By Jesse Herman

Firefighters are exposed to many risks on a daily basis, but one that can go unnoticed is the danger of asbestos exposure, a mineral fiber that used in construction applications throughout the 20th century. The life of a firefighter brings many potential threats that can be easy or hard to see. The profession itself takes a great deal of courage. One of the hidden threats that are not so glamorous is asbestos exposure.

The Environmental Protection Agency issued the Asbestos Ban & Phase Out in 1989. This ruling was overturned in the highly contested court decision that left many asbestos-containing products in the public realm. This led to millions of workers and civilians being wrongfully exposed to the substance.

The threat of asbestos for firefighters is subtle, and there are seldom warning signs to allow a firefighter to know whether they are or have been exposed to asbestos. Firefighters who have been exposed to asbestos usually have been in situations where they had reasons to believe they are safe.

The mineral was mixed into paint, combined with cellulose to make fiberboard and wallboard, mixed with cement to make siding shingles and formed into felt for use as roof felting and backings on vinyl flooring. Asbestos was even used in joint compound, which was used in dozens of different kinds of applications.

The mere presence of asbestos in a home or a building is not hazardous. If a firefighter located any asbestos, the best thing to do is leave it un-disturbed, as this will not allow its fibers to become airborne.

Any home or building built before 1980 has a good chance of still containing asbestos. Even firehouses should be inspected for asbestos as many of them were constructed prior to any asbestos ban.

In the case of a fire, asbestos fibers get released and when breathed in, can scar the lungs. While asbestos has been banned for most of its uses since the early 1980s, there is still a probability that asbestos fibers can be released in the air. This can only happen when asbestos-laden materials are deteriorated or broken down.

The inhalation of asbestos fibers can lead to the development of a rare, but severe form of asbestos lung cancer known as mesothelioma. This illness has and continues to affect firefighters who were unknowingly exposed while on duty.

If you are a firefighter and believe you have experienced asbestos exposure, it is important to receive regular screenings by physicians to identify a possible disease. It should be known asbestos exposure does not always lead to a disease, but because the latency periods associated with asbestos illnesses can last 20 to 50 years, a regular check up is advisable.

Jesse Herman is with the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

By Daniel B.C. Gardiner



With the downturn of the economy, cities and towns are being forced to reduce staffing on arguably already-understaffed fire companies. While the number of fires has fallen nationwide, fire department activity has increased. And facing a hostile fire with inadequate resources is a recipe for disaster — both for the occupants in danger and for the responding firefighters tasked with mitigation. As politicians struggle to balance their budgets, career fire departments may no longer be able to provide a level of safety that the public expects.

It is time to act! The public must be told that fire departments may not be able to save their lives and their property in the event of a fire. It is as simple as that. The public deserves to know, and rank-and-file firefighters should be shouting from the rooftops.

Along with this message, fire department must emphasize that without smoke alarms in their homes, homeowners’ chances of surviving a hostile fire are minimal. Smoke alarms provide the earliest warning of danger, allowing the occupants a greater chance of escaping the life danger. These same homeowners must be told that without a monitored fire alarm system, an unoccupied house could burn down to the foundations before the fire department is notified. And finally, homeowners should be told the benefits of an automatic fire sprinkler systems, which provide protection regardless of the economic climate.

Business owners deserve to be notified of the potential loss of livelihood if they don’t take protective measures. A monitored fire alarm system is the minimum they should have to protect their investment, place of business, and future earnings. Here, too, is the necessity of sounding the alarm about the need for automatic fire sprinklers to protect their building 24/7 without concern for the economic climate.

Perfect examples occurred in Fairfield, Conn., earlier this summer. First, local fish market was destroyed, and the employees were subsequently moved to the unemployment ranks. The fire was discovered by a police officer driving by during the very early morning hours. The police officer noticed flames coming out of the roof. The business had no fire sprinklers and no monitored fire alarm.

Then, less then two weeks later, a passerby alerted a sleeping family that their home was on fire. Again, the passerby noticed flames and smoke coming from the building. While Fairfield has a smoke-alarm ordinance for all residences, this house had none. Without the passerby, this family could have paid with their lives. And in the second week of August, two occupants died in a Stratford, Conn., home, where the upstairs smoke alarm had been disabled.

In the cited cases, the fire department was not given the opportunity to handle these fires before they became major destructive events, not because there was insufficient staffing but because there was no early warning, notification, or automatic suppression (fire sprinklers).

Video depicting the dangers of firefighting do nothing inform and educate the citizens on how to protect themselves. Information on automatic detection and protection does.

The late Dr. Anne Wright Phillips, a member of the original National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control, wrote in her minority report, “Tremendous credit should be given to the fire service for its ready acceptance of the concept that firemen should serve primarily as fire preventers, rather than firefighters. They will need help in changing to this new position.”

One can argue whether this approach to the fire problem ever occurred. It is obvious that many firefighters haven’t adjusted to their role as fire preventers. Many new firefighters have been indoctrinated with past ideologies and spend their time just being firefighters.

It is time to sound the alarm. The public deserves to know that they must take steps to help themselves, because the fire department may not be able to get there in time with the necessary resources to fight their fire. Citizens must help themselves; the fire department is the last line of defense, not the first, and it is the vast number of rank-and-file firefighters are the most equipped to present this message.

Daniel B.C. Gardiner is the retired fire chief of the Fairfield (Conn.) Department of Fire-Rescue Services. He holds a bachelor’s degree in fire-science technology and master’s degrees in public administration and fire science. Gardiner speaks nationally on firefighter safety, fire department operations, fire-service finance, training, and futuristic fire suppression and fire protection issues. He is a member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) technical committees on Recommended Practices in Emergency Service Organization Risk Management (NFPA 1250), and Developing Fire Protection Services for the Public (NFPA 1201).

By Corey Landry

Traditionally the fire service maintains several items: red fire trucks, rank structure and leather helmets to name a few. Tradition is an important part of the fire service, but at the same time we need to evolve and grow as our members evolve and grow. We have to be cautious of what we call tradition. A wise fire chief once told me that, “Tradition is what we call something that we do when we don’t know why we do it.”

As the Pepsi-generation and Generation Xers evolve into our firefighters and mid-managers, we need to adapt and evolve to serve their needs and identify with them. If you think that we have too many group hugs now just wait just wait for the next generation of firefighters who have the helicopter parents.

Today’s management needs to work as a group with everybody on the day to day operations. These generations need to know what is going on, what is in the big picture and how it affects them individually. Can we continue the way of “because I told you so”? The answer is yes we can, but it will ultimately result in higher turnover and lower morale. Mangers today have to identify and change this.

Does this mean serious changes? Not for the vast majority. Simple items like asking the most junior firefighter his opinion outside the earshot of anybody else and be sincere. Involve people that will be affected by any change, simple things like picking a room color for the day room, true we are not going to make everybody happy and yes we are not going to get everybody to agree on one color, but subordinates always appreciate a true and sincere attempt to hear them, maybe as simple as a paint color.

The fire service is constantly compared to the police service. Why are we different? My response is simple; a police officer does 99% of their job alone and a firefighter does 99% of their job with somebody else. It is the nature of the business; firefighters need to be that one cohesive team. We need to encourage that team concept from the top to the bottom.

One large change we have implemented in an effort to build toward a better team concept, although it may be perceived as a direct attack on the tradition of the fire service, is the shirt color for all officers. Our primary shirt color for all personnel is dark blue. This change was met with some resistance from firefighters and officers. I’m pleased to report it is been about six months now and it is like we have been doing this forever. Some concerns were that the public would not know who was in charge. Looking at this it was realized that the majority of the fire calls an officer responds to they are wearing turnout gear with their white helmet identifying their rank. A substantial number of our calls are medical and on those a firefighter paramedic is in charge and neither of the two firefighters wear a different color shirts. For the last 20 plus years this has never seemed to be a problem.

Seeing the interaction of the firefighters and my chief officers it is clear that the relations have improved; the subtle difference in the shirt color has dropped that stigma. You don not see or feel the tense condition in a room when a “shirt” would walk in wearing a white uniform. I agree, there are times when a chief officer needs to be in a white shirt, absolutely, such as a council meeting, discipline hearings, etc. The fact that the white shirt only comes out occasionally allows it to draw greater attention as intended.

Baseball has the ideal team approach; there is no way for a team to win without teamwork. From high school through the major leagues the coaches and managers wear the same uniform as all the players. The players, the other team, the fans and the umpires know who is in charge.

This is a small step but a positive non-verbal step in communicating with all the members of your fire department that we are all on the same team, we are all working toward the same goals and we are all in it for each other.

By Dave Murphy

I am not a huge fan of modern television. My mindless wandering of non-fulfilling channels drives me crazy and I usually give up and go on to bed. However, I recently watched (for the third or fourth time) the History Channel’s presentation of “Band of Brothers,” which details the exploits of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne — specifically the men of Easy Company — during World War II. Tom Brokow labeled these great warriors and those steadfast Americans who supported them the “greatest generation.” Brokaw was correct in bestowing this distinction.

I had the privilege of knowing one of these men — my uncle, Master Sgt. Wallace Hornsby. He went ashore at Utah Beach on D-Day. He wore the uniform proudly during the war and never hesitated to stand up for the patriotic values that he held so dear even after. Wallace died in 1968 at age 56. Other than a few faded memories, his pictures, bronze stars and a purple heart, I have very little memory of him.

Good soldiers and good firefighters share some traits. First of all, they believe in what they do and do so with willing hearts and firm resolve. My uncle was all about heart. He would call you out on any matter relating to respect of a lady or national security. If he were alive still, he would not approve of the general lack of concern regarding national security.

FIRE Act money is slowly decreasing. Federal grant money has provided for many needed and long overdue equipment upgrades in fire stations across our nation. And now those funds are drying up. But who will be the first called when the next cowardly act of terrorism is perpetrated? The U.S. fire service. And the fire service will be there to mitigate the incident long after CNN has left the scene. It is proper and fitting those federal funds are appropriated to provide safe and efficient equipment for those that must respond.

Regardless of funding, and while the bureaucrats argue over who is in charge, it is us, the new Band of Brothers, who are on the front lines. We must stand together, just as those gallant Americans did not so long ago. The fire service must continue to maintain a firm resolve and rise to the challenges that we will ultimately face. What can you do you ask? Be accountable and ready to do your part. Maintain a state of physical, mental, and professional readiness — demand that our politicians recognize that we are the first line of defense.

Dave Murphy retired as assistant chief of the Richmond (Ky.) Fire Department and currently is an associate professor in the fire-safety engineering technology program at the University of North Carolina–Charlotte. He is a past eastern director of the Fire Department Safety Officers Association.

By Jordan D. Pollack

Last year, FIRE CHIEF published two articles on fire-prevention programs in Great Britain and Scandinavia. Both articles portrayed well the emphasis in those countries on fire prevention versus suppression. We, as a community of fire chiefs, must take that information and seriously reassess our priorities. Because the U.S. fire service is community- and jurisdiction-based and not nationalized, it is up to each of us to drive this campaign.

I still remember vividly growing up in the 1960s in New Haven, Conn., and watching as Engine 8’s crew went door to door doing home fire inspections and passing out fire-safety information. I remember the men standing on the tailboard, poised in their tan slacks and light-blue uniform shirts, ready to spread the gospel of fire and life-safety like neighborhood missionaries.

Some 40 years later in my third job as a chief, I sit at my desk putting together yet another community fire-prevention program. I look at our fire service — the glamour, lights, excitement and heroics — and am amazed by how much we chiefs are so focused on crisis management and not prevention. It comes as no great surprise that the general public is caught up in the same thinking. The average American citizen focuses little on fire safety unless one of three things happens: their child brings home information from school, they have an unfortunate encounter with fire, or the fire services bring them information directly.

We are long overdue to start thinking outside of the box. Most fire departments today, whether volunteer or career, have some sort of fire-prevention program in place. The most common is to have a prevention division of sorts, which in any career department is largely focused on code enforcement and plan review — it is often a forgotten child to the suppression wing, which receives the glory and funding. Most larger city departments include company-level fire inspections where firefighters do walk-through inspections of businesses to promote fire safety. This is an excellent tool on numerous levels promoting not only fire safety and education but also public relations and familiarity with occupancies for firefighter safety and effectiveness during an incident. This is an excellent step in the right direction, but it needs to be expanded to homes, apartment complexes and all occupancies.

During a trip to the National Fire Academy as a peer grant reviewer, I listened as then–Acting Administrator of the U.S. Fire Administration Charlie Dickenson spoke about fire prevention in the fire service. He commended the 100 or so folks in the auditorium for assisting with the prevention grant program. Then he went on to discuss how the fire service is still expending more energy on new equipment and vehicles than on prevention. Some 2,900 applications were received in 2007 for the Fire Prevention Grant Program. Concurrently, 21,000 applications were received for fire equipment and vehicle requests through the Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program. That statistic is staggering. How is it that we, a community-oriented network of caring professionals, are not putting more energy into fire- and life-safety prevention?

I met with Charlie later that week to discuss the current state of affairs in fire prevention. He said that there is no real movement afoot within the fire service. We are still focused on response, and that responsibility is becoming more elaborate with each decade. We are still obsessed with the toys that continue to expand in their complexity and cost, newer and fancier gadgetry commanding our attention. Many of us know that four well-trained firefighters with an older, working engine can outperform a crew with newer, fancier equipment and lesser training. As I reviewed numerous grants at the National Fire Academy that week, I read time after time “…after wages, vehicle maintenance, equipment … there is little funding left for fire prevention education, thus we are requesting federal funding for … .” As fire chiefs, we are still not prioritizing fire- and life-safety education in our budget justifications to our governing bodies.

How many chiefs have programs in place that involve going door to door to do home fire inspections and outreach? How many of us are giving priority to our prevention officers who are tirelessly educating and enforcing? Are there more than a few of us standing strong behind a goal of every occupancy in the jurisdiction having a minimum of one working smoke alarm? How many of us are doing aggressive campaigns with our elders on home fire and accident prevention? I would guess that a number of volunteer based departments in our country are succeeding at this. But I can’t help but wonder if the fire community could also do similar in our cities’ low income housing areas as well. How difficult would it be to refocus our energies and get our engine companies to begin door-to-door campaigns in our cities as well as our smaller towns and villages? Look at wiring, smoke detectors, heaters, candles and other potential fire hazards, bringing our focus into the homes of our constituents before it’s too late. How many of us are truly getting into our residents’ homes – either literally or through written and visual information? Even a simple home fire safety brochure under the door can have a huge impact. Checkout the Toronto Fire Service home fire safety brochure; it is an excellent model of a simple and effective brochure. The London Fire Brigade goes door to door educating its residents about fire and life safety. They have figured out a proactive approach: get out and meet and educate.

In some cases, this may become a union question, but at some level this is simply a management issue. Former Phoenix Fire Chief Alan Brunacini set a precedent by showing that union issues can be dealt with most effectively by inviting staff and management to sit together to develop the goals and objectives of the fire department. I would hope that our nation’s career personnel would jump at the opportunity to heighten public awareness of fire safety in their customers’ homes and businesses. With the mission of maintaining the health and wellness of our communities being paramount, this would seem to make some sense.

Should not the International Association of Fire Chiefs and International Association of Fire Fighters be working hand in hand, alongside the U.S. Fire Administration and the National Fire Protection Association to promote fire safety education? Of course this happens, to a degree, but it is high time that we all begin aggressively working together to attack the problem. Getting our nation’s firefighters (volunteer and career) on the streets and sidewalks is paramount in the campaign. If chiefs don’t take advantage of this valuable and massive resource, we are missing the boat, and more importantly, under-serving our community. It is our responsibility and mission to change the culture of the fire service, maintaining our readiness to respond, while focusing on the primary mission of fire, injury, and illness prevention

There is a wealth of support out there to develop and maintain an effective, ongoing campaign focused on fire safety and preventative healthcare for your constituents. If you are not doing so already, make it happen; chiefs hold the trump card on this one.

Jordan D. Pollack is chief of the Breitenbush (Ore) Fire Department.

By Ben Brown

As the NFPA standards change and the need to prove technician qualification becomes more evident, it is increasingly important to back up your technicians with paperwork. But in discussions with other agencies and technicians, I have run across a few misconceptions.

One of the biggest is that you must be EVT-certified to work on fire apparatus. This is not the case, as the standard states only that you must be qualified to do the repairs that you are performing. The wording from the NFPA 1071 (2006 edition) is “by possession of a recognized certificate, professional standing, or skill, has acquired knowledge, training, and experience and has demonstrated the ability to deal with issues related to the subject matter.” This statement allows for obtained skills and experience that are usually gained on the job.

In the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, a qualified brake technician is merely an individual who has serviced brakes for one year (supervised). These are 2 of the most applicable standards pertaining to technician qualification in fire department shops today. The obvious downfall to blindly accepting on the job experience, or even certification for that matter, is that you must first determine that the individual is performing the repairs correctly and safely.

You must also make sure that they are familiar with the manufacturer requirements for the particular item that they are repairing. Each manufacturer is a little different and what works for one may not work for the rest. The standard also allows for fire departments to send work out for repair but the liability is still on the fire department to prove that the technicians doing the repairs are qualified (even if they don’t work for you).

I suggest that departments start a training/qualification file on all of your techs. As one of my favorite instructors always says “CYA, cover your actions with paper”. This may simply be a written file that states where they performed these types of repairs in the past. It should also include any certifications that they hold and info from any classes that they have attended. It is important to keep track of all of this for future reference. It is equally important to note that a tech who has experience rebuilding engines may not be qualified to do a simple brake job or to tear into a pump. Not recognizing that fact can get you into a lot of trouble liability wise.

As the authority having jurisdiction, you will want to set a minimum standard of qualification for repairs. This starts with determining proficiency and assigning tasks based on that. This may seem like a long and tedious task but it can actually be quick and easy. You don’t have to start from scratch; NFPA standards 1911, 1071 and the FMCSR will help to get you well on your way. These standards do not outline who can perform each specific repair but they do outline some of the big stuff (UL, 3rd party, etc.) These are the 2 largest industry accepted standards and will be referenced if ever an issue is found (in court). The key is developing a standard that fits your needs.

I want end by saying that as far as certifications and certifying agencies go EVT is one of the easiest to deal with and they go out of their way to help get you registered for tests. I personally believe that certification is one of the easiest and fastest ways to prove proficiency in a given area. It is my belief that everybody should attain a level of EVT and ASE certification that corresponds to your job duties.

Ben Brown is a mechanic with the Lisle-Woodridge (Ill.) Fire Department.

By Jennifer Miller

Asbestos isn’t a new problem for firefighters, yet it’s one that they often overlook. Indeed, firefighters have been facing the dangers of asbestos inhalation for decades.

Manufacturers of building products used asbestos freely through the first three-quarters of the 20th century, largely due to its low cost, quick availability, and impressive fire- and heat-resistance. But asbestos — when touched by fire or damaged in any way — releases dangerous, sharp fibers that become airborne and can be readily inhaled. The result of this may be the development of one of the world’s deadliest cancers — mesothelioma. Unfortunately, firefighters are among those at high risk for the disease, even more than 30 years after the government issued strict asbestos guidelines.

Many firefighters have responded at one time or another to a fire at an old house, manufacturing plant or other structure that surely contains asbestos, which was commonly used in insulation, shingles, floor and ceiling tiles and a host of other products. And while exposure is going to be much less than if one encountered the toxic material each day while on the job, experts have continually repeated the mantra: “There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos.”

Furthermore, asbestos is a hidden danger because no one is present at the fire to explain exactly where the asbestos is located and how to avoid it. That means firefighters literally go blindly into an asbestos-laden building, never quite sure where the mineral will materialize. It can be present when a building collapses or when a firefighter punches a hole in a wall. It can be found in crumbled concrete or in blistered plaster or paint.

So how can one be sure that firefighters heading into a blaze are prepared to handle the dangers of asbestos?

Actually, those that head directly into the burning building are probably at lowest risk for asbestos inhalation because they wear SCBA when encountering a blaze. Nevertheless, firefighters should be educated as to the most common uses of asbestos and where it is most often found inside a structure.

But what about those who stand outside and fight the blaze? Shouldn’t they be offered equal protection from asbestos inhalation? Perhaps it’s time to demand that those firefighters also don the gear that will prevent their exposure to airborne particles. Asbestos can certainly make its way to those individuals who are outside as well as inside, putting them at harms way each time they take a breath. Wearing a SCBA with a proper filter will eliminate this concern.

Perhaps at highest risk for exposure are those who remain at the site of the fire until the last tiny ember has been extinguished or those who investigate after a fire. Testing of rubble and other asbestos-containing debris after a blaze often shows high levels of the hazardous mineral left behind and that should be of immediate concern. Consider, for example, the aftermath of Sept. 11, terrorist attacks. First responders were quick to develop asbestos-related diseases and one paramedic even died of mesothelioma — a disease that normally remains latent for 20 to 40 years — within five years.

While one hopes never to encounter debris on such a grand scale ever again, even the remains of a smaller fire can — like the remains of 9/11 — be filled with toxic asbestos that’s left smoldering even after the flames are gone. Simply put, chiefs must be certain that those involved with overhaul or investigation wear SCBAs, especially if the presence of asbestos has been confirmed. Air monitoring should be a part of the plan as well in order to protect post-fire personnel from inhalation.

Furthermore, firefighters should be made to adhere to strict hygiene habits when involved with asbestos-containing fires or debris. SCBAs should be cleaned thoroughly and any protective clothing worn when asbestos is present should not be brought into common areas unless clean. Secondary exposure to asbestos is a very real threat and no firefighter would want colleagues or family to be exposed to its deadly fibers. Firefighters should hose off or have a place to shower to wash fibers from their body and hair before encountering others who are unprotected. Decontamination is best achieved at the scene of the fire.

More and more stories of firefighters being exposed to asbestos during training have surfaced. All structures that are to be used for training should be thoroughly inspected by fire officials before any exercises are conducted at the site. A simple inspection can avoid a potentially deadly problem and any asbestos found in the structure should be removed before firefighters are permitted to practice at that particular location.

An estimated 80% of all buildings constructed before 1978 contain asbestos in some form or another, including perhaps, the fire station. Firefighters may be working in a building that’s laden with asbestos. Search the Internet for stories about asbestos in fire stations and you’ll undoubtedly find many. While most chiefs understand the dangers of asbestos, many are unaware that the dangerous mineral may be right under their nose. Stories of damaged ceilings leaking asbestos or flaking pipe insulation are commonplace. Fire stations, just like schools and other public buildings, should have an effective asbestos management plan in place and have regular inspections. Any damaged materials should be removed or encapsulated by an asbestos-abatement professional, not a member of the fire department.

Jennifer Miller is an awareness and outreach coordinator for Mesothelioma.com. Through public-outreach efforts and the distribution of informational materials, Mesothelioma.com aims to increase awareness of asbestos exposure and the associated health risks, including the development of mesothelioma cancer.

By Charles Jennings

The U.S. property-insurance industry is a behemoth. According to the Insurance Information Institute, the industry collected $448 billion in premiums in 2007. As a powerful industry, it has a financial interest in how local governments spend their fire-service budgets. Presumably, higher expenditures by local governments could relate to lower losses for the insurance industry. The insurance industry’s chief tool for imposing its will on local fire services is the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule.

The Fire Suppression Rating Schedule persists as a relic of bygone days when insurance was a speculative and risky industry and catastrophic fires were commonplace. The insurance industry used to be actively involved in fire protection, operating the Fire Patrol, once an elite force predating paid fire services in urban centers. Long ago, the insurance industry socialized the costs of local fire protection and passed it along to taxpayers rather than putting its money where its mouth is. Using the FSRS and its predecessor, the Grading Schedule, it continues to impose its will on the fire service.

Today, the schedule serves as a convenient crutch for local fire services to justify resources. Despite the fine print saying that the schedule is not designed as a management tool, the wink between the fire services and the insurance industry continues to enable the schedule to exert undue influence over local decision-making. When challenged about expenditures, fire chiefs speak in reverent tones about the schedule and implications for insurance rates if its time-honored dictates aren’t followed.

Numerous studies have questioned whether compliance with the schedule is correlated with better fire services or lower losses. In the wake of the deaths in the Class 1 Charleston (S.C.) Fire Department, an embarrassed insurance industry trotted out proposed revisions to the schedule, which hasn’t been updated since 1980. In an effort to appease the fire service and shore up support for an out-of-touch and increasingly irrelevant property insurance underwriting tool, the ISO is proposing to revise the schedule to include such subjective criteria as firefighter health and safety and compliance with numerous NFPA standards long-championed by many in the fire service. There’s only one problem: these changes only make the schedule more arbitrary and more intrusive into local decision making for fire services.

Lacking the ability to base decisions on analysis of local fire experience, and with a vacuum of standards on which to base local decisions, the FSRS fulfilled a need just after the turn of the 20th century. In some sense, the ISO FSRS formed a template for American fire service deployment. As technology advanced, that template became wildly biased toward controlling insured fire losses and conflagration avoidance. Uninsured property and life were not explicitly part of the equation.

The result was an over reliance on manual fire suppression and equipment. No matter how much money is spent, the results don’t seem to change. The United States has reaped the terrible consequences of the unchecked bias toward property protection in an unenviable record of fire deaths and losses while public education, fire officer training and adoption of fire protection systems have been left to beg for resources.

The ISO FSRS predates breathing apparatus, apparatus windshields, NFIRS, computers, and widespread adoption of telephones for reporting fires. It is high time the FSRS goes the way of the hose jacket, and end up in the display case in the museum with the filter masks, cotton duck turnout coats and life nets.

The FSRS has degenerated from a tool to avoid conflagrations to a tool for justifying resources and equipment — a tool that benefits a particular industry. Enough is enough. It is time that fire service leaders step up and be willing to be judged based on their performance, and not on checking the boxes on an arbitrary standard, whether self-imposed or dictated by a powerful commercial interest. It is time we are judged based on outcomes, and not merely on effort, or good intentions.

If the ISO wants to help the fire service — it would increase the price differential for unsprinklered or unprotected properties and publish fire losses by community against local expenditures and community characteristics. Everything else is just a continuation of an outdated, paternalistic and flawed system.

Charles Jennings, Ph.D., MIFireE, CFO, is an associate professor in the Department of Protection Management at John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York. He was formerly deputy commissioner of Public Safety for the city of White Plains, N.Y. He has served as a commissioner, officer and active member of fire departments for over 20 years. He does research and consults on fire service deployment and policy issues.

By Rob Carnahan

“You always get what you always got if you always do what you always did.” That statement is somewhat aligned with the infamous description of fire service culture being 200 years of tradition unhampered by progress. This is an indictment leveled at the fire service’s resistance to implementing techniques, practices and technologies proven in other professions and sectors.

Many reasons and justifications are given for not adapting or adopting the next best idea. Some have merit, as the fire service deals in life and death situations where proven and tested strategies need to be used. However many are just excuses for a risk-adverse nature.

Risk-adverse fire service may seem like an oxymoron, but many who have tried to promote change in this industry have seen bruises from their noble quest. It is often easier to just say no and wait for another to be the first to adopt or adapt.

Chief Ronny Coleman has aptly described U.S. fire service purchasing and operational-cultural habits in a manner that underscores the reluctance to adopt and adapt. Coleman’s thesis is that there are really few early adapter/adopters in the fire service. We tend to wait for sufficient “cover” before adopting/adapting new technology. However once a certain number of fire departments have adopted/adapted the “new” technology, it moves from being a nice to have to a got to have. At this points fire personnel assert that there is simply no way they can do their jobs without the goods or services proposed.

Coleman’s phases of adoption include:

1. 1] This will never work and if it did it will be way to expensive.
   
2. 2] It may work but we can’t afford it.
   
3. 3] It not only works, but we absolutely have to have it to do our jobs.
   

Academia describes this phenomena according to it’s people:

1. 1] Resistors to change.
   
2. 2] Late adopters.
   
3. 3] Mainstream.
   

Coleman’s manner of thinking is illustrated in the way he conducts his personal and professional endeavors which has inspired many in numerous professions. If there is a road less traveled in the fire service, you will find him on it. His influence on the mainstream is profound. His recognition and early exploration of technology enterprises from outside the confines of the fire service have fundamentally changed all of the above categories within the profession.

The enthusiasm of the early adopter/adapters allows them to see beyond the battles on the road to the main stream. For example Coleman’s recognition and early exploration of using virtual reality simulation as an instructional resource led to its use in the fire service. His work at pioneering fire inspection training techniques using simulation, led to development of the software program FIRES.

The FIRES product led to development of “Fully Involved,” which is the company officer critical decision-making training software distributed by Western Fire Chiefs Association. At the time essentially every other profession was using virtual reality simulation technology for certification and training purposes, but not the fire service. This was due in part to the aforementioned thought that it would never work and if it did it would be too expensive.

It is now a no brainer that the current generation comprising most ranks in the fire service, learn differently that the retiring baby boomers, but Coleman did something about it when others were stuck in the “this will never work and if it does we can’t afford it” phases.

In the fire-prevention arena, public education has relied on retiring technology as well. Puppet shows, fire-prevention trailers, the mainstream fire prevention programs, have pretty much stayed the same over the years. Slide Tape shows have been upgraded to computer generated PowerPoint presentation and the use of overhead projectors and transparencies is something that is read about in history books but by-in-large the curriculum available to the fire service public-education professionals is not state of the art in learning technology, either in content of in format. For instance it is unheard of in the fire service for a fire chief to hire professional gamers to spend their work day in a virtual world playing games with children whom they will never meet. Yet in just one kid’s safe virtual world four million kids frequently visit and interact with other avatars, created by kids, exposing themselves to all sorts of life enhancing, social redeeming content, and age relevant safety learning experiences. Just as learning styles of adults have changed in the past few years so has that of children even more dramatically, and the fire service must adopt and adapt to remain competitive if we are to significantly change behavior as it relates to fire safe practices of our most valued resources.

The digital generation, as educational professional call today’s elementary age children, will require a completely new educational paradigm revolution not the just an evolution as we have seen with past generations. The fire service can ill afford to lag behind in adapting learning content to the emerging media or an entire generation will not fully grasp the important fire and life safety survival messages that we have presented in the past. Although it is a few years off the digital generation will soon be those we are recruiting as the nation’s paramedics and firefighters.

The Alaska Department of Public Safety Fire Marshal’s office under former Fire Marshal Gary Powell and his deputy Jodie Hettrick, piloted a multi-year project to develop and implement a virtual world to teach fire and life safety to Alaskan rural children. This is truly revolutionary thinking for fire prevention. With funding from the FIRE Act, Raven Island, was created in the virtual world called Whyville. The technology used by Raven Island makes it possible to reach rural Alaskan’s as easy as it is to reach kids in Anchorage or Alabama with life saving knowledge and skills heretofore taught using the conventional poster, coloring contests and puppet shows. The technology is proven logistically as well educationally, and its ability to change attitudes and behavior is unprecedented. Visiting and learning in Raven Island is free to anyone who can access the Internet.

Alaska was a natural for such an endeavor, since its native children population is up to five times more likely to die or suffer injury from fire related causes than any other U.S. population group. Secondly the rural nature of Alaska’s villages and communities with their Internet access second to none made connecting much easier.

For the most part public educators in the fire service are on the leading edge as early adopter/adapters. They have often pushed the envelope of acceptable practices much to the chagrin of busy fire chiefs. It can be anticipated that fire service public educators will begin approaching chiefs suggesting that their fire prevention personnel not only be allowed to spend time in virtual worlds and other serious gaming environments to reach children to promote fire safety, but be encouraged to do so by their chief. Millions of children, tweens, teens and adults are online in gaming environment as you are reading this article. The digital generation will not only expect but will demand digital technology tools to help them do their jobs. Coleman’s example of early adopting and adaption of digital technologies for the fire service could easily be the justification for fire chiefs to say yes for using the tools new to our industry. At the very least we must remember that if we are to see attitudinal changes to fire injury and deaths in the United States, we need to do things differently than we have done them in the past.

Remember Albert Einstein described insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Rob Carnahan, CFO, is the former president of the National Society of Executive Fire Officers and the retired assistant fire chief of the Clackamas County (Ore.) Fire District. He previously serves as chief of Clackamas County Fire District No. 54. He is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program and of Portland State University. He has also chaired the Oregon State Board on Public Safety Standards and Training and served as an adjunct faculty member at Western Oregon University. Carnahan is a founding partner of Compelling Technologies Inc., a software developer. He has also worked as the fire program specialist for the Department of Homeland Security.

By Alex Cohilas

At 2:15 a.m. on March 2, 2007, Clayton County (Ga.) Fire Department Medic Four, an ALS ambulance staffed by Paramedic/Sgt. Darcy Blow and Firefighter/EMT LaQuinn Walker, was dispatched to a routine sick call. After assessing the patient, the unit reported to dispatch that it was transporting one female patient to Crawford Long Hospital, some 20 miles away. The dispatcher acknowledged the transmission, entered the time and made a mental note that Medic Four would be reporting arrival in about 15 minutes. Then, this came over the radio:

“Medic Four to Dispatch! We have been involved in a head-on collision with a wrong-way driver on I-75 in the city of Atlanta near Turner Field. The ambulance has overturned and we’re injured. Send help!”

