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“The Charleston 43” – Always Remember and Never Forget

On Friday, June 18, we mark the third anniversary of an enormously tragic incident in which nine Charleston, SC firefighters lost their lives battling a furniture store fire.

To mark the incident, there will be no shortage of written and video tributes to experience, no shortage of “ALWAYS REMEMBER”s and “NEVER FORGET”s, and no shortage of opportunity to buy a helmet sticker, purchase a lapel pin, and otherwise show others that you share some type of connection with this and other LODD incidents.

But do you?

This year, I implore you to try something a little different.

Take an additional step or two of effort and delve into the lessons we can learn from what happened that day.  This NIOSH report has about as many recommendations for improvement as any other I’ve run across.

I’ll save you the task of counting them out- there are 43.  Forty-frickin three.

This represents a huge responsibility for us, as professional firefighters, to arm ourselves with some of the ammo we’ll be able to use to make sure each of us actually goes home at the end of the day (not just wear the cool helmet sticker).

To see the entire NIOSH report, click here.  Allow me to enumerate the recommendations made, and ask you if any of them may apply to you or your department today, three years after the Charleston 9 lost their lives.

NIOSH investigators concluded that, to minimize the risk of similar occurrences, fire departments should:

  • develop, implement and enforce written standard operating procedures (SOPs) for an occupational safety and health program in accordance with NFPA 1500
  • develop, implement, and enforce a written Incident Management System to be followed at all emergency incident operations
  • develop, implement, and enforce written SOPs that identify incident management training standards and requirements for members expected to serve in command roles
  • ensure that the Incident Commander is clearly identified as the only individual with overall authority and responsibility for management of all activities at an incident
  • ensure that the Incident Commander conducts an initial size-up and risk assessment of the incident scene before beginning interior fire fighting operations
  • train fire fighters to communicate interior conditions to the Incident Commander as soon as possible and to provide regular updates
  • ensure that the Incident Commander establishes a stationary command post, maintains the role of director of fireground operations, and does not become involved in fire-fighting efforts
  • ensure the early implementation of division / group command into the Incident Command System
  • ensure that the Incident Commander continuously evaluates the risk versus gain when determining whether the fire suppression operation will be offensive or defensive
  • ensure that the Incident Commander maintains close accountability for all personnel operating on the fireground
  • ensure that a separate Incident Safety Officer, independent from the Incident Commander, is appointed at each structure fire
  • ensure that crew integrity is maintained during fire suppression operations
  • ensure that a rapid intervention crew (RIC) / rapid intervention team (RIT) is established and available to immediately respond to emergency rescue incidents
  • ensure that adequate numbers of staff are available to immediately respond to emergency incidents
  • ensure that ventilation to release heat and smoke is closely coordinated with interior fire suppression operations
  • conduct pre-incident planning inspections of buildings within their jurisdictions to facilitate development of safe fireground strategies and tactics
  • consider establishing and enforcing standardized resource deployment approaches and utilize dispatch entities to move resources to fill service gaps
  • develop and coordinate pre-incident planning protocols with mutual aid departments
  • ensure that any offensive attack is conducted using adequate fire streams based on characteristics of the structure and fuel load present
  • ensure that an adequate water supply is established and maintained
  • consider using exit locators such as high intensity floodlights or flashing strobe lights to guide lost or disoriented fire fighters to the exit
  • ensure that Mayday transmissions are received and prioritized by the Incident Commander
  • train fire fighters on actions to take if they become trapped or disoriented inside a burning structure
  • ensure that all fire fighters and line officers receive fundamental and annual refresher training according to NFPA 1001 and NFPA 1021
  • implement joint training on response protocols with mutual aid departments
  • ensure apparatus operators are properly trained and familiar with their apparatus
  • protect stretched hose lines from vehicular traffic and work with law enforcement or other appropriate agencies to provide traffic control
  • ensure that fire fighters wear a full array of turnout clothing and personal protective equipment appropriate for the assigned task while participating in fire suppression and overhaul activities
  • ensure that fire fighters are trained in air management techniques to ensure they receive the maximum benefit from their self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)
  • develop, implement and enforce written SOPS to ensure that SCBA cylinders are fully charged and ready for use
  • use thermal imaging cameras (TICs) during the initial size-up and search phases of a fire
  • develop, implement and enforce written SOPs and provide fire fighters with training on the hazards of truss construction
  • establish a system to facilitate the reporting of unsafe conditions or code violations to the appropriate authorities
  • ensure that fire fighters and emergency responders are provided with effective incident rehabilitation
  • provide fire fighters with station / work uniforms (e.g., pants and shirts) that are compliant with NFPA 1975 and ensure the use and proper care of these garments.

Additionally, federal and state occupational safety and health administrations should:

  • consider developing additional regulations to improve the safety of fire fighters, including adopting National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) consensus standards.

Additionally, manufacturers, equipment designers, and researchers should:

  • continue to develop and refine durable, easy-to-use radio systems to enhance verbal and radio communication in conjunction with properly worn SCBA
  • conduct research into refining existing and developing new technology to track the movement of fire fighters inside structures.

Additionally, code setting organizations and municipalities should:

  • require the use of sprinkler systems in commercial structures, especially ones having high fuel loads and other unique life-safety hazards, and establish retroactive requirements for the installation of fire sprinkler systems when additions to commercial buildings increase the fire and life safety hazards
  • require the use of automatic ventilation systems in large commercial structures, especially ones having high fuel loads and other unique life-safety hazards.

Additionally, municipalities and local authorities having jurisdiction should:

  • coordinate the collection of building information and the sharing of information between building authorities and fire departments
  • consider establishing one central dispatch center to coordinate and communicate activities involving units from multiple jurisdictions
  • ensure that fire departments responding to mutual aid incidents are equipped with mobile and portable communications equipment that are capable of handling the volume of radio traffic and allow communications among all responding companies within their jurisdiction.

Do any of these recommendations apply to your department or agency?  Of course they do.  Now work with your fellow leaders and make the changes that need to be made.

The events of June 18, 2007 are tragic indeed.  Failing to accept and learn from the recommendations is a disrespectful slap in the face to the Charleston 9, their families and friends, and the fine firefighters who were so greatly affected on that fateful evening.

So if you sport a cool Charleston 9 t-shirt , or if their sticker adorns your helmet, or you utter the phrase “Never Forget” every June 18, back it up with the knowledge that you took the effort to learn from what happened that day- and took the extra time to apply it to the way you operate on the fireground.

