Trip to the Mall
Firefighters and fire trucks bring out the child in adults. There‘s just something about those big red (or yellow or white) fire trucks that draws people like flies to honey.
The Congressional Fire Services Institute couldn‘t have come up with a better way to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the annual National Fire Services Dinner than to take over the National Mall on Wednesday, April 2, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., to display fire and emergency service personnel and apparatus. Hosted by the CFSI and sponsored by the International Fire Service Training Association, the showcase will offer congressional leaders and their staffs an up-close look at the equipment and apparatus funded by the FIRE Grants. The Firefighter Combat Challenge also will kick off its 2008 season on the Mall, with more than 100 firefighters competing.
The timing of the showcase also coincides with the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which will draw thousands of visitors to Washington, D.C. The Home Safety Council‘s pavilion is taking advantage of the two events to offer special fire-prevention education for senior citizens in the morning and families in the afternoon.
According to Cara Beale, special projects program director for the CFSI, seven local fire departments will offer educational demonstrations to highlight the specialized training and equipment needed by fire and emergency services.
“Each participating department will demonstrate a specific area including hazardous materials, wildland and wildland-urban interface, technical rescue, and arson investigation,” she said. “The D.C. Fire Department has fire suppression and EMS and will have fire apparatus and an ambulance on display.”
But that’s just the surface. Take a closer look at what‘s really going on with this event.
The CFSI has and still is committed to bringing the issues and needs of the fire and emergency services to the attention of congressional leaders. Twenty years ago, this effort was nowhere, but by working together with key fire service organizations and political leaders, the fire and emergency service is becoming a force in Washington. Is it perfect? No. Will it ever be? It‘s the government, folks. Do to you really think it will be perfect?
Even if you won’t be in Washington next week, there are things you can do in your home state. The event is likely to garner national media attention, and often the local media look for a local slant to national stories. At the very least, be prepared to field calls from the local media. Better yet, go a step further by calling the media outlets. Inviting reporters to look at your apparatus or firehouse.
Also consider taking this idea to your home state legislators. Many states already have a Home Day activity or a time when the fire and emergency services meet their state and national representatives. Whether you call it face time, education or enlightenment, it’s your chance to help your political leaders understand the fire service’s issues and problems in providing services to their constituents. Maybe it‘s just an opportunity to say thanks for their support — wouldn‘t that get their attention?
Who doesn‘t stop and look when a fire truck shows up? Why not turn that big, shiny investment into an educational tool? Drive the fire truck to your legislators’ offices, turn the lights on and watch what happens. Once you have their attention, talk to them about residential sprinklers, codes or funding for much-needed equipment.
Take a big idea and make it your own.








