Federal agency investigates Farley death
Flags, flowers and other memorials can be seen near the site where Claremore fireman Jason Farley died. Federal officials are currently investigating Farley’s death in hopes of determining ways to prevent similar accidents in the future.
Posted: Thursday, June 18, 2015 7:12 am
Federal officials have been in Rogers County since Tuesday, investigating the death of Claremore fireman Jason Farley.
Representatives from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) are investigating the events surrounding the May 24 death of Farley in hopes of learning more about the cause of the accident — and hopefully prevent others in the future.
“It’s helpful for us that an outside firm such as NIOSH is looking into what happened (to Farley) — interviewing witnesses, examining the scene, and objectively conclude if there was anything that could have been done differently or which should be done differently in the future to prevent another such tragedy,” said Claremore Fire Chief Sean Douglas.
Farley was killed assisting in a water rescue in a Claremore neighborhood when he fell and was pulled into a rapidly flowing drainage pipe and drowned.
Officials will be continuing their investigation through Thursday.
One idea to help prevent possible future accidents, Douglas said, is to add a marker, which would stand above where flood water would be, to alert firefighters of the nearby ditch. Guard rails, a type of cover over drainage pipes, or possibly using poles when flood water is high also have been suggested.
Although federal officials will continue their investigation through Thursday, Douglas said it could take between six months and a year before the findings from the investigation are complete.
(NIOSH) is the U.S. federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness.
Representatives from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) are investigating the events surrounding the May 24 death of Farley in hopes of learning more about the cause of the accident — and hopefully prevent others in the future.
“It’s helpful for us that an outside firm such as NIOSH is looking into what happened (to Farley) — interviewing witnesses, examining the scene, and objectively conclude if there was anything that could have been done differently or which should be done differently in the future to prevent another such tragedy,” said Claremore Fire Chief Sean Douglas.
Farley was killed assisting in a water rescue in a Claremore neighborhood when he fell and was pulled into a rapidly flowing drainage pipe and drowned.
Officials will be continuing their investigation through Thursday.
One idea to help prevent possible future accidents, Douglas said, is to add a marker, which would stand above where flood water would be, to alert firefighters of the nearby ditch. Guard rails, a type of cover over drainage pipes, or possibly using poles when flood water is high also have been suggested.
Although federal officials will continue their investigation through Thursday, Douglas said it could take between six months and a year before the findings from the investigation are complete.
(NIOSH) is the U.S. federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness.