In my opinion, it matters not that entire departments will choose to observe 9/11.

What matters is how YOU intend to observe it.

On Saturday, I will ride my motorcycle to Springfield, IL where the Illinois Firefighters Memorial sits.

Approximately 20 feet from that memorial sits a large black granite marker dedicated to those who gave their lives on 9/11/01.

I will sit on a bench with my father’s military-issued Bible and read passages that bring me comfort.

I will contemplate the events of that horrific day and how it has affected me personally, because how I feel is deeply personal.

It may not be right, but it certainly is not wrong. It is not a jump off point for debate. It is what it is.

I am not going to the memorial to meet up with like-minded individuals. No cameras; no sound bytes; just me with my thoughts.

You see; there doesn’t have to be throngs of people to make it somehow feel right. They were not with me on that day. I was alone in my car when I heard the news on the car radio. I was listening to Bob and Tom and Christy Lee broke in with the news.

At first; I thought that it was some kind of a twisted joke. Then, I thought that it was some bizarre accident.

It was only when I reached my destination and got to a television set that I knew what we all know today. And my confusion soon turned to bitterness that ANYONE would dare to attack us on our home soil. I couldn’t wait for President Bush to declare war on the terrorists.

Yeah; call it “revenge”. Call it payback. I tend to think that we needed some sort of justice to right this wrong. The senselessness of this attack by radicals called out for it, in my opinion.

How we feel and what we believe is our right. Sometimes, you cannot mount an argument for how we feel; we don’t want or need the debate. It’s one of those “agree to disagree” moments.

It isn’t a political or religious belief. Events have shaped our opinion. Our way of life and the liberties that we enjoy as a free country makes us a target by those who oppose it.

As a people, most of us are not opposed to how others choose or how others are forced to believe what they believe, as long as their beliefs don’t clash with ours’. And when I say “clash”, I simply mean that we remain tolerant of each others’ beliefs.

But, when those beliefs swell into hatred and that hatred turns to violence, then a response becomes not only imminent, but necessary.

We have become a nation that is so concerned about doing what is politically correct that we have forgotten about US. Tolerance is a two-way street and we expect that other cultures will treat us as we would want to be treated. Sorry, but that is not the real world. Countries that have no desire to understand us or our way of life will always be on the periphery to watch us fail and if given the opportunity may even participate in an attempt to destroy us.

And you and I cannot in our very limited roles as citizens in this country persuade others to not bring harm to us, because what they have in THEIR hearts are personal to them. They don’t wish to argue or debate that. It is what it is. They will not walk away, believing to “agree to disagree”. It goes much deeper than that.

So, we put our trust in our elected leaders to make those choices and it may be a response that we are completely opposed to on a philosophical level. We cannot change the way that they think or what they believe. We can only defend ourselves and hopefully, that will not change the way that we choose to live our lives. We don’t have to fear them, but we certainly need to keep our eyes on them.

Take note that I have resisted using the term “enemy”, because quite frankly, I think our country is still somewhat confused over exactly who is the enemy. At one time, I thought it was Osama bin Laden and his followers. It sure looked like it after 9/11, but then, we took a detour into Iraq.

In the meantime, North Korea and Iran have been building their nuclear capabilities into what could become a viable threat to our national security and with that a return to the days of the Cold War.

We should never forget 9/11 and we should also never forget that there are those who may look to repeat it or worse.

And I take that both seriously and quite personally.

Never forget.

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.

You can see it and listen to it here:  http://www.firefighternetcast.com/2010/09/firefighter-netcast-the-voice-of-reason-with-steven-pasquale-of-rescue-me-and-rob-schnepp-at-fire-rescue-international-2010/

Blogger’s Note: In the very near future, I will be doing an in-depth blog on hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide exposures to firefighters. This blog centers around my meeting with one of the fire industry’s pre-eminent authorities on hazardous materials and especially the “Toxic Twins”.

I can’t remember ever posting a blog that included pictures, but I had the privilege of interviewing two stars at Fire Rescue International in Chicago last week. One interview was on the floor of the convention center and the other was done in the friendly confines of the FirefighterNetcast booth.

On the left side of the first picture, you have me. As you can see, I tried to dress to resemble my profile picture in my blog spots so that I would be readily recognizable. While I was at the FireRescue1 booth getting my free T-shirt, they had their website up on a big screen and wouldn’t you know it; they had the bloggers page up and on MY blog. In that picture of me, I am wearing a white shirt and tie. People in line were looking at the screen and looking at me. They did it a couple of times and then I took my hat off to screams of “that IS you”. True story. I still giggle when I think about it.

On the right side of the picture is Steven Pasquale, who has done Broadway, movies, released a jazz CD and also played Firefighter Sean Garrity for the entire run of the Denis Leary hit TV series “Rescue Me”. Steven’s star power was being lent to Meridian Medical’s rollout of the new Cyanokits®. I was thrilled when I was asked to interview him and his co-star, whom I will mention momentarily, but I was only allotted 15 minutes, so my questions had to be short and focused. But his handlers had never dealt with ChiefReason before, so I was able to get about 25 minutes with both of my guests.

And besides; I had my crew with me-John Mitchell and Rhett Fleitz, my producers and Willie Wines was our photographer. We had the manpower edge and used it to my advantage.

The gentleman in the middle of the photo is Rob Schnepp, simply an amazing man. Steven Pasquale is fascinating, but Rob is amazing. Knowing that I could not tap the surface of this man’s expertise in a 15 – 20 minute sound bite, I had Rob scheduled for an interview in the podcast booth.

None of this would have been possible without a lot of help and coordination from Shawn Longerich, Executive Director of Cyanide Poisoning Treatment Coalition. Thank you, thank you, Shawn.

That said; let’s get back to it.

Rob has a passion. It is hazardous materials. Within that, he has a passion for the hazardous effects of smoke on civilians and firefighters. You literally turn on the EveryReady Bunny® when you ask him to talk about the effects of cyanide and carbon monoxide poisoning on firefighters. He is not Barney Fife with one bullet in his pocket; not even close! His resume’, his accomplishments and his published material is far and wide on topics of hazardous materials.

It makes perfect sense that Rob would be involved with the only FDA-approved cyanide antidote kit that is available in this country. We talked about the importance of quickly recognizing the symptoms of cyanide exposure, introducing the victims to the antidote and getting them to a hospital. Our time together flew by.

Don’t get me wrong; Steven Pasquale is a multi-talented entertainer and at 33 years old, he has accomplished more than many entertainers almost twice his age. I would compare him to Clint Eastwood, but Eastwood hasn’t done Broadway…yet! But then, Steven informed me that he doesn’t write, so they equal out and the comparison holds merit.

And Steven Pasquale’s appearance at Fire Rescue International on behalf of Meridian Medical makes sense. Steven clearly understood the importance of delivering cyanide antidote as quickly as possible, so his advocacy on behalf of firefighters is appreciated.

But, the “go to” guy for the Cyanokits® is Rob Schnepp. How they work, when to introduce them and the importance of pre-hospital care for symptoms of cyanide exposure are topics that are easily discussed with Rob.

We completed our work at Meridian’s booth, my production team left to return to the FirefighterNetcast booth and I hung around to get feedback. I found myself eyeball to eyeball with…Steven Pasquale. Honest to God; we stood there and talked for about 45 minutes on a wide range of topics and I might share those thoughts in a blog down the road.

Rob and Shawn showed up for the podcast at mid-morning. Rob would present on the topic of smoke to an afternoon audience.

The podcast went very well, but I feel that we merely scratched the surface of this man’s deep reservoir of knowledge, which is why I have every intention of having him on my show again in the near future. In the picture, Rob is again in the middle and FFNetcast producer John Mitchell is on the right.

Rob, keep spreading the word on the Toxic Twins, brother.

Even if that is one leader/one safety officer at a time.

The message is much too important to wait for some to come to their good senses.

The educational supplement “Smoke: Perceptions, Myths and Misunderstandings” from the Cyanide Poisoning Treatment Coalition is must reading.

Oh; and remind me to tell you about my conversation with Bobby Halton.

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.

Some months ago, I blogged about the safety of the medevac industry. I wrote the blog shortly after we had a medevac helicopter go down here in Illinois, killing everyone aboard. Here is the blog: http://www.firefighternation.com/profiles/blogs/the-safety-of-air-ambulances.

USA Today ran a story on Thursday, August 19, 2010 that we should take notice of: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-08-19-1Amedivac19_ST_N.htm.

The headline for the article written by Alan Levin “Medevac Industry Opposing Upgrades Wanted by NTSB” is an attention grabber, because you have to wonder upon reading it, why anyone would oppose more safety in an industry that has had a recent, poor safety record.