I say THAT’S the memory that Brad, Billy, Mark, Michael, Melvin, Earl, Mike, Louis, and Brandon are counting on you to never forget.

-J

Posted in Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, In the Line of Duty, LODD, Leadership, Line of Duty, Major Incidents, Never Forget, News, Training & Development

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Posted by John Mitchell on June 15, 2010 • View Comments

If We Do What We’ve Always Done, We’ll Get What We’ve Always Gotten…

The Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse Fire left the most indelible impression in my mind.

I imagined myself on the scene in one of three roles.  First, as a trapped firefighter in sheer terror wondering where the cavalry was.  Second, as a brother firefighter pleading, begging, nearly physically forcing his way past a Chief who would deny entry for yet another set of firefighters to die.  And finally, the Chief who denied entry, despite the verbal assaults, the M-Fing, and the physical altercation, stood his ground at the door denying the Worcester 6 would become the Worcester 8 or the Worcester 12.  Although I imagined myself in all three of these positions, I could never truly comprehend the raw emotion on that fireground that day.

God bless them all.

I could rehash the story of the Worcester 6, but it has been so heavily publicized by authors much more capable than I.  I won’t waste your time with my retelling of one of the most tragic incidents in fire service history.

I would rather take the opportunity offered by the First Due Blog Carnival to express my disgust with those in the service who make no changes to the way their agency operates based on the findings of the NIOSH reports.  It’s not that the reports are hard to find, they are rubbed in our noses constantly.  Why?  Because many are not doing a damn thing on a local level from lessons learned by brave firefighters who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

If this applies to you, shame on you.

Make it a point to go over the recommendations offered and apply them to your agency.  Make it a training opportunity so that each of your firefighters can learn the lessons of those who have gone before them.  Challenge your members to get involved and create an atmosphere of open and robust communication designed to make the changes necessary to ensure that your department is not the next department highlighted by NIOSH.  Sadly we are in the mindset that this stuff only happens to the other department.  Guess what?  To those departments, WE are the other department.

If you can’t do this, then relinquish your position of leadership to someone who gives a damn about their firefighters.

Late last year, I randomly selected several NIOSH reports and culled their recommendations.  See if you can detect a pattern.  See if your department can benefit by a change in your procedures, your approach, your mindset, based on the recommendations offered.

Make a difference.  Do it now.

Allow me to cheat a bit by re-posting the information as my contribution to this month’s First Due Blog Carnival.  Special thanks to Bill Carey of BackstepFirefighter for hosting this month’s topic.

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I see that NIOSH reports have popped up on the radar of the blogosphere recently.  Frankly, I’m surprised at the heat a few have been giving them.  Maybe I’ve been missing something (it’s happened before). So I took a closer look.
We already know that heart attacks and traffic accidents are the main murderers of us firefighters, so I’m sure we’ve already dedicated the necessary resources to firefighter health and safety initiatives and accident scene safeguards to keep these killers from having free reign over our troops.
Right?
So, I went to the Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation Reports page from NIOSH and randomly picked 5 of the reports with deaths involving fire suppression. I was looking for patterns. Guess what I found….
NIOSH Report 2008-26

A residential basement fire had been burning for over 30 minutes. A crew was directed to enter the first floor to perform horizontal ventilation and found a spongy floor. The last (victim) of the four-man crew was just about out when the floor collapsed into the basement on top of working crews. Heavy smoke conditions hampered efforts to locate the victim and he died on the scene.

Among the NIOSH recommendations:

Sizeup, Risk/Gain “ensure that the incident commander (IC) conducts a 360 degree size-up which includes risk versus gain analysis prior to committing interior operations and continues risk assessments throughout the operations”

SOP’s/SOG’s- “ensure that standard operating procedures are established for a basement fire”

Coordinated Ventilation- “ensure that proper ventilation is done to improve interior conditions and is coordinated with the interior attack”

TIC- “ensure that interior crews are equipped with a thermal imaging camera”

RIT/RIC- “ensure that Rapid Intervention Teams are staged and ready”

NIOSH Report 2008-34

One of only three firefighters on the scene, the victim entered a burning residence alone with a partially-charged 1 ½ inch line and became lost in thick-black smoke, radioing for help from the other two. They couldn’t locate him, a flashover occurred, and the home became fully engulfed. A cop found him an hour later.

Among the NIOSH recommendations:

Size-up, Risk/Gain- “ensure that officers and fire fighters know how to evaluate risk versus gain and perform a thorough scene size-up before initiating interior strategies and tactics”

SOP’s/SOG’s- “develop, implement, and enforce written standard operating procedures (SOPs) for fireground operations”

Staffing- “ensure that adequate numbers of apparatus and fire fighters are on scene before initiating an offensive fire attack in a structure fire”

Coordinated Ventilation- “ensure that properly coordinated ventilation is conducted on structure fires”

RIT/RIC- “ensure that a rapid intervention team (RIT) is established and available at structure fires”

SCBA- “ensure fire fighters are trained in essential self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and emergency survival skills”

Mayday- “ensure that protocols are developed on issuing a Mayday so that fire fighters and dispatch centers know how to respond”

NIOSH Report 2008-08

30 minutes into a residential fire, crews had been pulled out. A decision was made to send a crew back in to extinguish the fire. A crew of 3 (A/C, Capt, FF) made their way into the basement of the burning structure with an 1¾ line. One by one they evacuated due to conditions. The third never came up the stairs. RIT was activated but repelled by the heat. Victim found an hour later.

Among the NIOSH recommendations:

Risk vs. Gain- “ensure that the Incident Commander continuously evaluates the risks versus gain when determining whether the fire suppression operation will be offensive or defensive“

SOP’s/SOG’s- “review, revise as necessary, and enforce standard operating guidelines (SOGs) to include specific procedures for basement fires and two-in/ two-out procedures“

TIC- “enforce standard operating guidelines (SOGs) regarding thermal imaging camera (TIC) use during interior operations“

Mayday- “ensure that fire fighters are trained on initiating Mayday radio transmissions immediately when they are in distress, and/or become lost or trapped“

NIOSH Report 2008-06

Without the protection of a charged hoseline, a Lt and FF (victim) were searching a 2-story residence for a trapped occupant. They did not know where the victim was and had no TIC. Conditions deteriorated, trapping the two on the second floor. The LT exited the front door and RIT was deployed to get the victim. Both were hospitalized and the victim succumbed to burn injuries 5 days later.

Among the NIOSH recommendations:

Size-up- “ensure the Incident Commander receives pertinent information during the size-up (i.e., type of structure, number of occupants in the structure, etc.) from occupants on scene and that information is relayed to crews upon arrival”

SOP’s/SOG’s- “develop, implement, and enforce written standard operating procedures (SOPs) for fireground operations”

Coordinated Ventilation- “ensure ventilation is coordinated with interior fireground operations”

TIC- “ensure that fire fighters conducting an interior search have a thermal imaging camera”

Mayday- “ensure that Mayday protocols are developed and followed”

NIOSH Report 2007-32

Two firefighters died while conducting an interior attack to locate, confine, and extinguish a fire located in the cockloft of a restaurant. One victim had been flowing water into the cockloft from the kitchen, another had been checking for fire extension in the main dining area. At about 5 minutes in, a rapid fire event occurred.

Among the NIOSH recommendations:

Size-up- Risk vs. Gain- “ensure that the incident commander conducts an initial size-up and risk assessment of the incident scene before beginning interior fire fighting operations and continually evaluates the conditions to determine if the operations should become defensive”

SOP’s/SOG’s- “develop, implement and enforce written standard operating procedures (SOPs) that address the hazards and define the strategies and tactics to be used while operating at specific structures known as “taxpayers”

Coordinated Ventilation- “ensure that fire fighters understand the influence of ventilation on fire behavior and coordinate with interior fire suppression operations”

RIT/RIC- “ensure that a rapid intervention crew (RIC) / rapid intervention team (RIT) is established and available to immediately respond to emergency rescue incidents”

TIC- “use thermal imaging cameras (TICs) during the initial size-up and search phases of a fire”

Any patterns?
Size-up, Risk vs. Gain- Does your first in crew perform a 360 and report an accurate size up of conditions to all others? Is a risk vs. gain assessment actually made? Are your initial tactics based upon these findings?
Why not? Didn’t you try to implement the NIOSH recommendations to keep from killing your firefighters?
Are your SOP’s/SOG’s current to the ever-changing tasks being performed at your incidents? Do you follow them? Do you even have any?
Why not? Didn’t you try to implement the NIOSH recommendations to keep from killing your firefighters?
Is ventilation performed early and integrated with your interior attack? Or has ventilation worked its way down to fifth or sixth on your list of priorities? After all, it will eventually vent itself.
Why not? Didn’t you try to implement the NIOSH recommendations to keep from killing your firefighters?
Is a RIT/RIC established early on? If you don’t have the personnel to form a RIT/RIC, do you have a mutual aid response to give you the number of firefighters needed to operate safely?
Why not? Didn’t you try to implement the NIOSH recommendations to keep from killing your firefighters?
Does your department have at least one Thermal Imaging Camera? It’s been called the best thing since SCBA in many firefighting circles. You have SCBA, right? Does your department know to call a Mayday early? Too macho to call it? Does EVERYONE ON THE SCENE know what to do when a Mayday is called?
Why not? Didn’t you try to implement the NIOSH recommendations to keep from killing your firefighters?
WHY ARE WE NOT FOLLOWING THROUGH?
Are the reports too difficult to understand? Perhaps we need to dumb them down or fluff them up? Fine. I’m all for whatever it takes.
But let’s not forget that the reports are just that- reports. We need to make the changes, NIOSH ain’t gonna do that for us.
So read the reports, see how they killed our brothers, and take a hard look at how you and your department operate.
THEN IMPLEMENT THE CHANGES YOU NEED TO KEEP YOUR GUYS ALIVE.
Because if we continue to do it the same way, we’ll get what we’ve always gotten. Another NIOSH report with the same ol’ stuff.

Posted in Administration & Leadership, Change, Command & Leadership, Firefighting Operations, Funding & Staffing, In the Line of Duty, LODD, Leadership, Line of Duty, Never Forget, News, Staffing, Training, Training & Development, WTF?, training-fire-rescue-topics

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Posted by John Mitchell on April 28, 2010 • View Comments

A St. Patrick’s Day Salute to CFD Chief Eddie Enright

When I think of St. Patrick’s Day and the fire service, many things come to mind.  One of those thoughts bubbling up to the surface brings a smile to my face every time. Indulge me with a re-post recognizing the value an experienced veteran with the right approach can bring to all of us, young and old.

With that perspective, I offer up a special note to third-generation firefighter retired Chicago Fire Department Deputy District Chief Eddie Enright who has over 38 years of duty having been assigned to engine, truck, and squad companies after serving his country in Vietnam.  As he would say:

“Only 0 more days til St. Patrick’s Day”

* * * * *

Over the years, I’ve attended a boatload of fire training classes which emphasized leadership, training, and safety. Most were team-taught. A primary instructor would be there periodically, accompanied by a great group of “assisting instructors” who would each bring a certain level of expertise to the specific topic at hand.

There were lesson plans to be followed, objectives to be addressed and met, and the test to prove that learning had occurred. It’s a method of learning quite familiar with firefighters worldwide.

But sometimes, the Fire Gods might truly smile down upon you and bless you.

As you’re sitting in the classroom waiting for the course to begin, you wonder where all the instructors went. Just then, you hear guffaws of laughter just out of sight (probably damn near the coffee and doughnuts). What’s going on?

“Da Chief” is in the building.old fire helmet

Not necessarily the current department chief, but certainly a chief nonetheless.

He’s been around for decades and he’s seen it all. He rose up through the ranks and gained the respect from his peers the old-fashioned way. “Da Chief” earned it.

He knows how to handle the pick-head ax just as well as how to handle the politicians. He knows BS when he sees it and he doesn’t hesitate to call it out.

Just like Underdog, he is humble and loveable. He listens to everyone’s views and becomes E.F. Hutton: When “Da Chief” begins to speak- everyone listens.

Down to earth. Real.

When you are blessed with the presence of this special guy, drop everything you are doing and be near him. Hear what he has to say. Drink it all in.

Not only do you learn from his experience and wisdom, but, more importantly, from the way he relates to those around him. He does not condescend to the rookies; he gives no guff to those with whom he may disagree. He is compassionate and concerned. His smile is contagious and his love of the fire service is completely evident. He fills you with motivation and oozes tradition.

buy him a beer While reading this, do I have you thinking about someone you know that could be like “Da Chief”? If so, make it a point to get him to engage with you and your group. Buy him a beer after class.

It will be the best time you can spend in any fire service training session.

WordPress Tags: IFSI,Enright,leadership,wisdom,motivation,tradition,Chicago,Eddie

Posted in Administration & Leadership, Chicagoland, In Da House, Just For Fun, Leadership

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Posted by John Mitchell on March 17, 2010 • View Comments

360 Burn Size-up of the Fire Web 3/2/2010

The Dance of the Company Officer

We start out this week by pointing to one of my “favoritest” partner bloggers at FireEMSblogs, Mick Mayers of FirehouseZen.

You know, I really enjoy the dance that occurs between the top and the bottom in the fire service organization.  At the top, the vision and direction of the group are put into play.  Those at the bottom need to accept, or buy into that vision in order for the group to move forward in a unified and cohesive manner.

In the middle we find the officers and supervisors.  Their commitment to the success of the organization is demonstrated by the way they convey the direction and vision from the top to their subordinates.  If they are effective, the organization becomes a well-oiled machine.  However if they don’t buy into the message, there is little hope for their subordinates to do the same.

This is where the officer needs to be able to put the needs of the organization ahead of the need to be pals with their guys.  This is one of the most difficult issues facing company officers.

Therein lies the dance.

As usual, this issue of change and leadership is best addressed by Chief Mick Mayers over at FirehouseZen.  From his latest post entitled “Get Everyone on Board”:

“Regardless of your organization, you are going to have personnel who are resistant to change, and while the troops may or may not decide to go willingly, it is a requirement that your officers or supervisors are.  If your small unit leaders aren’t on board, don’t count on the personnel they supervise joining in to resist them.  It will be much easier on those troops if they can get along with their misdirected officer than if they embrace the change, so you can count on the message not getting through when it is most needed.”

Read his post as there is much more on this topic that is important for all your officers to understand.

Fire Rescue TV

Check out Fire Rescue TV- a new website for firefighters that brings breaking news,new product reviews, and a special weekly fire rescue TV news segment.  All the video is extremely professional and rivals anything found on your home TV.

When we spoke with Executive Producer Martin Grube last week on Firefighter NetCast, he revealed an additional exciting element they have planned.  They will be visiting various firehouses and accompanying their crews during all aspects of the cooking portion of their shift.  Starting with planning, then shopping, then cooking and eating, Fire Rescue TV will follow the entire process from start to finish.  If the station’s crew draws a call, the video crew tags along as well. It’s a unique way for non-firefighters to witness this daily station activity.

So if you are in the mid-Atlantic region and want some excellent exposure of your department, invite Fire Rescue TV to your station!  They also welcome video submissions as well.  Make this new site a regular stop when perusing the interwebs.

Pole-Dancing Fireman

Speaking of videos, here’s some dessert for making it this far in the 360 Burn today.  This came to me courtesy of a tweet from our friend Chester Kopco, AKA FatherCabbage on the twitters.  It reminds me of someone I know.  Howabout you?

Stay stoked!

-J

Posted in 360 Burn, Change, Command & Leadership, Just For Fun, Leadership, Technology & Communications, Videos

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Posted by John Mitchell on March 2, 2010 • View Comments

How Many Tasers Are Needed to Squelch an Assistant Chief?

Fire Chief and Assistant Fire Chief Arrested During Firefighting Operations

Last Sunday, the “leaders” of the Franklin Township Fire Department put on quite a show, causing Pennsylvania State Police to step in, forcing the duo to end their two-act play before their curtain call.

According to a report by James Loewenstein at TheDailyReview.com, the Assistant Chief was not satisfied with the way Monroe Hose Company,led by Fire Chief Paul Bump, was putting out the fire at his house, Assistant Fire Chief Dale Stranger was yelling and shouting at firefighters on the scene and “had to be detained by fire personnel on scene,” Pennsylvania State Trooper Ben Bigus said.

Firefighters just wanted him to calm down or leave, but eventually were forced to summon police so they could continue their suppression activities without the irate interference of this highly-trained professional.

Upon arrival, state troopers ordered Dale Stranger to cease his actions.  However, he “again became disorderly and was taken into custody” after two TASERS were used on him, the state police said in their press release.

Donald Stranger, 61, of Monroeton, who is the chief of the Franklin Township Volunteer Fire Company, was also arrested when he  “became disorderly after failing to comply with orders from the state police,” the press release said.

So, the answer is two.

Posted in Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, Firefighting Operations, Leadership, News, WTF?

Posted by John Mitchell on February 2, 2010 • View Comments

360 Burn Size Up of the Fire Web- 1/13/10

And the Winner is……….

Mark Glencourse, the creator of Medic999, emerged victorious in what ended up to be a neck-and-neck race to the finish for the Best Fire/EMS Blog of 2009.  Congratulations, Mark!

FireGeezer sure gave him a run for his money, as they each traded leads in the exciting final stretch.  But Mark had an entire Kingdom of loyal readers mobilized and they came through as the contest ended last night. He stayed up late (1:00 am UK time) to take the honor of becoming the first guest on the live premiere edition of FirefighterNetCast to accept his “award”.

Obvious to all but the most childish (;->), no one here wanted an Oscar or was hurt because they weren’t considered or didn’t win.

There are no trophies, but there is the sheer triumphant joy of “bragging rights”. Those that truly know the fire and EMS services can appreciate the value bragging rights bring.

On the NetCast, Mark spoke eloquently to the goal of the “contest”: a means by which to expand the awareness of so many excellent bloggers out there, whether in the contest or not.

He is “spot-on” (methinks is a favourite saying acrost the pond) with that viewpoint.   We really are fortunate to have so many high-quality bloggers sharing their thoughts, views, and perspectives.  If you have a few favorites which you regularly visit, be sure to take time to check out some of the other talent out there as well.

To those of us who lost and have the bitter taste of defeat today- I say- wash that taste away with a high-end lager and say what we always say here in in The Windy City (home of the Cubs): “Just wait ‘til next year!”

You can read Mark’s reaction to his win here.

Appreciation must go out to my buddy and partner Rhett Fleitz over at FireCritic for spending is valuable time, talent, and treasure in creating and hosting the contest.  If he wasn’t running the project, there is no doubt you would have seen FireCritic vying for the gold as well.

Also a quick shout-out to my Mom- Hi Mom, thanks for voting for me!  Yep, just you and 14 others!  No, it’s OK, I’m fine.  Again…

Congratulations again to Mark, as well as all the other fire and EMS bloggers.  Let the 2010 games begin now!

Helmet Cam and the Outside Vent Guy

Speaking of excellence in fire/EMS blogging, head on over to Traditions Training Blog and catch an excellent helmet-cam video of DC Firefighter Joe Brown as he performs the tasks as the “Outside Vent Guy”.  While viewing the video, Joe adds important training tips on laddering, opening up windows, gaining access, and vent-enter-search practices.  This is a must-see video for any firefighter that wants to be on top of his game as a truckie.

You may also want to check out Joe in yet another DC Fire helmet cam video of ”Outside Vent Guy” at my earlier post, “Be This Guy.”

We are so pleased to have Traditions Training Blog as one of our newest partners here on FireEMSblogs.  Traditions Training is composed of fire department veterans from around the country, including the Washington, D.C. metro area and City of New York. The mission of Traditions Training is to teach “beyond the book” and provide knowledge and skills that will enhance your safety, efficiency, and knowledge as a firefighter.  Be sure to bookmark them and stop in regularly!

Too Aggressive or Too Safety-Conscious?

One other member new to FireEMSblogs.com, but certainly a seasoned veteran fire chief and nationally-recognized fire service leader and educator, Christopher J. Naum joins us with his newest blog The Company Officer.

In a recent post entitled Company Fortitude & Courage to be Safety Conscious,  Chris tells us that “dynamic risks must be managed at the company level with a balanced approach of effective assessment, analysis and probability within company and command decision making that results in safety conscious strategies and tactics.”

Does your company have this level of courage, or is there room to evaluate your ability to recognize the situation and adjust the manner in which you accomplish your fireground tasks?  Let this blog plant a seed in your head as you embark out into the new year.

Content Was King!

A final thank you to all who listened and participated in the live premier of Firefighter NetCast Tuesday night.  Despite the technical glitches that seem to always be lurking in the shadows, Rhett and I were absolutely thrilled and honored to have the caliber of discussion and listener participation to make the show truly special.  Special thanks to our featured guest, Bill Carey over at Backstep Firefighter for his vast knowledge and continued focus on Line of Duty Deaths.

A live netcast brings special surprises, as we found out by calls from Chief Art Goodrich (Chief Reason Art) and Christopher Naum (see above).  The interaction between these three guests was simply extraordinary.  I believe this may have been the first time these gentlemen spoke together on one show, as well as relating to input from our listeners in the live chat room.  We are indeed proud to be a part of that.

If you missed it, you can link to the raw feed at our site (hurry, before I have a chance to splice and dice out the glitches!) and make it available on iTunes.

Our next NetCast will also be live, this time at 9pm ET on February 4.  The featured topic will be Old School vs. New School and Social Media.  All the information can be found here.  We hope you can join us!

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Human Horror

As we watch the unimaginable human horror unfolding in Haiti where thousands have perished in the most intense earthquake there in 200 years, our hearts pour out to all those affected.  On a personal note, our family has an adopted child next door in the Dominican Republic and despite several attempts, we still aren’t able to determine her conditions.  Please pray for all of the victims.

We are so proud of the USAR teams and other specialized rescue workers from the United States who are either mobilizing now or are already on scene doing what they do best.

An earthquake survivor carries a small baby in a shanty town on the outskirts of Port au Prince, following a major earthquake in Haiti, Tuesday Jan. 12, 2010. (AP Photo/Matt Marek/American Red Cross, ho)

Posted in 360 Burn, Command & Leadership, Disasters, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, In the Line of Duty, LODD, Leadership, Line of Duty, NetCast, News, Tips and Tricks, Training, Training & Development, Videos, training-fire-rescue-topics

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Posted by John Mitchell on January 13, 2010 • View Comments

What Would You Do?- Suspicious Item

You are the company officer on a jump company engine with a crew of three.  The dispatcher calls you on the phone and tells you she’s received a report from a passer-by of a “suspicious-looking bottle” lying in the ditch in a rural portion of your response district.  You tell her that you and your crew will head out and check on it.

After you arrive in the area, you begin your search of the ditch line, looking for a plastic bottle with a bright blue liquid in it.  After a few moments, you find it and take a closer look.

It’s a clear two-liter pop bottle about 2/3 full of a bright blue liquid.  Not Gatorade blue, but even “brighter”.  You notice there’s no label on the bottle, but evidence that there had been at one time as it appears a paper label had been removed.  There is a non-descript white twist cap closing up the bottle.  Nothing else is nearby that would not otherwise be found in a roadway ditch.

It seems like the next call is yours here.  What would you do with this incident?

Posted in HazMat, Leadership, Training & Development

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Posted by John Mitchell on January 5, 2010 • View Comments

360 Burn Size-Up of the Fire Web 1/2/10

Stupidity, Buttons, and Balls- Oh, my!

With the holidays behind us, it feels good to me to get back into some type of routine.  Sipping a homemade three-shot sugar-free vanilla skim latte from my newly-aqcuired FireGeezer mug, one of the first things to do is to sit and flush.  Then I’m off to sit and flush again.

Whilst whistling Mr. Postman, I sit down and open my email, clicking through things to flush into my deleted items folder in a great attempt to stay ahead of the email pile that will surely accumulate.  Items that catch my eye are temporarily pardoned for future perusal.

This morning, the folks at FirefighterCloseCalls and The Secret List sent an email referring us all to their post Stupid Message, Buttons, Balls, and Forgetting the Secret List .  It takes about a minute or so to read.  I would urge you all to pause just one moment and start off the new year with these special thoughts.

How Would You Like to Be in This Academy Class?

Many times during the hunt for interesting blogs, we find ourselves stumbling upon something we’ve never before seen.  During one such hunt, Tiger Schmittendorf tripped over this blog written by St. Paul MN Fire Chief Tim Butler titled On Scene with Car One.  In recent years, St. Paul Fire Department has had some pretty public issues between firefighters and management.  If this blog is any indication, those days seem to be fading into the past.  Although not required to do so, and with decades of fire service already under his belt, Chief Butler has decided to attend and complete his own department’s academy as a recruit.

“Fundamentally, I believe that all members of the Saint Paul Fire Department’s uniformed division must share a common bond – a common culture – and a shared base of experience and perspective. We all must be confident in each member’s ability to operate safely and effectively on an incident scene or when representing our department to the public. It shouldn’t matter if we’re assigned to a hazardous materials team, an Advanced Life Support medic rig, or the Chief’s office – all of us should share the core competency and the shared experience of being first – and foremost – a firefighter.”  -Chief Tim Butler

How refreshing.  Thanks for sharing, Chief!  We’ll be watching.

God help anyone who finishes behind you.  Or ahead of you.

