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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Kimberly Martin, RN, MAT¹, Pam Coppinger, RN, BSN², M. Anita Barry, MD, MPH², and Donna Caron, RN, MSN³. (1) Communicable Disease Control, Boston Public Health Commission, 1010 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02118, (617) 534-2312, Kimberly_Martin@bphc.org, (2) Communicable Disease Control Division, Boston Public Health Commission, 1010 Massachusetts Ave, 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02118, (3) Communicable Disease Control, Boston Public Health Commisssion, 1010 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, Ma02118, Boston, MA 02118

The Boston Fire Department (BFD) operates firehouses in every neighborhood of Boston (population 560,000). The firehouses are perceived as sources of information and assistance, but there traditionally has been little education provided to firefighters about communicable diseases that may occur in the community. To address this need, in 2005, the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) developed and provided training on communicable diseases to over 800 firefighters.

The goals of the training initiative were to: (1) enhance the partnership between BPHC and BFD; 2) to provide timely information on communicable diseases in Boston; 3) to use the BFD to directly provide information to the community as well as to link community members to BPHC for specific concerns. Topics covered in the training included rabies, West Nile virus, foodborne illness, hepatitis and tuberculosis. Training sessions lasted one hour including a didactic session and questions.

Many firefighters were unaware of services offered by BPHC. Following the training initiative, phone calls to BPHC from firefighters related to infectious diseases, infection control, and other methods for disease prevention increased.

Partnerships between local agencies can enhance resources within neighborhoods. This initiative increased the visibility of local public health within the first responder community and helped to improve linkages between public health and city residents who have contact with the BFD. The success of the initiative has led to additional efforts such as a current training on pandemic influenza.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Identify strategies used to build successful collaboration between local agencies
• Review key components of an educational program on communicable diseases for firefighters

Keywords: Community-Based Partnership, Health Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation