Fire Service Organizational-Level Characteristics Are Associated With Adherence to Contamination Control Practices in Florida Fire Departments: Evidence From the Firefighter Cancer Initiative.

Abstract

To characterize the types of contamination control practices followed by Florida fire departments and examine the association between fire department organizational-level characteristics and adherence to contamination control practices. Using a cross-sectional study design, a survey was administered to 142 Florida firefighters. Validated survey measures assessed organizational level characteristics and 32 recommended national contamination control practices. An average of 18.9 contamination control practices (standard deviation = 5.54; min = 3; max = 30) were reported by fire departments of which, wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) according to manufacturer instructions (98.9%) and access to special machine for cleaning (91%) were most cited. Fire departments with one or more health and safety officers had significantly higher implementation of contamination control practices (P = 0.032). Health and safety officers may have a positive impact on the number of contamination control practices followed in Florida fire departments.