January 19, 2016 – FRESNO (KMJ) – On March 29, 2015, while performing vertical ventilation on a residential garage fire, Fresno Fire Department Truck Captain Pete Dern fell through a roof, and sustained critical burn injuries.
Captain Dern continues to improve, and as a result of that incident, Fire Chief Kerri Donis assembled a “Serious Accident Review Team” to compile a report.
On Tuesday, January 19th, 2016, the report came back.
“Well, the purpose of it was to have these outside set of eyes look at our department and some of the issues, and quite frankly to do whatever we can to not let an accident like this happen again, in both in this department and if we can, the fire service.- Fire Chief Kerri Donis.
The SART report spanned a seven month period, and is over 270 pages of internal examination by the Fresno Fire Department.
The process included conducting interviews of members, reviewing policies and procedures, researching laws, standards, and industry best practices, as well as regular meetings of the sart to analyze, comprehend, organize, and assemble the data into report form.
“The primary purpose of this report is to educate and prevent any future injury or death to the department members.” – Fire Chief Kerri Donis.
Chief Donis directed the SART to look anywhere the research led, and not place blame in the Pete Dern incident – but rather be used as a road map to make any needed changes –from the use of safety gear to improving radio communications, even reminding firefighters to wear seatbelts.
“That surprised me because I thought there’s no way we are not wearing our seatbelts …we became a culture of rushing,rushing, rushing almost at our own expense.” -Fresno Fire Chief Kerri Donis
Some fixes are immediate – others will take much longer, even years.
Chief Donis says with the Mayor’s 2016 FY Budget allowing three more firefighters and a new company at Station 9, change is already underway.
To view the the final SART report: www.fresno.gov/fire