Shift Supervisor/Capt. Bill Lowe was startled from his sleep around 3 a.m., hearing screams over the department’s EMS channel. Since the location was inside Atlanta, Clayton County’s 911 dispatch center alerted Atlanta police and fire and Grady Memorial EMS that firefighters were in trouble. Three of Clayton County’s four on-duty fire shift supervisors and two Clayton County ALS ambulances also responded to the location seven miles inside Atlanta city limits.

As Lowe drove at high speed to the accident scene, Medic Four’s crew kept trying to broadcast updates, but the signal was too garbled to understand. Clayton County’s 911 Center announced, “Atlanta police is on the scene reporting one fatality.” As Lowe approached the accident scene, an Atlanta police officer was directing all northbound I-75 traffic to exit the interstate before the accident scene. Lowe’s marked fire department Crown Victoria with emergency lights activated was allowed to approach the scene.

All five traffic lanes were covered in debris, and a full-size SUV was destroyed and resting against the median wall. Medic Four was overturned and resting on its passenger side as a dozen police officers, firefighters and paramedics worked at the back door trying to remove the injured firefighters and their patient. As Lowe approached the back of the ambulance, he could hear Blow yell, “Captain, we’re ok! We’re trying to get our patient extricated from the wreckage.”

Medic Four’s two firefighters and their original patient were extricated from the overturned ambulance. Grady EMS took responsibility for treating and continuing the transport of Medic Four’s original patient who had suffered serious injuries from the collision. Firefighter Blow and Walker both sustained bruises and lacerations from the accident and were transported by Clayton County Medic One to the hospital. The wrong-way driver was dead on the scene and trapped in his SUV.

I serve the dual-roles as both county fire chief and county emergency management director. I was the on-call executive staff chief. In Clayton County, the executive staff chiefs rotate being available for consultation if the four on-duty shift supervisors (two battalion chiefs and two captains) encounter unusual or serious issues. Whenever the phone rings late at night or early in the morning, it’s rarely good news.

As I was given an initial briefing, I started mentally organizing my actions. I feared for the health and safety of the firefighters. I was standing on the emergency room ambulance ramp, with others firefighters, when the ambulance arrived. After the doctor had completed his initial exam and I was satisfied that their medical needs were being met, I left the hospital to assess the accident scene. The two injured firefighters would be treated and released after a few hours of observation.

My initial view of the accident scene left me aghast at the devastation. The police’s lead accident-reconstruction expert’s initial findings were that Medic Four’s firefighters were completely clear of any fault in the accident. The investigator their lives were probably saved because they both had their seat belts on. The firefighter riding in the patient compartment providing patient care was most fortunate. The only warning he got was hearing his partner scream and then the ambulance rolled onto its right side and slammed onto the pavement. The patient remained strapped to the ambulance stretcher with a five-point restraint harness and the stretcher remained bolted to the ambulance frame.

The Clayton County Fire Department has a mandatory seat belt usage policy. Officers are responsible to ensure that all personnel are seated and belted before the apparatus can move. Furthermore, as an element of the department’s continuous quality improvement committee, all ambulance stretcher straps were recently upgraded to a five-point restraint harness system to provide patients more protection. Clearly the emphasis on seat belt use and driver awareness saved the lives of both firefighters and their patient.

Medic Four’s close call was discussed in Clayton’s 13 fire stations over the next few weeks, and firefighters went to the county’s impound lot to view the damage to the ambulance first-hand. There was much discussion of just how lucky the department was not to lose fellow firefighters.

In the aftermath of the accident, every Clayton County Fire Department employee, sworn and civilian, signed the National Fire Service Seat Belt Pledge. The pledge was created by Dr. Burton A. Clark, EFO, CFO, a program specialist at the National Fire Academy, to honor the memory of Amarillo (Texas) Firefighter Brian Hunton, who died in 2005 when he fell from a responding fire apparatus. One of the long-term goals established by Clark is have all firefighters wear their seatbelts every time they occupy a vehicle — both on or off duty.

The National Fire Service Seat Belt Pledge is a simple statement that offers an opportunity to save firefighters’ lives: “I pledge to wear my seat belt whenever I am riding in a fire department vehicle. I further pledge to insure that all my brother and sister firefighters riding with me wear their seatbelts. I am making this pledge willingly; to honor Brian Hunton, my brother firefighter, because wearing seatbelts is the right thing to do.”

Download pledge forms here. The lives of two Clayton County firefighters were saved because they took a moment to buckle up on the morning of March 2, 2007.

Alex Cohilas is fire chief and emergency management director for Clayton County, Ga., where he has worked for 31 years. Prior to his appointment as fire chief, he served as the president of the department’s largest employee organization for 10 years. Additionally, he was an investigator with one of the southeast’s most prominent law firms specializing in public administration law. Cohilas is a National Fire Service Staff and Command graduate, and a frequent author of fire service management topics.

Capt. Bill Lowe and Deputy Chief Jeff Hood, both with Clayton County Fire Department, contributed to this blog.