So as not to violate copyright laws, I will encourage to use the link and read the article.

Since year 2000 to year-to-date, there have been 122 fatalities attributed to air ambulance crashes.

I understand that, in the larger scheme, the fatalities are a small percentage when compared to the thousands of flights, but when you call your service a “life flight”, the last thing you assume is that you are going to die taking one.

“Medevac” is an abbreviated term for “medical evacuation”. That is to say that a person(s) has a medical condition and they are being evacuated to a facility that can treat the patient’s medical condition. The whole premise is to get them safely to that facility, so it makes sense that every effort is made to do just that. That would include improved technology and equipment. It may very well include removing older air ambulances from service. It might also include night vision technology and warning systems designed to alert the pilot to an impending collision/crash.

So, why would the industry be opposed to it?

After 2007/2008, the industry DID take many voluntary steps to improve safety, but they were voluntary. Mandated change is what appears to be the hang up, but with 13 fatalities already this year, voluntary efforts don’t appear to be going far enough.

Without question, changes are going to add to the cost of running the service, but let’s face it; Life is priceless. It is heart-wrenching every time an air ambulance goes down and families are left to ask their questions.

So, is it a question of money or perceived government intrusion into an industry that wants the latitude to correct deficiencies on a voluntary basis or is it both? Is there more to it?

Where can sense and sensibility meet to reduce the number of air ambulance accidents and yet allow air ambulance operators to manage their business efficiently?

In rural America, where pre-hospital response times are often measured in miles, it is a question that will hopefully be answered very soon.

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.

On April 16, 2005, Andover, IA volunteer firefighter Justin Faur attempted to rescue a co-worker who had fallen into a manure pit at his place of employment. Both men later died.

At issue with the fire department’s workers compensation insurance carrier was whether Faur was acting as a firefighter or as an employee as a result of his efforts to save his co-worker. The insurance company (Travelers) contended that Faur was not acting as a firefighter at the time.

This was just handed down recently by the Iowa Supreme Court. (http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_801f5f46-a755-11df-903b-001cc4c002e0.html?oCampaign=hottopics)

Read about the workers’ compensation hearing here: http://decisions.iowaworkforce.org/workerscomp/2008/February/FAUR,%20JUSTIN%20-%205016580A.doc

For volunteer firefighters, the argument often comes up that, since most don’t have assigned shifts, that line between on duty and off duty becomes very blurred. In this case, it appears that the question may be: when is a volunteer firefighter acting as a firefighter or as a private citizen with firefighter training?

In my opinion, our government and our judicial system can’t seem to reconcile legislation and its interpretation that affect some of the distinct, cultural differences between career and volunteer fire departments.

Career firefighters have clearly defined on-duty and off-duty hours. A shift for them is usually 24 hours and is spent at the fire station. They don’t punch a time clock, but time sheets are kept for payroll purposes. They can be “re-called”, if a large incident requires additional manpower. They are dispatched through a central dispatching agency.

A volunteer firefighter is theoretically available 24 hours a day, if they are within their response area, can leave their full time job to respond or the other activities that fill their lives.

It is not unusual for volunteer firefighters to witness an emergency in their fire district and to call it in to a dispatching center, expecting the appropriate agency to be dispatched. When possible, the firefighter will initiate assistance, if it is within their scope of training and it is safe to do so.

It was clear that Iowa Workers Compensation Commissioner Christopher Godfrey understood the volunteer firefighter culture in his initial ruling in favor of Justin Faur’s survivors.

So, when is a volunteer “on the clock”?

In my opinion, the clock begins as soon as the firefighter recognizes the existence of an emergency that requires the assistance of his fire department, makes the call to the dispatching agency or has someone else call 911 and they can begin to render aid, however limited.

For a judge to say that a volunteer firefighter is not “on the clock” at that point is to remove a very key component that is critical to life safety issues in the rural setting. It also flies against the ideal of “neighbors helping neighbors”.

Again; Commissioner Godfrey “gets it”, as he recognized the importance of minutes and even seconds where lives were at risk.

For this model to work in the eyes of the Iowa Supreme Court in the case of Justin Faur, he would have been required to leave his co-worker face down in the manure pit, wait for the dispatching agency to properly tone out the Andover, IA Fire Department and wait until they arrived in order for benefits to be paid.

Faur’s mistake may very well have been to not wait for his fire department so that properly protected responders could enter the hazardous environment of methane gas, but the strong emotion of having an unresponsive co-worker in a pit and a desire to help someone needing it was too strong to keep Justin Faur from risking his life to save another.

I don’t know what was going through Justin Faur’s mind at the time of the incident, but I know that anyone familiar with hog or cattle confinements understand that methane gas is a by-product and a dangerous one at that and I’m sure that Justin Faur knew it, too. He entered the pit, knowing the danger. Very few “private citizens” would have done it and some firefighters might not have, but Justin Faur did.

And had Faur not been a member in good standing with the Andover, IA Fire Department, I might be inclined to side with the Iowa Supreme Court.

However; this is not the case.

Two factors leap out when reading available information on this incident: (1) As an employee, Faur recognized the emergency and had 911 called and (2) His firefighter instincts took over and he attempted to affect a rescue.

So, his surviving family members should be entitled to all benefits accorded to a firefighter; be it insurance death benefits, PSOBs or workers compensation benefits from his fire department.

If the Iowa Supreme Court doesn’t see it that way, then in my opinion, the case should be appealed at the federal level, up to and including the U.S. Supreme Court.

When you tell someone to call 911, the presumption is that they will call and the appropriate emergency agencies will respond.

Firefighter Justin Faur did NOT self-dispatch.

He placed “self” above all else and paid the ultimate sacrifice with his life.

And that is not Emotion speaking; that is Logic and Fact speaking.

I oppose the practices of self-dispatching and jumping calls and that isn’t the issue here.

In my past, I witnessed many incidents, called them in and went to work in my capacity as a volunteer firefighter. Period.

Faur might very well have initiated his rescue, anticipating that the additional help of his fire department would be there very soon. Who would know that any better than someone who had been on that department for the past two and a half years?

Under “normal” circumstances, this would be a subrogation issue between two insurance companies, but in this case, the Iowa Supreme Court chose to trash a very logical and articulate decision by Commissioner Godfrey and narrow the language/definition of “summoned to duty only through official channels”. And the Court is basing THAT on the assumption that Faur did not receive the pager tones.

If the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision in this matter is allowed to stand, then the entire volunteer response system may come under their review.

As an example: imagine if they would rule that you are not covered as a firefighter while in your personal vehicle on your way to the station or to a call.

Tell me that wouldn’t significantly change the landscape of what volunteer fire departments do!

THIS case needs further review AND further discussion.

Let me know your thoughts.

TCSS.

The article submitted 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 written permission of the author Art Goodrich, also known as ChiefReason. Please visit www.fireemsblogs.com and my blog www.chiefreasonart.com.

Look For the Hook

Many of us took similar paths into the fire service.

For some, it was for the opportunity to help someone in a time of need.

For others, it presented an opportunity to give back to their communities.

Privately, the excitement that a call could generate fueled an adrenaline spike that would explode into the ultimate struggle of Good vs. Evil.

There is no question that most firefighters want to be seen in the best light, held in the highest regard and looked upon as someone who can be trusted with the lives and properties in their communities.

We have trained to keep skills sharpened and up-to-date, while paying our respects to the fire service’s rich history and tradition.

Some of us have been drawn into reading volumes on fire history to an almost obsessive level. Though reading about Benjamin Franklin and his formation of the nation’s first volunteer fire department does little to enhance our skill sets, we recognize its importance to rounding out our personas as firefighters.

And that brings me to the purpose of this blog or rather, this question:

Are the motivating factors that shaped us 30 years ago still fueling the candidates entering the fire service today?

Are kids still “running to the curb”-as Tiger would say-to see the fire truck go by on its way to a call?

Are kids who have not grown up in a house where there have been generations of firefighters finding their own way into the fire service?

What is kick-starting that desire in the next generation of firefighters?

Will firefighter jobs be plentiful with the retirements of the 50/60-somethings or will they fall prey to budget constraints and destroy the dreams of those who wish to serve?

When you examine the cultural differences of today vs. 1980, you can see how societal changes have affected the perceptual inclinations of our newest firefighters.

What people my age perceived upon entering the fire service was an almost paramilitary, clandestine brotherhood.

Nothing left the confines of the fire station. Discussions and disputes started and ended at the fire station. Each man “covered” for the other, regardless of the circumstances. At the very least, they “didn’t know anything”.

The perception was that the fire department had to be seen as a group of honorable and rational men, capable of making split-second decisions in life and death situations.

Investigations into firefighter deaths would hardly ever go far enough as to reveal any damaging or damning facts that could impugn the dignity of the deceased and otherwise could bring shame or embarrassment to the grieving family. Some called it “extending a professional courtesy”.

And besides; even if something “unseemly” did make it to the news, it was local; where it stayed.

But today?

Everything and everyone is on the fast track.

Short bursts and short bites followed by copious amounts of diverse and sometimes perverse information can quickly lull us into overload mode.

We are not attracted to any, one subject; we do not want to “specialize”.

We are de facto game show contestants, vying to show our deep reservoir of general knowledge.

We want to do something today, but do something entirely different tomorrow.

And we don’t want to do anything that is going to chew up large chunks of our time. That feels too much like a job!

So; how do we get a hook into the newbies and reel them in?

How can a fire department match their training programs to candidates who are not fond of repetition or being told incessantly what to do, for that matter?

I have always been a traditionalist where it comes to the fire department. But, I am also a realist. I honestly believe that it is important to cite fire department history and some of the nation’s, major fire service milestones into perpetuity. Knowing why a ceremony is a time-honored tradition brings honor and dignity to the act and we must carry that forward.

Where we can jack it up for the next generation is in the training and how it is presented. Challenge them to improve the process. Let them drill with the music on. Turn it off if it’s a distraction or they are not drilling correctly. Find out what trips their trigger and then trip it.

What I learned from my days of fishing is that the biggest hook didn’t necessarily catch the biggest fish, but it made it harder for the fish to get off of the hook.

So, look for the right hook…

And don’t forget the bait!

TCSS.

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

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

Mourn the death of yet another young volunteer firefighter.

Extend your condolences to his family, friends and fire department.

Read the story about his last few minutes on this Earth (http://www.firefighternation.com/forum/topics/pennsylvania-department-mourns).

Then read the rather spirited discussion surrounding the details of his death (http://www.firefighternation.com/forum/topics/yeah-suredont-bother-wearing).

And when you are through with all of that, I want you to get upset and downright angry because; FIVE years after the nation’s fire departments were asked to take the seatbelt pledge by then Acting United States Fire Administrator Charlie Dickinson, firefighters are still dying from not wearing them.

From apparatus crashes to accidents in personally-owned vehicles (POVs) while enroot, the message is getting missed and it’s another missed opportunity to educate our firefighters on one of the most basic firefighter safety principles-the wearing of seat belts.

The National Seat Belt Pledge is very straight forward and states: “I pledge to wear my seat belt whenever I am riding in fire department vehicles or any moving vehicle. I further pledge to ensure that all firefighters riding with me wear their seat belts”.

How many times have we responded to a motor vehicle accident (MVA) and found life-less victims lying outside of the vehicle and on the ground, knowing full well that seat belts may have made a difference?

I responded to a call some years ago and found all FIVE family members ejected from their sport utility vehicle (SUV). Three of the five didn’t survive.

How can we stand in front of our citizens as public safety champions if we aren’t willing to practice what we preach?

We love going to school assemblies and “scaring” young adults into following safe practices; yet, we don’t do as we say? Hypocrisy comes to mind.

It’s not heroic to die imitating a human cannonball. It is senseless, because it is easily preventable.

There is no excuse-none, zip, nada; for not wearing your seat belt.

Don’t give me that crap about it won’t go around you with your gear on. They make seat belts to fit those of you who are “big boned”.

Dr. Burton Clark wrote a very good article after Firefighter Joe Torkos died from being ejected during an apparatus accident. He said: “…we cannot point a finger at anyone; we cannot put the blame on someone else or something else; so there are no headlines. Not using seat belts is our own fault; we have no excuses; we are the flaw”.

However; a quick Internet search on this subject will find a couple of interesting trends: (1) Families are suing fire departments for not enforcing their seat belt policy and (2) Officers are being criminally charged for not ensuring that their crew was seat belted at the time of their accident. Neither will bring back the deceased firefighter(s), but I think that it points to a growing frustration over not following a very basic safety principle.

So, what is your excuse?

Do you need to see a seat belt policy?

Here is one suggested by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the United States Fire Administration (USFA) and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC). It reads: “All personnel must be seated and belted whenever the vehicle (either department or personal) is in motion for department business. The driver and/or officer shall ensure by voice and personnel reply that seat belts are properly fastened. The driver will only proceed when it can be confirmed that all members are seated and belted. The only exception to the use of seat belts while a vehicle is in motion is a situation where a person is providing direct patient care (EMS) and there is no reasonable restraint system available. Utilize a progressive disciplinary system holding the violator and the supervisor responsible to ensure compliance with the seat belt policy, reflecting the serious and potential life-threatening consequences of failure to comply”.

Now that you have a policy…

ENFORCE IT!

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.

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.

He is the trusted partner in the enterprise.

He must gather the intel that will allow for the successful execution of the plan.

He is consulted in the selection, purchase and use of the right equipment.

He must develop; then refine the information that is inserted into the tactics used to dispatch the obstacles that lie before them.

He must diplomatically guide his enterprise to attain the goals that are set each year.

He must make sure that schedules are kept and milestones are achieved.

Every piece of equipment must be properly maintained, repaired or replaced. Each piece has a purpose and must work to plan every time that the plan is executed. Or you could simply be the “water boy” or “towel boy”. It doesn’t matter!

He must never violate the confidence and trust that has been put upon him.

He must work hard, but be transparent when the situation calls for it.

He must make certain that everyone gets to Point A; then Point B and so on.

And if he is asked for his honest opinion, he will give it, even if it isn’t what wants to be heard.

As a part of the team, he may have to do his share of “heavy lifting”.

He does it, knowing that his role is most important, but is the least recognized; at least to those outside of the team.

He lives for the moments when his advice is asked, is taken and the outcome is successful.

A “high five” is all he needs to continue on.

He feels the same pain when there is failure. The low is at the exact same, emotional level, but at the opposite end of the spectrum.

He watches from the side and out of the way.

He stands in awe as the crowd recognizes an extraordinary effort.

He must balance his consolation and adulation, so as not to confuse it with accepting failure and apply tough love on a case-by-case basis.

And though he runs in a circle populated by gifted people, he doesn’t think that of himself.

Yeah; as I watched the John Deere Golf Classic at Deere Run over the weekend, I thought a lot about the caddies and how similar they are to fire district trustees!

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.

Use of social media is at its saturation point.

From the tech-savvy teenager to the blue-haired baby boomers; texting, tweeting, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Digg, Google, Ask, Mozilla, etc. have come to deliver our information with the velocity and power of a lightning bolt.

In the recent past, we have seen the so-called, social media experts expounding upon their hypotheses for communications of the future.

They are preparing the arrangements for the death of the print media-the “traditional” media, in my opinion.

No more newspaper or news magazines. If you want it in print, you will have to go to a website and print it off, but really; will it be the same? Hardly!

It used to be that, if there was important, breaking news, TV programming was interrupted with a news bulletin or a special edition of the newspaper would be printed and delivered.

And if you were reading it in print, it was already HOURS old.

But today; you can get it as it is happening-streaming, live video shot from helicopters and drones. Media people are imbedded with police, fire, EMS, military, politicians, religious cults, drug cartels, despot governments, porno industry, human traffickers-you name it!

All that you need is a camera phone and presto; you just went “viral” on YouTube. Hollywood, here I come!

There are endless websites with a full menu for whatever titillates you.

I grew up on Rolling Stone, National Lampoon and Mad magazines.

They were as far from “mainstream” as you could get. They were both counter-culture and pop culture.

In its early years, Rolling Stone was heavy on music and music personalities, mixed with some political activism that wasn’t so much anti-war as it was pro-peace.

National Lampoon magazine was a favorite of mine for its political satire which was simply outstanding.

Mad magazine was pure escapism and hilarious; pure nonsense, yet relevant.

From Hunter S. Thompson to Dotson Rader, Rolling Stone pioneered a more liberal interpretation of freedom of speech for us. They pushed the bounds, used expletives unabashedly but not obscenely and widened the scope through which many of us view our own activism to this day.

Rolling Stone was everything that Look, Life and the Saturday Evening Post magazines weren’t. It was like James Dean vs. Beaver Cleaver!

You could not view Rolling Stone in the same way as any other magazine. It was, in a word, “cool”…and relevant. If you weren’t reading it, you weren’t keeping up with what was happening, cool and hip. From shaping your musical tastes to the clothes that you wore to your political views, Rolling Stone was immensely influential.

When they changed their focus sometime in the 1990s to broaden their appeal to younger readers, I stopped reading it. I felt that they had deserted our cause. It was like losing an old friend. They just weren’t relevant to me anymore and the death of Hunter S. Thompson took part of its soul and killed any desire by me to return.

Then BAM! They brought down a four star general (http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/119236).

I mean; maybe they didn’t blow the lid off of Watergate or the Iran Contra affair, but their brutally honest and candid article on our top general in Afghanistan cost him his job!

But, when I say that the article that appeared in the Rolling Stone (http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/119236) cost General McChrystal his job; that is not to blame the magazine…for the most part.

I want to believe that it wasn’t Jann Wenner’s (THE man at Rolling Stone) or Michael Hastings’ (the writer of the article) intent to take General McChrystal down, but when you have been around as long as Wenner and his Rolling Stone (1967), I have to think that Wenner had a smirk on his face as the July 8-22, 2010 issue went to press.

The July 8-22, 2010 edition wasn’t suppose to hit newsstands until Friday, June 25^th, but the McChrystal article was already viral by Tuesday, June 22^nd and by Wednesday, June 23^rd, McChrystal was called to the White House, called on the carpet and stripped of his true calling for calling his boss, the President of the United States-and I am paraphrasing; uncomfortable, intimidated, uninformed, disengaged and a disappointment. Again, I am paraphrasing from a lengthy article that must be read in its entirety to get a real sense of it.

So, when I say that traditional media took down General McChrystal, you have to consider this:

In my opinion, the traditional relationship between the subject of the news story and news reporter builds from a synergy of comfort and confidence-of speaking freely; confident that the common sense of the interviewee will guide dialogue and the common sense of the interviewer will determine what goes or doesn’t go into the published article.

An added common sense safety valve is the editor-in-chief, whose very name and reputation rides on articles such as “The Runaway General”.

I have no doubt that McChrystal’s firing and subsequent retirement was yet another unintended consequence of our social media (See: http://www.firefighternation.com/profiles/blogs/social-medias-unintended), triggered by a traditional media interview.

Think about this: McChrystal was fired two days BEFORE the interview hit the newsstands!

Rolling Stone had already posted the story on the home page of their website by 10:00 am on Tuesday, June 22^nd (http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/119236).

I believe that when we are in the public’s eye, we must assume that NOTHING is “off the record”.

The tape is always rolling-be it audio or video. What we say or do will be sliced and diced, re-configured and publicized as a re-invented and re-incarnated skeleton of the factual body.

The McChrystal firing should serve as that reminder once again.

The story has re-ignited the debate over whether access by the press should be limited.

Naturally, the Media is opposed to ANY access limitations, but where they haven’t exercised good judgment in what appears in the finished product; why should they be rewarded with a front row seat to our news events?

Do you realize that, by today’s standards, very little live audio and video exists from World War II and even the Vietnam War and yet; VOLUMES have been written on both wars?

Our society has become so impetuous and impatient that we must have immediate gratification from our day’s events.

Is restricting free access restricting free speech? That’s open to debate.

Think for a minute of how damning and damaging a perceived inappropriate comment by a firefighter could be to your fire department if it were to be made public.

Do you think that there would be the added footnote that this is how some in our profession “process” bad stuff? Probably not.

Do you think that YOUR boss will react in a similar manner to General McChrystal’s boss? Probably so.

We want to watch “Rescue Me” with a wink-wink, but we want a public view of what we are to be akin to walking among the lepers, cursing those who sully our reputations with their bad behavior.

We want to project traditional values through non-traditional means. If we cannot pick and choose our media moments, then we at least have to stay true to our mission and if we must engage in the “off color or off handed”, then do so when no one else is around, take an oath to silence and a pinky swear, because if we don’t, we will be misinterpreted, misrepresented and misunderstood by a public who wants to believe that we are better than that.

And let’s face it; we exist in a culture populated by the weak and the strong, the passionate and the dispassionate and the sinners and the saints.

So, at the end of the day, you have to ask yourself if you want to be remembered for one blog, one Facebook comment, one YouTube video or one news article, because in today’s world, it won’t matter if you have four stars or four bugles…

It may be just enough to bring a career crashing down in the traditional sense!

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.

“Over 200 Massachusetts EMTs Suspended in Certification Scheme” is a headline that will get your attention!

Many of you will recall that FirefighterNation posted a news story back on May 27, 2010 about this: http://firefighternation.com/forum/topics/boston-firefighters-among.

In a recent news article (http://firefighternation.com/forum/topics/over-200-massachusetts-emts) that was posted on June 18, 2010, you will find more current information, including punishments that have already been delivered.

It has also been handed over to the states’ attorney general for further action, if warranted.

What struck me was the very last comment in the http://firefighternation.com/forum/topics/over-200-massachusetts-emts article. It stated:

Auerbach said some of the EMTs caught up in the probe expressed remorse for their actions, but others ‘did not quite understand the severity of their actions!

That statement simply blows me away.

Is it stealing?

Is it cheating?

Is it fraud?

Is it a criminal act?

Now; I am not sitting on my pedestal, high atop of moral ground, but; when you commit a dishonest act, you can either continue down that path and end up in REAL trouble or you can see the errors of your ways and correct it.

We are not talking about sneaking a peek at someone’s poker hand when they leave the table to go to the restroom.

We are not talking about taking a couple of tomatoes from your neighbor’s garden.

We are not talking about a kid writing the answers on their arm to test questions on a high school exam.

We are not talking about someone who drives 5 mph over the posted speed limit.

We are not talking about someone’s indiscretion only hurting them.

No; we are talking about someone who took money to go to classes, did not attend those classes and received credit anyway and was re-certified as a giver of advanced medical care.

We are talking about actions taken that will hurt a fire department ambulance service and a community for months and even years to come.

Others on the fire department who did the required work to re-certify as an EMT will be resentful and distrustful of those who “bought” their re-certification.

The face of the fire department will no longer be the face of one of the most trusted occupations on Earth.

The public will feel that their trust has been violated. They won’t know who to trust. They won’t know which ones cheated and which ones didn’t, so they will distrust ALL of them! It doesn’t matter to the public if this is the first or the tenth time. The time is NOW.

So; though the public might not be interested in learning the pathology of this scandal, I have to wonder if this type of behavior has been reinforced by years of not getting caught for other dishonest acts.

I have to wonder if these thieves cheated on exams during their high school days, then college and then, they fabricated a job resume that got them hired to their jobs. I wonder if they are getting “free” cable TV from their neighbors.

In their world, dishonesty has become their reality, so they would not view their dishonest actions as wrong or at the very least “no big deal”.

They got caught this time, so they’ll just pay the money again and take the test. No problem, right?

Ask yourself if you would rather have someone who cheated at card games, but studied hard, did their practicals, kept up on their in-service training so that they could re-certify their EMT license OR someone who paid off an instructor to get a free pass on their re-certification. Hmmm…

Get out the deck of cards!

How screwed up does your moral compass have to be to NOT comprehend that lying, cheating and stealing to gain re-certification of life-saving skills is wrong?

Here’s a paradoxical question for you and you don’t have to raise your hand: how many of you would cheat if you KNEW that you could get away with it?

Some of you will answer “no” and will be completely honest.

Some of you will answer “no” and be lying about it.

Some of you will answer “yes” because, in your mind, the reward is worth the risk.

Some of you will answer “yes” but will try to rationalize it with the old “I didn’t have time to study” argument.

Still, some of you will answer “yes” because the few times that you got caught, you simply had to re-take the test, get lectured by your parents and promise never to do it again. Oh; the AGONY!

So; would an EMT who got their certification COD be qualified? Would YOU want to take that chance?

How would you feel if you found out that the guy who did your surgery was actually the night shift janitor at the hospital?

Or that the marriage counselor that you are seeing has been divorced FIVE times?

How about the drivers’ education teacher who has not had a valid drivers’ license for three years (DUI) and is teaching your sweet child?

I know how I would feel!

Why then, would instructors want to risk their teaching certificates and their students be willing to violate the public’s trust?

For the money?

Because they are lazy?

Because they didn’t think that they would get caught?

Because they thought that they knew everything anyway?

Because they thought that they were “different and special”?

Because they didn’t care?

Because they weren’t smart enough to pass it on their own?

No matter; rational people won’t be willing or able to justify it under any circumstances.

It may not feel good to be beaten by a team that cheats, but it would feel worse to “out-cheat” them in order to win. Remember: cheaters never win and winners never cheat!

We have to continue to believe that hard work has its rewards. Honesty, integrity, moral fiber and ethics have to drive those of us who are in public safety.

If we don’t conduct ourselves in that manner, then we will be facing moral dilemmas each and every day.

And little by little, our public’s trust will continue to erode.

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.