BILLY GOLDFEDER, E.F.O.
Firefighter Jeff Chavis died from injuries sustained while fighting a structure fire.
These thoughts and comments are never meant to give the "Monday Morning Quarterback" attitude and, fortunately, we don't seem to ever be perceived as doing that by the thousands of you that read this stuff I write. These comments today are no different. But now a dose of reality.
The fire department that Brother Chavis worked for is being fined by OSHA for "sevenserious violations and six less serious violations". The two most serious violations listed were, the lack of supervision by an incident commander, and that firefighters inside the structure didn't maintain contact with firefighters outside.
Seems simple huh? It isn't.
Well, as you know, you and I weren't there. But we have all been to fires where this occurs, and face it, it happens everyday all over the Country.
I cannot imagine how the chief and/or the incident commander from this fire department feels since losing this firefighter and now, OSHA identifies some basic procedures that weren't followed, and fines them.
Honestly, I feel deeply for them, this is the last thing they need now. But wait, what is that noise I hear? It is the lawyers cranking up their engines! Of course that will be the next step. What a horrible shame.
These firefighters, officers and the late firefighter Jeff Chavis woke up one morning looking forward to a great day at the firehouse, perhaps even some of them saying, "we hope we get a fire today", like each of us have said once.
The purpose of this commentary is not to do anything other than to get you to ask yourself, "WHO IS IN CHARGE OF YOUR FIRE"?
It is not directed at any fire department, and certainly not our brothers and sisters in SC. But their situation did get us thinking.
We make it dead clear to our officers and students (at the fire department, in command school, FDIC, etc) that you are absolutely and fully responsible for getting your firefighters home safely. Chiefs such as Tommy Brennan, Jim Murtagh, Frank Montagna, Jack McElfish, Don Manno, Frank Brannigan, Alan Brunacini, etc, have said that for years. It's nothing new. But to do that, your IC has got to have the background and experience in structural firefighting!
You can't have someone in charge of your fire who's next fire is gonna be their first! But there are some communities with so-called OICs and incident commanders that have no business running the fire and who's next fire WILL be their first!
They don't seem to understand their responsibility and those above them don't seem to care either. It applies to both career and volunteer services and nowadays, many officers get promoted or elected with less and less hands-on fire experience & fire training. And some, unfortunately, with primarily EMS backgrounds, woke up one day and are now in-charge of structural fires.
How does this work? Well-it is a matter of poor risk-management by those in charge. The problem is that some city fathers (and mothers) and even some chiefs allow it to occur. Their philosophy is that when they (the new incident commanders) are on-duty, odds are there won't be a structure fire. You know the ones who say (especially in career fire departments), "We are an EMS department that occasionally goes to a fire" and, "we don't have fires anymore" etc.
So what happens? They feel that everything is fine and go their merry way checking apparatus for dust, having the firefighters wash their staff car, adjusting their collar brass, making sure there are enough IV fluids and of course, finding outdated drugs in the ambulances. And then, suddenly and without warning, all hell breaks loose when they get a working fire and they are lost! Where does that leave those that they are responsible for getting home safely?
Who is going to train the firefighters everyday if those in charge don't have the experience, training and know-how (or interest) in dealing with structure fires?
I'll tell you what happens. They buy any of those videos out there and call it training! Sadly, some "training officers" have become "video tape distributors". That's great. They can plan for a future when they retire as an executive with Blockbuster. Videos are a good supplement, but they are not training.
So who is gonna take care of the troops? Who is going to be the experienced and seasoned leader at these fires and command the operation? Who is going to lead and show by example the firefighters what to do and not do during training?
Who is going to have the experience and training (real training, dirty stuff, not your annual CPR recerts) to prepare these firefighters for the structure fire when it comes in?
Who is going to make the firefighters and officers train constantly on structural firefighting operations & tactics, fire command/scene supervision, building construction, structural collapse, venting, fireground communication and all of the related and required tasks. The IC knows what can happen if they do not take the training seriously.
We have always been told (usually by someone whining) that we should provide solutions to problems we present. So here goes.
If you know of someone else's fire department with one of these new age ICs, do everything you can to:
- Encourage constant realistic hands on fire training with full participation.
- Request as much outside live fire training as possible, with full participation.
- Perform every single day (or weekly in volunteer fire departments) hands-on training operations so that everyone including whoever is gonna run your fire, gets involved and becomes familiar with each other so you know what you can expect from one another at the fire.
- Do your best to encourage promotion standards that require structural firefighting training and experience.
Listen. I Know that EMS is critical and I am truly a big fan of paramedic & EMT-firefighters who save a lot more lives than firefighters do.
But, EMT and paramedic certs do nothing to assure a safe fireground operation and cannot replace an experienced, trained and competent incident commander who runs the fire ground and gets everyone home safely.
Who is in charge of your fire? All your troops want is to get home safely, even if they sometimes don't act like it. This is serious stuff and absolutely applies to volunteer fire officers as well as career.
Our finest thoughts, deepest respect and hopes for a peaceful future go out to the members and especially the officers in Lexington County, SC, as well as the family members of Jeff Chavis.
Related:
Chief BILLY GOLDFEDER, E.F.O., a fire chief since 1982 and is a battalion chief for the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department which is an I.S.O. Class 2 department.
He is a commissioner with the Commission of Fire Accreditation International and has published numerous articles on subjects such as volunteer fire operations and leadership, combination departments, fire command, deployment and tactics, apparatus design and fireground staffing.
Chief Goldfeder has served on several NFPA and IAFC Committees and has been an instructor at the Fire Department Instructors Conference (F.D.I.C.) for the past 18 years. He is on the faculty of Northeast Fire's Command School 2001 & 2002, and is a contributing editor for FIREHOUSE Magazine.
