Let me begin this little story with a tip of the helmet to my good friend from Boston, retired Fire Commissioner Leo Stapleton. It is his gift for combining the real with the fictional that has made him the great author that he is. The genesis for...

Article • December 31st, 1999

During my career in the fire service, I have worked hard at becoming an observer of the world around me. I have noted many things on my trip through the groves of smoke and flames. I have observed fire departments with top-notch equipment and...

Article • July 1st, 1999

Over the past three decades, a real problem has developed in many of the urban areas throughout North America. Many large-loss fires have occurred because of inadequate staffing of fire units. Please take care to count regional population centers...

Article • February 28th, 1999

Dennis Compton discusses ways to remain positive and productive over the long haul.

Article • February 28th, 1999

Sometimes, we as individuals and groups need to take stock of just who we are, what it is that we do and, perhaps most importantly, why we do it. That time for me seems to be now. After 25 years of service to the Newark, NJ, Fire Department, I am...

Article • December 31st, 1998

One of the primary forces at work in the fire service today is the movement toward embracing change. We are all being asked to reveal what it is about us that prejudices us in favor of the status quo, what it is that causes us to fight change. This...

Article • July 1st, 1998

In recent months, we have been accused of being just a bit too "touchy-feely" in our approach to delivering the gospel of organizational effectiveness. There are those who have said, "You give too much of yourself to your subordinates." To those of...

Article • October 31st, 1997