This Section consists of the Fire Department’s Safety Officer whose duties include the maintenance of an accident and injury database and the production of quarterly and annual reports on firefighter accidents and injuries. The Safety Officer also performs research, conducts investigations, and drafts policies as needed. In 2001, the Safety Officer initiated the purchase of Litelines (a 100’ strand of omni-directional light) for all Quints and Aerials, safety vests for all members, and front-loading steel drum washing machines for bunker gear cleaning. This Officer also wrote policies covering lost, trapped, and missing firefighters, the wearing of safety vests, bunker gear maintenance and Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) dispatch. A pumper dispatch was added onto all Code 1’s specifically for RIT use.