Why would any member of a fire department want to leave the department as other than a member in good standing?

Why would you want to leave all of your good work for a group that you once held so close to your heart to a letter from the department severing the relationship?

Do we stay on until we get upset enough and mad enough to quit?

Do we continue to believe that we are a teenager in the body of a 50-Something as we chalk up yet another injury?

Have we reached a juncture where we talk a litany of accomplishments over the years, but haven’t attended a training session in over a year?

Are we “turning it over to the young guys”, but not to the extent that they can tell you anything?

Are you less helpful, but more critical?

Do you find yourself talking about all the calls that you used to go on as you make fewer and fewer calls; the ones that you now cherry pick?

Do you think that you have earned special treatment, purchased with your years of service and are upset because you must follow the guidelines like everyone else?

Do you believe that your officer’s rank is a life-long appointment and that leadership is what the chief does?

Why does reality only set in after you have let your passion, skills, attendance and fire department relationships erode and then overshadows your time served?

What prevents us from planning our time with the department to the eventuality that we allow for participation through another avenue that is every bit as pivotal to the successes of the fire department?

Instead; we “force the hand” of our once-called/so-called “brothers” to push us over and then OUT. Where it could have been a happy and memorable moment, populated by platitudes, testimonials and well-deserved recognition, it has developed into a sour source of bitterness and bad feelings.

Could there be this confusion over the notion that to remain on a fire department, we must be a “member in good standing” and it has nothing to do with getting off of the department? In other words; the priority of membership and being in good standing does not apply to “non-members” or “former members” apparently.

Is it important that we cut the chord as a firefighter WITH firefighters to eliminate any lingering effects; sort of an “all or nothing” assault on our sensibilities?

Cut it clean/cut it quick; right?

We think that we don’t want to “just hang around” the fire station, even though that is exactly what we have been doing for the last ten years, along with missing meetings, training, fundraisers, open houses, equipment checks and parades.

When you belong to a fire department, you are part of a group that is driven by teamwork.

It is an organization that is structured.

It is a culture that breathes rarified air.

Unfortunately; you can only stay as long as you contribute. That doesn’t only mean the physical stuff. There is plenty of other work to do besides riding the truck.

You do it within a framework and under the terms of your by-laws and SOGs.

But, you can leave on your own terms and with your head held high.

It doesn’t have to be with middle finger extended!

TCSS.

This article is protected by federal copyright laws under The Adventures of Jake and Vinnie© umbrella. It cannot be re-produced in any form without the expressed and written permission of the author, Art Goodrich a.k.a. ChiefReason.

Please visit www.fireemsblogs.com and my blog at www.chiefreasonart.com.

Allowing convicted felons to serve on a fire department is not a moral/ethical question, but is one of legal liability. Beyond that, it raises serious issues with public trust.

Do we have no more regard for the public that we are sworn to protect that we would knowingly unleash a criminal with a key to the city?

Have we no more respect for the law-abiding members of the fire department that we would force them to act in concert with someone with known criminal tendencies?

Is it worth the potential legal problems from a failed, sociological experiment?

As a trustee for a fire district, I can tell you that the answer to all of the above is a resounding “NO”!

Every fire department should have a “Code of Ethics” that every prospective member should know before they join and would agree to follow if hired.

It goes without saying that current or active members would be guided by the same code of ethics.

If a prospective member has a criminal past, the code has already been violated. There are no second chances. A criminal past cannot be “undone”. Criminals cannot “take it back”, call a “do-over” or pretend that they were young and foolish and made a “mistake”. Breaking the law is not a mistake; it is a crime!

Most reasonable people are driven by the values that were instilled in them by a parent(s), their schools, churches and communities and are re-inforced by the laws of the land.

Though it is not intrusive to a civilized society; for those willing to break laws for personal gain, the laws are designed to discourage any thought of committing a crime by outlining the punishments if you do.

For those who perpetrate a criminal act, it is understood that they need to become gainfully employed once released from prison, but NOT in a public safety position in the public sector.

The private sector is better suited for a criminal assimilating back to Society.

It should be noted that, in my opinion, convicted felons are NOT starting a “new” life. They are resuming their lives with one strike against them.

I realize that you pay for your crime once, but you suffer the cost for the rest of your life-as it should be.

It is the fire department’s “Code of Ethics” that reminds a community that they will be served by the most ethical public servants that can be found and will be uncompromising with this mission.

Codes will not be ignored and rules will not be bent or broken.

Violations of the “Code of Ethics” will result in dismissal with cause.

Following are examples of verbiage often included in a “Code of Ethics” document:

•  We will respect ourselves and the public that we represent and serve.
• We recognize that our position as a public servant is a privilege.
• The Public Interest will always be placed before individual, group or special interests.
• We will not discriminate and will work to prevent and to eliminate discrimination where it exists.
• We will accept “thank yous” and gestures of gratitude ONLY and will accept charitable donations in the spirit in which they are given.
• We will not display negative or rude behavior towards the public.
• We will not use our position of trust for personal gain.
• We will always protect the confidentiality of our public’s information.
• No drugs (legal) or alcohol will be consumed while on duty. When off-duty, at least eight (8) hours must pass after drugs (legal) or alcohol has been consumed before a member can respond to a call or callback.
• Statements concerning the fire department will be issued through the Public Information Officer. Personal opinions shall be identified as such.

Keep in mind that it is a “Code of Ethics” and it does not take the place of pre-employment questionnaires, employment applications, criminal background checks or employment contracts. Having members recite a code of ethics may deepen and strengthen their commitment to them.

“Employment” is to be construed as career OR volunteer.

A volunteer fire department can be charged with negligent hiring in the same way a municipality with a full time fire department can.

And I have been advised that “Tort Immunity” will not cover it nor is there insurance for it. You pay cash if negligent hiring can be proven.

If that isn’t enough to discourage you from hiring people who have already proven that they cannot conduct themselves within the confines of the rule of law, then I don’t know what will.

Maybe, some of you weren’t cut out to be trustees.

Wait…

You probably thought that allowing the fire department to “elect” their members gets you off the hook?

Wrong again!

Under the law, you cannot abdicate any of your legally, sworn duties. Allowing the fire department to choose their members is, in fact, “hiring” them. And trustees “approve”, even if they are not directly involved with the decision.

Here, the fire department personnel committee makes the recommendation for a new member and the trustees approve it. Then, the probationary period starts. Once they make it through probation, they are “retained” and approved by the trustees.

But, be sure to use that argument in court: Well, your Honor; the fire department put him on the department. We had nothing to do with it.

Judge: And that’s exactly why you’re here! Get your checkbook out.

So; you might want to re-think that whole second chance mentality; at least where you claim to have the best interests of the public in mind.

TCSS.

The article written by Art Goodrich a.k.a. ChiefReason under The Adventures of Jake and Vinnie© umbrella is protected by federal copyright law. It cannot be re-produced in any form with the expressed and written permission of the author.

Please visit me at: www.fireemsblogs.com and go to www.chiefreasonart.com.

As I crested the hill, I could smell the smoke in the air.

At the top of the hill, I could see a column of black smoke penetrating the air above an enclave of small, modest homes.

I quickened my steps as I headed towards the source of the smoke.

As I got nearer, I could see that the smoke was pushing powerfully from the doors and windows.

People were running around in the front yard of this residence, screaming that a young boy was inside.

A couple of men were on their hands and knees, coughing and vomiting after making an effort to enter the house to rescue the young boy. Apparently, the young boy ran from them and they had to exit the house because of the thick smoke and intense flames.

It was clear to me that I was not going to enter through the front door, so I ran to the side of the house, where I found another door.

I looked through the door and could only see the lower portion of the little boy.

I kicked in the door and as soon as the kid saw me, he took off in the other direction. He was running to a closet and as he got down on his hands and knees to crawl into the smoke-filled closet, I grabbed him by the waistband of his jeans, tucked him under my left arm and exited the same way that I had entered.

I handed him over to his mom and to the cheers of the neighbors just as the fire department was starting their attack.

I woke up from my sleep, wringing wet from sweat.

Later that same day-Friday-I was driving through Galesburg in the right hand lane. I came to a stoplight and stopped. A mini-van pulled up next to me in the left lane and I looked over at the clown that was driving.

No; it was an honest-to-God clown with a red wig, white face and a red nose. He looked at me, smiled and gave me one of those “clown waves” with his white-gloved hand.

You had to be there to sense the weirdness of the moment. The only thing that could have made it funnier was, if he had been driving on of those really small clown cars.

However; a lone clown driving a mini-van is a bit odd on its own.

Today-Saturday-two firefighters from my department, a retired bat chief from Galesburg and I played in a firefighter golf tournament in Monmouth at Gibson Woods Golf Course. IAFF Local 1702 was hosting 19 teams in a best ball format.

When I play golf, I like to play well, but I also like to enjoy it and have fun. I don’t let bad shots spoil the moment. Don’t get me wrong; I like to play well, but if I can play and make more good shots than bad shots, then it was a good day.

My team played very well in the windy rain on a wet course. One of my guys-Jeff-missed a hole in one by just two feet. We made several long putts, had some birdies and a couple of bogies. We missed winning our flight because of a scorecard playoff.

But, what I take from the day is the eagle that I scored on the sixth hole.

It was a par 4, 386-yard hole that dog-legged to the right. The corner was well protected by trees and missing the corner to the left had you in tall rough grass. I hit my drive just left of the trees at the corner and into the middle of the approach fairway to number six green.

The GPS said that we were 130 yards from the hole. The others missed the green with their shots and I was hitting last. I didn’t feel pressure.

I grabbed my 7-iron because of the wind and because I don’t hit my irons with any distance. Yes, I know; many of you would use a wedge of some sort, but I have not perfected my irons play.

I hit the ball well. It was straight in line with the flag pin. It felt good when I hit it, but you never know. We had been hitting good shots all day and were coming up short. That’s golf, you know?

But, on this shot, my ball hit the green, took one bounce and disappeared. My teammates thought it went in the hole. I thought that it bounced off the back of the green.

We got into our carts and went to the green and I asked Tyke to check the hole. I was getting a wedge and my putter and walking to the back of the green to look for my ball.

I watched Tyke reach down and pull my ball out of the cup. EAGLE!

Jubilation and celebration overcame my group.

When others can feel just as good for your accomplishment as you do, then that is a feeling like nothing else that you can experience.

And that’s how it should be with fire departments; sharing the good and the bad, picking each other up, coming through in the clutch and celebrating each other’s success and failures as a TEAM. It’s not just a golf lesson. It is a Life lesson.

A dream, a clown and an eagle. Somehow; they are connected and I must find it.

I think the dream was telling me that I would accomplish something exciting. Seeing the clown was to remind me to have fun, I think. And scoring the eagle let me know that, when you put everything together correctly, success will come. Perhaps my spiritual advisor can tell me.

Sounds a little bit strange, doesn’t it?

Well, that’s me!

TCSS.

The article is protected by federal copyright law under The Adventures of Jake and Vinnie© umbrella. It is written and submitted by Art Goodrich a.k.a. ChiefReason. This article or any other article submitted under The Adventures of Jake and Vinnie© umbrella cannot be reproduced in ANY form without the expressed, written permission of the author. Violations are punishable by applicable laws.

Please visit: www.fireemsblogs.com and my blog www.chiefreasonart.com.

95% of the time, readers who respond to my blogs offer their opinions and they will agree with what I wrote, disagree with what I wrote or note that it has given them something to think about.

And it is done in a very respectful manner.

It evokes pure joy in me that I can write with enough passion as to incite thoughtful replies from readers.

But, I can also incite that other 5% too.

They aren’t as nice. They aren’t as thoughtful and respectful. In fact, they have confused “opinion” with “insult”. I have to believe that, since they resort to insults, they are incapable of articulating an opinion; at least, on the subject matter of the blog. They have plenty to say about the blogger!

And, I blame that 5% for discouraging the good people from offering their opinions.

I mean; who wants to be the cyber-punching bag for the cyber-bullies?

Can you think of a worse form of suppression? This isn’t an oppressive society where you can be arrested and jailed for your opinions, but you do have to put up with the bullies.

I have been hit hard for a couple of articles that I have written, but I’m still standing and there is a reason for it!

I grew up with the stink of poor on me.

I can still remember the smells.

As a kid, our house was heated with coal. The basement, with its dirt floor, stunk from the raw coal.

The house stunk from the smoke as the coal burned in the furnace. Undoubtedly, my clothes stunk from the smoke, but I didn’t notice.

I only noticed that, when I went to a friend’s house, their house didn’t smell like mine.

I became very intimate with coal. It was my job to fill the stoker that fed the furnace. This had to be done twice a day during the winter or the fire in the furnace would go out. It happened a couple of times and discipline for me was severe.

My other two jobs as a kid was taking out the garbage and feeding our dog. When I was old enough, mowing the lawn was added to my list of chores.

I remember the stink from boiling chicken feathers. Dad would buy chickens and we would help “process” them for our consumption. After the chickens were killed, Mom would dip them in the vat of boiling water so that the feathers would be easier to pluck.

But, it wasn’t as bad of a smell as dressing rabbits and squirrels that Dad shot during their hunting seasons. Oh yes; we ate what he shot and as the other “man” in the house, I had to help clean the game. It was no game!

It was the same deal with fish. We caught them, cleaned them and then ate them. Frog legs, too!

Growing up like I did may have given others their excuse to steal. Not me; because, even though my family had the bare essentials, we also had strong principles instilled into us by our parents.

My life of crime ended when I stole a penny piece of licorice from the Candy Shoppe and Dad took me back into the store and begged the owner to call the police. Vern, the owner, thought it best that Dad should deal me the appropriate punishment. Jail would have been the better option in this case! I don’t believe that his punishment fit my crime. It took three days for my butt to be pain-free.

And that was probably my first encounter with “tough love”, but not the last.

My parents grew up during the Great Depression. They DID have to walk miles to go to school. I never realized how bad they had it until I studied the Great Depression in my high school history class. Mom and Dad didn’t like talking about it, so I knew that it was bad.

My childhood was spent in the 1950s, during the early years of the Cold War. Eisenhower was the President then. Yeah; I’ve been around since Eisenhower. Our son has been around since Jimmy Carter!

I use my upbringing as the basis for the principles and opinions that I possess today. I feel that both principles and opinions, based upon those principles have been a big part of my fabric since I was old enough to know the difference between right and wrong.

I also knew the difference between hard work and a free ride. That one was easy. A free ride didn’t exist in my world.

We were all expected to help with those things that supported the family, like the HUGE garden that we would plant each year. We were required to help water it, keep weeds out of it, pick the vegetables that were ready and help Mom prepare them for canning. I swear that growing up; the only groceries that we had to buy from the store were milk, eggs, meat and bread.

However; I got to enjoy my childhood. I got to play with my friends, go swimming and play baseball, but I learned about priorities at an early age. I was committed early on to principled decision-making. I would never ask to go and play with friends, if Dad was going to the garden. I wasn’t going to let the family down.

Can you see where the spill over from my childhood to my development as a person, as a member of the fire department and now as a blogger?

In my mind, I am a better person for growing up as I did. It gave me mental and physical toughness. It is where I started to develop my critical eye and my critical thinking.

There was no “fairness doctrine” growing up. Dad’s decisions were predicated on what was right, but not necessarily fair. If it was right AND fair, then it must have been pure coincidence.

I learned from my father that you could be poor, but proud. WE knew that we were poor and Dad would have none from anyone who wanted to remind us of it. He would let them know all about pride. End of conversation!

So, to those of you who can relate to something in this blog, please know that you have a kindred spirit.

Stand up and voice your opinions.

YOU matter!

The article is protected by federal copyright law under The Adventures of Jake and Vinnie© umbrella. It is written and submitted by Art Goodrich a.k.a. ChiefReason. This article or any other article submitted under The Adventures of Jake and Vinnie© umbrella cannot be reproduced in ANY form without the expressed, written permission of the author. Violations are punishable by applicable laws.

Please visit: www.fireemsblogs.com and my blog www.chiefreasonart.com.

This is what came to mind when I read the story of the Long Pine, Nebraska Fire Department (http://www.firefighternation.com/forum/topics/nebraska-town-dismantles). Apparently, the mayor and city council decided to “dismantle” the fire department over some internal disputes between the mayor and the fire department. See a news piece here: http://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/nebraska/article_61573e48-1809-11df-9219-001cc4c03286.html.

I call it “arrogant”, because the action was taken by a small group elected to represent their residents.

Are we going to believe that the citizens WANT to be without a local fire department?

If they care about someone showing up at the time of their emergency, then they should NOT be happy at this turn of events in their community.

Citizens of Long Pine; throw out the elected officials who are behind this cavalier attitude towards your community’s safety. They are using YOU to prove a point and a very dangerous one at that.

In fact; have your police chief arrest them for aggravated stupidity!

I also call it “ignorant”, because once again, one city government wants their public safety problems solved at their neighboring community’s expense. Yeah; use their resources paid by their tax money for your emergencies. Call it “redistribution of wealth”.

It is also an ignorant notion because fire will grow for each minute that it takes Ainsworth to get there.

People should go to jail for putting the safety of their communities at risk.

When elected officials fail their oath of office by acts of their own neglect, then they should be arrested, charged, tried and convicted for it.

Go ahead and say it. Say, “But you won’t get anyone to run for public office if they can be arrested for making bad decisions”.

And I will say, “No; a bad decision would be to increase the sales tax because sales are down”.

Shutting down your fire department because a couple of city council members-including one that is ON the volunteer fire department and voted to dismantle it-has an axe to grind isn’t a bad decision; it’s a wrong decision and a very dangerous decision.

When government and its power are abused by the few who are elected, it no longer functions FOR the people.

And if you could go to jail for being arrogant and ignorant in matters of public safety, then new prisons would be popping up all over the nation.

This case in Long Pine is not an example of partisan politics, ladies and gentlemen. It’s elected officials abusing their privilege to serve their citizens. It’s elected officials serving their own self-interests at the expense of their citizens.

So, when they bring the process down to the personal level, replete with acts of revenge, then it is time for them to go.

You cannot justify a public body making private decisions on public safety without public comment and participation. It’s wrong AND illegal.

Is there more to the story?

There had better be.

TCSS.

The article is protected by federal copyright law under The Adventures of Jake and Vinnie© umbrella. It is written and submitted by Art Goodrich a.k.a. ChiefReason. This article or any other article submitted under The Adventures of Jake and Vinnie© umbrella cannot be reproduced in ANY form without the expressed, written permission of the author. Violations are punishable by applicable laws.

Please visit: www.fireemsblogs.com and my blog www.chiefreasonart.com.

Donald W. McDowell, 71, of Woodhull, died Friday, January 29, 2010, in his home.

Don was my chief and my mentor.  He was responsible for unleashing this passion of mine for the fire service. Don served on the department for 16 years and I had the privilege of serving with him for the last half of those years.

By some standards, 16 years might not seem like many, but they were very productive and fruitful for the department during that time.

You see; I can only speculate on what the department meant to Don. He didn’t talk about it. He just went out and did it. I believe that it was simple for Don, in that he was one of those people who felt that any able-bodied man should help their fire department. Only he knows his reasons.

However; I CAN tell you what Don meant to the fire department.

Back then-and I am talking about the 70-80s-firefighting and training for it consisted of learning how to operate the pump and man a hose. Protective clothing was optional. If you look at old pictures, rarely would you see our firefighters in full gear. SCBAs were for sissies and training was done “in house”.

So, Don went about it with little vibrato, but he didn’t do it quietly either. Most of the time, Don spoke as if there was a freight train going through the room. In other words, he yelled a lot. He was one of those gems who thought that by yelling, he could penetrate some very thick skulls.

He was willing to show you how to do something and if you weren’t real sharp like me, he’d show you again. Where Don had little patience was with those who didn’t pay attention. You learned something at his pace; not your’s.

In my eyes, Don was a giant and also very strong. Forcible entry was Don putting his shoulder to the door! His hands were the size of baseball mitts. His temper was legendary; I had heard many of the stories by the time I joined the department. I figured at some point, Don would grind me into worm food, because without too much effort, I could incite guys like him, for some strange reason. Most likely, it was because I didn’t know when to shut up!

But, the craziest thing happened. Don took me under his massive wing. Where he went, I went. If he went in, I went in. I always felt safe with Don. I think that he was more forgiving of me, because he knew that we both wanted a better fire department.

And under his leadership, we became better equipped and better trained.

He took a large group of us to fire school in Sherrard in the early 80s; something unheard of for our department. From there, several of us went on to become state-certified firefighters.

At the same time, his wife Sandy was resurrecting the women’s auxiliary to help raise money for better turnout gear, portable radios and ultimately, our very first set of hydraulic rescue tools. He was chief at the time we took over extrication from the ambulance service.

Simply put, Don raised the bar. He was one of the most unselfish men that I have ever known.

His time with the fire department cannot be measured in years, but in hours; the countless hours that he put in. One only needs to walk into the meeting room to know a little about Don. He designed it and led the effort to build it; all with donated labor.

There is another measure of a good leader and that is leaving it better than you found it.

And if you ask anyone who served with Chief Don McDowell, they will tell you to a man that Don left it much better and that he put it on a path that is still followed today.

I want to thank his family for sharing him with us and for the sacrifices that were made.

I hope that the sorrow for our loss is tempered with feelings of pride from knowing that Don truly made a difference and left an impact upon our fire department, our community, fire district and those around us.

See you later, Don.

Shortly after I moved to where I currently reside, I wanted to join our local, volunteer fire department. I had to submit a letter to the fire department, which I thought would be simple enough. How wrong I was!

Then, I submitted a second letter with the same end result.

I have never taken rejection well and what you are about to read are my thoughts that I wrote down and tucked away. That was in the Spring of 1980. You-my readers- are seeing this “journal entry” for the first time. And for the record, I was voted onto the fire department in September of 1980.

Though it is many years old, some of it may very well apply today for some of those hoping to get their chance today or some day.

Hopefully, you will see the lesson, persevere and pursue your dream.

Sometimes, what we want most is the hardest to get!

I want to join a fire department, but I can’t.

It’s an old group, tight-knit and set in their ways.  If they don’t know you, then they already don’t like you. Besides, I don’t think like they do and none of them has the patience or the desire to listen to what I have to offer.

I want to listen to them, but I can’t.

I’m not one of them. I’m not a firefighter or at least their perception of a firefighter. I don’t drink or smoke, so that is two strikes against me right there. My wife and I both have jobs, so I’m not the ‘king of my castle’, according to them.

According to them, ‘A woman should be home taking care of the kids’.

‘Uh, we don’t have kids’.

They say, ‘Well, then, that should give her more time to clean your house and cook your meals’. I want to appreciate their world views, but I can’t.

I want to be a firefighter, but I can’t.

I don’t have enough ‘votes’. The others don’t know me well enough to vote for me. They know that a vote for me is a vote for change. That would mean going against the old guys and though they want to, they can’t.

I want to volunteer for my community, but I can’t.

Though it may sound simple enough, I guess that I haven’t lived in the community long enough to call it ‘my community’. Apparently, it still belongs to ‘them’. When the time is right, I MIGHT be selected; you know, to ‘volunteer’.

I want to understand the process, but I can’t.

They don’t understand that I need them as much as they need me. What do I need from them? I need their affirmation and acceptance.

What do they need from me? They need my willingness to expend a physical effort. I want to pull hose, throw ladders, cut vent holes, pull ceilings, shoot water, roll hose, wash the trucks and show department pride, but I can’t.

If they were to put me on the department and I behaved like that; well, the next thing you know, I would want to be chief.

They want to put me on their fire department, but they can’t.

They don’t want to feel threatened. If they let a young guy on, it would be the beginning of the end for their good ole group. Besides; the community is happy with what they have. They tell them so every time another house burns down.

They want to keep me out, but they can’t. 

They don’t have a young man’s strength anymore; neither in strength of conviction nor in strength of character. They could think of it as a new dog to kick around if that would make it more appealing to them. Lots of dirty jobs would get done, so they’ll vote me on as a probie. Note: Probie No Wake Zone; can’t rock the boat!

I want to listen and learn, but I can’t.

The old boys haven’t kept up with the ever-changing complexities of tactics and technology. They are set in their ways and are teaching obsolete methods that are no longer accepted practice. I want them to teach me new and cutting edge methods, but they can’t.

I want to go to fire school, but I can’t.

The old guys are insulted that I would DARE to go outside of the department for training. After all; ‘we’re just VOLUNTEERS’. I want to believe that Fire knows the difference, but I can’t.

I want to believe that they have my best interests at heart, but I can’t.

I want to make the fire department better NOW, but I can’t.

There aren’t enough who think like I do. If I give in and give up, I will never realize my dream. I could do the easy thing and quit, but I can’t.

They want me to be like them, but I can’t.

Please grant me the strength and the will to affect change. Grant them the wisdom that should come with their age and experience.

Then, grant each of us the ability to bridge our differences and to build on our similarities.

If we can do that…if we WANT to do that…

THEN, THERE ISN’T ANYTHING THAT WE CAN’T DO.

TCSS.

This article is protected by federal copyright laws under The Adventures of Jake and Vinnie© umbrella. It is written by Art Goodrich aka ChiefReason. It cannot be re-produced in any form without the expressed written permission of the author. Visit: www.chiefreasonart.com

I have read several books written by many of the excellent leaders in the fire service.

I tend to gravitate to books on firefighting tactics and leadership. Don’t get me wrong; I love reading about fire service history with accounts of the big fires or intricate rescues, but tactics and leadership books seems to fit better with what I do and what I want to accomplish.

Though tactics are specific to what we do in the fire service, leadership is something that we can use in all walks of life.

I know I’m a better manager because of my fire service leadership training. I know I react better to all emergencies for the same reason. I also know that I’m a better person over-all, because of the skills-personal and professional-that I have gained from leaders in our fire service.

 Here is where this is going: when volunteer firefighters fail to meet acceptable, minimum requirements to be considered active on their fire department, is it a failure of leadership?

When a career firefighter no longer wants to work out, study for promotion or train in the specialized fields, is it a failure of leadership?

Finding what motivates your people is a key component of leadership. Diplomacy would be right behind.

If expectations have been clearly identified and the tools have been made available to every firefighter, then how can we not see early on that a person is not meeting expectations?

Why does it rise to a level where the morale of your department is being negatively affected?

I prescribe to the John Salka paradigm of leadership, in that everyone on a fire department is a leader; from the rank of firefighter to fire commissioner. Leadership DOES NOT rest solely on the shoulders of one person and on most departments that would mistakenly be the chief.

When a fire department is ready to implode, it will be the chief who will be held accountable.

But, it will be shared responsibility that will have you looking at the application, the screening, the hire, the probationary period, the mentoring, the training and ultimately, the termination, if goals have not been met.

If your department has not established benchmarks for firefighters to achieve, then it is a leadership problem.

If you belong to a department where a chief rules with an iron fist, it is a leadership problem.

If you belong to a department where nepotism outweighs and outscores qualifications for a rank or position, then it is a leadership problem.

Firefighters will only get involved enough to complain, but want to remain neutral. They call THAT not getting involved.

No such thing!

You become involved the day that you were issued turnout gear and a pager. Welcome to the world of leadership!

So, as leaders, we learn to identify the signs and symptoms and then, the treatment and the cure.

But, we are ever the optimists. We disregard our training, because we HOPE that the firefighter will turn it around on their own.

And THAT is the biggest mistake that you will ever make as a leader. The firefighter didn’t get there by himself and he certainly won’t turn it around by himself.

I have seen departments literally torn in two, because a firefighter with attendance issues wasn’t dealt with properly. It should NEVER reach that point!

If you haven’t done so already; establish realistic attendance policies for meetings, training and other fire department functions.

Create a personnel committee to monitor every member’s involvement.

Prepare a document that everyone agrees to follow and then have them sign it.

Take the appropriate actions BEFORE they become a big problem.

It all comes down to this: in this business, everyone has each other’s back.

A leader is watching what is in front of you.

YOU are watching what is behind him.

NOTHING GETS BY EITHER OF YOU!

TCSS.

The article as submitted is published under The Adventures of Jake and Vinnie© umbrella and is the intellectual property of Art Goodrich a.k.a. xchief22 and ChiefReason. It is protected by federal copyright laws and cannot be re-printed in any form without expressed permission from the author. You may read other works by the author at www.chiefreasonart.com.

First Published 5/30/06

Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like in the last couple of years, we are seeing more and more firefighters throwing in the pager for a multitude of reasons, but the underlying reason is that they got upset and made the decision to quit.

The question for the group is: what would lead you to a decision to quit something that you passionately pursue?

I am not talking about making a decision based upon health, age or other rational reasons. I want to know what would piss you off enough to quit your fire department. What would, at that moment in time, motivate you to decide that to continue, would have you compromising your principles, in order to remain with your department?

I have been following the stories on the Riverton, IL Fire Department. It appears that HALF of the department quit, because of a flap over the way the chief was not re-appointed by the trustees and a new chief was selected. It also appears that this goes well beyond the surface of the accounts. There have also been many accusations of legal improprieties, so I don’t think that we can simply shrug it off as the classic firefighters/trustees flap.

It was initially reported that firefighters quit, because they could not “trust” a chief from the outside with their personal safety. It was then reported that it was the WAY that the new chief was selected and without input from the fire department. Still others said that they quit to spend more time with their families. Regardless of the stated reasons, it is apparent that several members of Riverton FD got upset and quit.

We have seen firefighters quit because they were told to get alcohol out of their fire stations.

We have seen firefighters quit because they weren’t happy with who was appointed as officers.

We have seen firefighters quit because THEY didn’t get a promotion.

We have seen firefighters quit because of mandatory training requirements.

We have seen firefighters quit because they didn’t like the direction that their fire department was going.

We have seen firefighters quit because they were reprimanded.

So; is this notion of quitting a selfish act or is it a selfless act?

How many of you participated in team sports and remember the trailer up on the bulletin board that said: winners never quit and quitters never win? We had a football coach that taught us to play BIGGER than we were. We lifted weights, ran gassers till we puked, participated in two a day practices in God-awful heat and we lost ONE game in two years. We were undefeated my senior year. My team is now a part of our school’s hall of fame, because we didn’t quit. I believe personally that I couldn’t stand the thought of letting my teammates down. Everyone wanted to contribute to the success. We had a great leader and a teacher. And I think that also applies to fire departments. Firefighting is the ultimate team!

How many of you today credit your involvement with school sports as part of the reason for your success? I do. Even during my “rebellious” years after school, it is what I learned from Coach Logsdon that put me back on the right path. I was taught by him to take on my adversary and never give up! And I do that to this day.

We all have that person in our lives that have left an indelible impression. Our very own Robert “Bob” Compton (ENG6511) raised many of us to a higher level with his courageous battle with cancer. HE NEVER GAVE UP! Even with cancer ravaging his body, he showed us all what strength of character, humility and dedication to service was all about. Upon his death, his sister donated Bob’s fire truck-Engine 6511 to a needy department. How cool is that?

And when I think about people like my father, Coach Logsdon and Bob Compton, I think that it would be pretty small of me to quit something that I love so much.

So, when it is all said and done, why would you do it? Why would you quit your fire department?

Inquiring minds want to know. Please share your thoughts.

You have mine; now, I want your’s.

Stay safe.

The article as submitted is published under The Adventures of Jake and Vinnie© umbrella and is the intellectual property of Art Goodrich a.k.a. xchief22 and ChiefReason. It is protected by federal copyright laws and cannot be re-printed in any form without expressed permission from the author.

First Published 2/16/03

It’s common for volunteer fire departments to become embroiled in disputes with their governing body. For most, that comes in the form of a fire board, fire commission, board of trustees and in the case of Pennsylvania; township supervisors. It happens with either elected or appointed officials. Disputes develop over something as innocuous as someone questioning a project or a request for funding of said project. Some disputes are more complicated when finding the root cause. It is for a litany of reasons and with each new reason come more accusations, followed by more reasons.

One issue is common to 99% of these very public disputes; lack of communication! The other 1% can be chalked up to expectations-real or perceived. All the while, firefighters threaten to quit, but seldom do. Fire boards threaten to replace firefighters, but seldom do. It happened in my department many times; right up until we replaced the appointed trustees with elected trustees!

But still, where the roles aren’t clearly defined, there will be problems with “who does what”. Without boundaries, participants won’t know when that line is crossed; until there is a dispute.

I have been following stories from Windham Township, PA. The fire department packed up and moved out of the fire hall after an on-going dispute with the township supervisors failed to be resolved. What I find surprising is the precedent-setting move by this group of firefighters to follow through on their threat to leave. I can’t recall any other recent case where this was actually done. I have expressed my opinions previously on this event, but what I would like to do here is offer some ideas that may improve relationships between fire departments and their governing bodies.

For the purpose of this discussion, I will rely on the expertise of James S. Sinclair, who provides legal advice to fire districts.

In fire districts where fire departments are comprised of NON full-time employees, it is common for a “separate organization or association to exist with its own officers and by-laws, independent of the fire district’s board of trustees”. There is a legal relationship established through the by-laws. But it can also be loosely organized as a separate association and include paid and volunteer members. This association will typically have rules and non-profit status. It should be noted that rules cannot be contrary to applicable state laws. It is therefore important to remember that no one abdicates their responsibility under the law. An example is the selection of firefighters for a volunteer fire department. Though a department’s by-laws may state that fire department members “vote in” new members, it is, according to law, the responsibility of the board of trustees. The solution? Fire departments select a new member and “recommends” them to the trustees for approval. That should be a mere formality in most cases. However, in some districts, where the district enters into contract for fire protection, it would be the responsibility of the contracted fire department to select its employees, but only if a written contract exists. It becomes similar to a “vendor for services” relationship. The fire department is the “vendor” and the fire district is a “purchaser”. The agreement will also state that each party will comply with applicable laws.

Departments with separate membership organizations that are formalized, not-for-profit entities are provided with certain protections from liability. For example, if a claim is made against a firefighter, the others will be shielded from liability claims. The other advantage is, that while “members may change, the entity will remain the same”.

“Separate” department organizations should make certain that they are insured under the district’s general liability and umbrella coverage. Don’t take it for granted. Verify that the organization is included as a “named insured”. Depending on the relationship, organizations may seek insurance that is independent of the district’s coverages.

Remember that by-laws should not conflict with state laws and regulations. For instance, the Department of Labor rules. By-laws that deal with medical and physical qualifications for members must be consistent with DOL regulations. If SOGs are written for such activities as SCBAs, structural firefighting requirements, blood borne pathogens and HAZMAT incidents, include a statement that says, “ if there is a difference between the SOG and the state regulation, the state regulation will take precedence”.

By-laws that include disciplinary procedures should be carefully drafted and include an appeal or review process and especially where the board of trustees make appointments. A review process constructed in accordance with rights to due process will insulate the fire district from potential claims of unfair acts.

If terms of the relationship between the fire department and the fire district are clearly spelled out and clearly communicated, then expectations by both will be met and save time and money, should a problem arise.

These suggestions are useful, regardless of what form of government under which you operate. Reducing agreements to writing must be done to avoid ugly messes, such as the one playing out in Windham Township, PA.

Let’s face it; as we get older, we inherit shorter memories. Writing it down just makes good sense.

It’s universal; it’s worldwide. It doesn’t matter if you’re from Illinois, Connecticut, New York, Michigan, New Jersey, California, Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain or Canada; having a written agreement with your governing body will reduce your stress levels.

Patrick J. from Canada sent me a very descriptive model of his system for fire protection. It was so much like fire districts in Illinois that it was scary! But he was quick to point out that no written agreement existed between his fire department and his board of directors; some elected and some appointed. Oh and no by-laws!

Elected or appointed; it isn’t going to matter if you don’t have written expectations.

Why go to the trouble of removing someone from office, if you won’t take the time to write your operating guidelines?

If nothing else, the “process” has to bring both sides together.

You know: TO COMMUNICATE!

Take care and stay safe.

The article as submitted is published under The Adventures of Jake and Vinnie© umbrella and is the intellectual property of Art Goodrich a.k.a. xchief22 and ChiefReason. It is protected by federal copyright laws and cannot be re-printed in any form without expressed permission from the author.