Cast Your Vote for Fire EMS Blog of the Year 2009

If you haven’t heard already, a contest is being held over at Fire Critic’s site.  We’re looking for the Best Fire/EMS Blog of 2009.  Voting is open for a few more days, so I urge you to take a couple seconds to shine the spotlight upon the blog you feel best fulfills the following criteria:

Caliber of posts relating to the Fire and/or EMS fields

Design elements in their blog

Professionalism towards our service(s)

Use of other social media to extend the network of their blog

Longevity as a blogger

Nomination period:

Begins on December 30, 2009 at 1500 hours EST and concludes on January 5, 2010 at 1459 hours EST.  Ten finalists will be picked by our judges (TBA) from the list of eligible nominees.

Read more information here…

(just one “l” in Daily)

Well, I’m out of latte for a moment.  I’ll trek back upstairs and schpritz up another.  If you had stock in Starbuck’s, dump it now.  Lori, Sue, and Rose will be seeing much less of their best customer as I’ve become my own barista.

Stay Stoked!

-J

Posted in 360 Burn, Administration & Leadership, Just For Fun, Leadership

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Posted by John Mitchell on January 2, 2010 • View Comments

Fire YesterDaily- “Da Chief”

Der Tannenbaum ist lit.  Der blogmeisterberger ist lit too.

As we approach the end of the year, the crack staff here at FireDaily has taken advantage of the open bar.  What better time than now to return to the thrilling days of YesterMonth for the third installment of “Two Thousand and Nine Favorite FireDaily Blog Posts from 2009”.

In case you missed the first two, you can find them here:

#2009-  Got a Bad Attitude?  Stay at Home!

#2008- 30 Minutes a Week of Training is Unfair and “Unreal”

#2007- “Da Chief”

Sometimes the Fire Gods might truly smile down upon you.  When you are blessed with the presence of this special guy, drop everything you are doing and be near him. Hear what he has to say. Drink it all in… (full post here)

In the meantime, we’d better get the rest of the bar checked out.  I’ll put some more ice on….

Posted in Chicagoland, In Da House, Leadership, Tips and Tricks, Tradition, Training

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Posted by John Mitchell on December 17, 2009 • View Comments

360 Burn Size-up of the Fire Web 12/3/2009

Ten Years Ago Today

On December 3, 1999, the Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse Fire took the lives of six firefighters.  Head on over to FirefighterCloseCalls.com for a full report, complete with links to articles, photos, audio, and much more.

Follow that up with a read of an article entitled “A Chief’s Perspective” by retired Worcester District Fire Chief Michael O. McNamee and hope you never have to go through his nightmare. With trapped crews inside and after others had gone in to save them,  Chief McNamee ordered that no more firefighters go in.  He was met with heated threats of physical violence by his firefighters on the scene, many demanding to allow them to go in to rescue their brothers.  But he hung firm- and in doing so stopped that massive fire from killing any more of his men that night.  Thanks, Chief.  Use the information at FirefighterCloseCalls.com to create a training session for everyone on your department, especially for the newer guys who may never have heard the tragic details.

More is Less is Less is More

Did you catch the post by FireGeezer on Tuesday about the Newark (OH) fire chief who did the math?  Turns out that hiring more firefighters resulted in less overtime costs (way less).  Read the story about how fire chief Jack Stickradt was able to show the city manager how it could be done, after which the mayor followed suit.  Now with more firefighters, there’s les OT, less injuries, and more safety.  Hmmm.I’ve always wondered why a municipality would want to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars rather than hire more people…

Next on the horizon for firefighters?   Personal air conditioning…ahhhhhh…

Colorado State University engineering professors are using a $917,000 Fire Prevention and Safety Grant to develop technology that would protect firefighters’ cardiovascular health and stave off heat stress. Researchers will use a device called the SCAMP (Super Critical Air Mobility Pack) device from Niwot Technologies that can cool firefighters and hazmat teams as they work. SCAMP was developed for and used by NASA astronauts 20 years ago and uses cryogenically-cooled air in a thin compact case. Their work looks to help alleviate the number one cause of firefighter line-of-duty deaths (cardiovascular failure- 43% of all deaths) by providing up to four hours of purified air and body cooling. See more here.

Posted in 360 Burn, Command & Leadership, Firefighter Safety & Health, Funding & Staffing, In the Line of Duty, LODD, Leadership, Line of Duty, Major Incidents, Never Forget, News, Staffing, training-fire-rescue-topics

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Posted by John Mitchell on December 3, 2009 • View Comments

With the Mayoral Election Behind Them and Arbitration Looming, Boston Local 718 Faces New Challenges

Boston firefighters may have had enough. After more than three years they are still working without a contract, and many are just plain pissed.

Ed Kelly, president of Boston Firefighters Local 718, is on the receiving end of the firefighters ire. Unable to secure a contract in “contentious” negotiations, they say Kelly then spent $150,000 in advertising in a failed attempt to unseat powerful Mayor Thomas M. Menino last week.

Firefighters had mounted a heavy battle to keep Menino from winning an unprecedented fifth four-year term, hoping to get a new negotiating partner and approve a more palatable contract. Now they’ll have to chance arbitration set for December, with a ruling three to five months away after that.

Contract negotiations had stalled when the union would not accept the city’s demands for random drug and alcohol testing A fatal ladder truck accident last year blamed on brake failure also put equipment maintenance in the spotlight.

Kelly offered no regrets on his election role. “The Boston firefighters stood together,” he said. “Unfortunately our candidate did not win, but we showed that we are willing to stand up to get true reform.”

Yes, they did. Nearly $45,000 was contributed between the local and individual firefighters loyal to the effort.

With the contentious election behind them, it appears that many within Local 718 are starting to look for new blood at the top. ”There is a hunger for new leadership,” said a 52-year-old firefighter who asked his name be withheld. “We have waited long enough for a contract, and this plan clearly did not work.”

In fact, the arbitrator’s ruling could decide Kelly’s fate, one high-ranking firefighter surmised, saying, “If it falls unfavorably to us, the membership is gonna want a change.”

Posted in Administration & Leadership, Brotherhood, IAFF, Leadership, News

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Posted by John Mitchell on November 8, 2009 • View Comments

Those Who Are Tardy Do Not Get Fruit Cup

I’m sure we can all agree that our company works best when the same players are involved. There is a certain synchronicity that emerges during any given situation. The left hand knows what the right hand is doing. The first arriving officer is doing his/her thing, the pipe is leading out, the engineer is making connections. It’s well-oiled machine.

Oh sure, there are the occasional times when the machine develops a burp or two, but the problems are usually quickly ironed out and soon the team is humming along on all eight cylinders once again. When the players are the same, continuity exists.

But we are never assured of the luxury of having the same guys every shift. Duty trades and overtime fill-ins for vacations and illnesses result in a continually-changing group, constantly trying to mesh. Even with SOG’s/SOP’s in place, the chemistry is just a little different. In the fire service, this difference invariably leads to more burps. And if not pre-treated with a little pre-incident briefing, those burps could escalate into full-blown projectile vomiting.

In Mel Brooks’ High Anxiety, Nurse Diesel saw the importance of immediately informing the new head shrink, Dr. Thorndyke, of the rules that were to be followed at the Institute for the Very Very Nervous. While your approach may not be the same, the timing is all-important: make it happen immediately.

It is the responsibility of the company officer to recognize the challenges his/her company will face when a visiting member is a new part of the team. The CO needs to make sure that everyone is on the same page. Make it a point to remind the troops to focus on the little things that make it gel. Who will be grabbing what tool? Who will be on the tip? Do you do a left-hand search?

For career companies, this should be addressed before anything else. As a CO, I’ve found that a simple reminder to my regular guys to facilitate the discussion with our visiting player is all it takes. As they engage with each other on what is expected, the cohesive element of the company starts to take shape and we can anticipate that team-approach so necessary to a productive and viable company.

Volunteer officers may have the added challenge of trying to craft a well-oiled machine during the response. With sirens wailing in the background, make sure each member knows what their first few steps should be so that you “hit the ground running” upon arrival, reducing the possibility of a “clustercluck” developing.

“OK guys, it sounds like we’re the second engine in. Unless you hear otherwise, we’ll be establishing a supply line to the first-in engine. We’ll be doing a forward lay, so Joe, you make the hydrant connection…” and so on.

Operating efficiently and productively helps to insure that you and your troops will be heading home after shift. Recognizing the need to pre-plan the actions of your company is an important step to achieving the nirvana necessary to achieve your goals.

After all, if someone ain’t playing by the rules, someone ain’t getting their fruit cup…

Stay stoked!

-J

Posted in Command & Leadership, Firefighting Operations, Leadership

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Posted by John Mitchell on November 5, 2009 • View Comments

The Pinata Reflection

You’ve all seen the reports, the press coverage, the YouTube videos, the blog posts. The American flag is under attack. Anti-American fire chiefs are taking away the rights of patriotic hero firefighters who love their country. Welcome to the police state. It’s all about race. REVOLUTION!

Oh, please.

Tear yourself away from the carnival and let me redirect your attention for just a moment as I recall an interesting experience. Bear with me here.

When our department first began technical rescue training way back when, we practiced rappelling down the side of our station in full PPE and on air. We loved it. It was a riot. Everyone went over the side.

Then, it happened.

I had just made the move over the side when I managed to tangle up my pack with my ropes. I ended up inverted. Oh, the laughter from the clowns down below.

Wait, it gets better.

As I’m hanging there upside down like a piñata, the station draws a call for an explosion and fire. Clowns turn to Olympic sprinters as everyone wigs out and bolts for their spot on the equipment leaving only me and the instructor on the safety line up top.

So I’m swaying in the breeze listening to the cacophony of sirens headed for a most-excellent call of which I should be a part, I had a moment to think to myself. “How did I get in this situation at this moment of my life? What actions had I taken to be where I am here and now?”

My point here is we all need to exercise the skill of stepping back and looking at exactly how we arrived here at the situation at hand. I dubbed it The Pinata Reflection. Only with this type of honest reflection can we expect to change our reactions and behaviors. Even as the carnival ramps up into high gear, methinks there is a lot of reflectin’ going on in Chester, PA.

Remember: this nightmare didn’t start with a ‘flag on a locker.’ Based only on what we’re hearing from the firefighters, one could easily surmise the genesis came from some chucklehead who decided to display a racially charged picture on a locker for all to see. Purty funny, huh? That guy needs to reflect on his culpability in birthing this #&$% storm and step up to claim ownership of his responsibility here. Nice job there, brother.

Of course then, management had the responsibility to address that situation quickly and decisively. But I hope that the administration is reflecting on the inflexibility of the shotgun approach they chose to take. One guy screws up and a blanket policy goes into effect.

We’ve all seen it before- it’s a managerial shortcut to a solution for a relatively benign molehill involving one or two guys, but everyone gets a taste of the punishment. It’s a path that leaves the door open for numerous other issues to take root. And it left the administration locked into a position that offered no flexibility, and flexibility would have worked marvelously here.

To be fair, we don’t know the all the specifics of how this went down. We don’t know what other factors (histories, attitudes, need to show power, labor management issues) played into the decisions of everyone including the commissioner, the chief, suspended firefighter James Krapf, and the chucklehead. In fact, we haven’t heard much at all from the administration on their side of the story. May not be a bad idea for them to continue to follow that tactic after what happened in D.C. last week… (see my post on using the Head Rule).

When I heard of the flap, I knew I should head over to FirehouseZen.com. You can always find a superb post on leadership by Mick Mayers, who again nailed this one on the head. Check it out and see if you don’t agree with the alternative approaches he offers. My, how things could have been different.

Finally, we also own part of this, folks. Too many of us have become so eager to be offended. Tolerance has taken a backseat to emotional outbursts unencumbered by the thought process. No need to be civil when you can be loud.

Of course we love our country.

Of course we adore the flag.

Of course we are patriotic.

Duh!

We’ve become so used to having the spin-meisters do the thinking for us. It’s so much easier to be told what to think and to follow the herd than it is to develop our own views and stand up for them. Stoking the fire with patriotic gasoline, we’re being told this is all about a fire chief denouncing the patriotism of a firefighter.

Bull-ticky.

It’s about a simple issue resulting in a chain of events that should never have led to this: the Chester Fire Department swaying like the proverbial piñata- just waiting to be whacked as the whole world looks on.

-J

Posted in Administration & Leadership, Leadership, News, WTF?

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Posted by John Mitchell on October 18, 2009 • View Comments

"The Head Rule"

When I joined the fire service “a couple of years ago”, my mentor was a wise young captain. He offered up what he called the “Head Rule”. It is something I have made a point to pass along to all probies struggling to find their fit in this great service:

“You’ve got two eyes and two ears; keep ‘em open. You have a nose, keep it clean. But above all, keep your mouth shut!”

The fiasco in DC that burned our brothers on video (see STATter911.com) is still with us as mouths remain open and the yammering intensifies. DC Fire & EMS Chief Dennis Rubin should have enough experience to know better than to extend the story with what came bubbling out of his mouth during an interview with Ed Comeau of Campus-Firewatch.com.

According to Comeau, the Chief said it “looked like a comedy act”.  It is a comment he still stands by today in a video update by STATter911.

A wordsmith he was not and his choice of verbiage may have caused more harm than the embarrassing incident of which he was referring.  Who wouldn’t expect a vocal and public outcry from the firefighters accompanied by a blistering response from President Raymond Sneed of IAFF Local 36

Imagine you are a DC firefighter. How does this make you feel about your leader?  What effect do these perceptions have within the group? What discipline would have been handed down if the Chief himself wasn’t involved?

There is a lot of blame to go around at all levels. We can all learn from the mistakes made here. As we mature in the fire service, we will come to learn that we always gain more by criticizing the act rather than the individual.

To his credit, Rubin “assumes full responsibility” for what happened. Stuff like no safety officer for the event, no pre-incident briefing, lack of use of a required check-off list, and he himself calling for the backup line which was never charged.  I’ve seen for myself many a time where a Chief would drop his people like a prom dress.  Thankfully, it appears this isn’t the case.  But this nightmare had an end in sight and it should have been left alone.

It Didn’t Have to Happen

With all the outcry from the initial story, it began to look like the story had run it’s course.  But, the “looked like a comedy act” remark now makes Rubin fair game. It just didn’t have to happen.

According to Department spokesman Pete Piringe, Rubin is said to be out of town and unavailable for comment.

Good. This fuel has been taken away and now the fire can be extinguished.

Maybe the “Head Rule” can finally be enacted.

-J

Posted in Leadership, Tips and Tricks, WTF?

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Posted by John Mitchell on October 14, 2009 • View Comments

360 Burn Around the Fire Web

Web Stuff Absolutely Worth Checking Out

28th National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend 

FF Memorial “The weekend features special programs for survivors and co-workers along with public ceremonies. New survivors will have the opportunity to meet fire service survivors from across the country so that you can share experiences, make lasting friendships, and begin to look ahead. The Memorial Weekend is a time for sharing and healing for the families of our fallen firefighters.”

 

 

On TheKitchenTable site, Christopher Naum blogs of this weekend’s activities at the Memorial, located on the grounds of the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

This weekend, a plaque with the names of 103 firefighters killed in the line of duty in 2008 will be added to the Memorial.

If you are unable to attend this weekend, make it a point to stop here anytime you are in the Baltimore/D.C. area.  I found the Memorial to be quite inspiring and incredibly spiritual even when my daughter and I were the lone visitors one autumn day a few years back.

 

First In

First In BET FireCritic.com is always worth a look, and he leaves not wanting once again. Black Entertainment Television (BET) has a new show called First In. FireCritic gives us quite a thorough review on this show he describes as a “COPS” version of firefighting.

Did you miss the first two episodes? He’s got ‘em all linked up for you.  Cool!

 

Firefighters Seek Actions- Not Words

“It’s not enough to tell someone they are lucky to have a job. It worked in the 30′S but today it doesn’t wash.”

Amen.

FirefighterHourly.com hits it right on the head with this post. If you find your department grappling with a negativity problem, try to lay hands on the book written by Chief Rick Laskey, Pride and Ownership. Here’s an excerpt: Laskey pride and ownership

  • Who owns your fire department?
  • It’s been said for years that being a firefighter is the best job in the world. Why is it the best?
  • What kind of a leader does it take to provide that feeling?
  • Just as important: What kind of firefighter does it take?
  • Do you own your fire department?
  • Do you know where it all started and why?
  • Do you have that pride, that love for the job, or do you just show up?

You might also want check out my earlier post on bad attitudes. When you see Mr. Negative sulk in through the door at your house, you have quite a job ahead of you. Try to remind him of the stoked feeling he had when he realized he was hired/appointed. Once he remembers how cool that was, try to get him to identify things he can do to get that feeling back.

He deserves the help, and you owe it to him to get him off the negative track. More importantly, it’s not just about him; it’s about the whole crew now.

 

Enjoy the weekend and keep the shiny side up!

-J.

Posted in 360 Burn, Just For Fun, LODD, Leadership

Posted by John Mitchell on October 3, 2009 • View Comments

The Disturbing Consequences of an Ongoing Nightmare

A suburban Chicago firefighter stands to collect $850,000.00 to settle a sexual harassment and discrimination suit filed more than three years ago.

According to a report in today’s Chicago Tribune, Oak Lawn firefighter Sharon Januszewski complained that a “dried milky white substance” was discovered in a storage bin holding her bedding back in 2003.

Yes, DNA tests later determined it was semen.

She further charged that officials failed to fully investigate the matter, and she was shunned by her “brothers” and supervisors since her complaint, that pornographic magazines and videos were left regularly around the fire stations, and that she was the victim of retaliation when a supervisor accused her of misconduct after she refused his advances.

The Chicago Tribune reported the village initially denied her allegations- until the DNA test results on the semen-encrusted bedding came back positive. Oak Lawn officials also argued they had taken the proper and prompt corrective actions and Januszewski refused to take advantage of "preventive and corrective opportunities" offered her by the village.

The village decided they would rather settle than risk a higher award should the case go to trial. The settlement, which also stipulates that Januszewski keep her job, must still be approved by the court.

Now I don’t know exactly how all this went down in Oak Lawn, and the lack of a trial means we might never know. But what I DO know is that perception trumps reality- all day long.

So here’s your perception if you are a taxpayer in Oak Lawn tonight: You are pretty disgusted to have to pay out a significant amount of money (not covered by insurance in this case) due to what you might believe is:

     1) a stupid, senseless, and sophomoric act by your local heroes, and

     2) a gaping vacuum of leadership by supervisors and superiors who are paid more than well enough to have known better.

Unfortunately, these incidents are not unique to Oak Lawn. They happen all over and all too often. It’s embarrassing, it’s destructive, it’s costly, and there is just no excuse.

So how willing are you to let this nightmare creep into your department?

What steps should you take- right now-to make sure it doesn’t happen within your department?

Does your staff fully understand and appreciate the consequences if an incident were allowed to occur?

Is everyone on the same page, or is there an underlying stream of immature and bigoted idiots more eager to act than to think? That’s dangerous, especially if you are cursed with staff lacking the leadership to squelch such behavior.

Clearly, if you are in a command position and chose to ignore such activity, or worse- try to cover it up with retaliation- then you are demonstrating just how badly your leadership skills suck.

And if you suck that badly inside the station, what does that say about your ability to lead your troops out in the field?

So don’t be lazy- recognize the behavior and nip this nonsense in the bud hard.

-J

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Posted in Leadership, WTF?

Posted by John Mitchell on September 30, 2009 • View Comments