is composed of dedicated personnel within the department who serve as peer fitness trainers (PFTs) and the City of Columbia’s exercise physiologist and wellness coordinator.

The purpose of the wellness committee is to assess, plan and implement activities that will help the organization’s employees to be more aware, motivated and skilled around life decision to better the wellbeing of themselves and others. The committee’s role is also to build a workplace environment that is supportive of living a healthy life style.

The program utilizes physical conditioning, fitness evaluations and nutrition education to assist employees in achieving healthy bodies.