title: Injury risks of EMS responders: evidence from the National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We analysed near-miss and injury events reported to the National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System (NFFNMRS) to investigate the workplace hazards and safety concerns of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responders in the USA.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed 769 'non-fire emergency event' reports from the NFFNMRS using a mixed methods approach. We identified 185 emergency medical calls and analysed their narrative text fields. We assigned Mechanism of Near-Miss/Injury and Nature of Injury codes and then tabulated frequencies (quantitative). We coded major themes regarding work hazards and safety concerns reported by the EMS responders (qualitative).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 185 emergency medical calls, the most commonly identified Mechanisms of Near-Miss/Injury to EMS responders was Assaults, followed by Struck-by Motor Vehicle, and Motor Vehicle Collision. The most commonly identified weapon used in an assault was a firearm. We identified 5 major domains of workplace hazards and safety concerns: Assaults by Patients, Risks from Motor Vehicles, Personal Protective Equipment, Relationships between Emergency Responders, and Policies, Procedures and Practices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Narrative text from the NFFNMRS is a rich source of data that can be analysed quantitatively and qualitatively to provide insight into near-misses and injuries sustained by EMS responders. Near-miss reporting systems are critical components for occupational hazard surveillance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, Drexel University School of Public Health, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, Drexel University School of Public Health, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, Drexel University School of Public Health, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Brittany
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.affiliation: University of New Mexico, College of Nursing, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
authors.forename: Alicia V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Lacovara
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, Drexel University School of Public Health, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Reema
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Patel
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D061388:Firefighters; D006801:Humans; D000067393:Personal Protective Equipment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*
keywords: ACCIDENT & EMERGENCY MEDICINE; OCCUPATIONAL & INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE; PUBLIC HEALTH