FHWorld17: Sendelbach Challenges Fire Service to Debate, not Divide

During the Firehouse World opening session, Firehouse Editor-in-Chief Tim Sendelbach challenged the fire service to engage in healthy debates, not in 140-character bursts on social media, but rather in supportive forums, like conferences, back at the station and wherever possible, to improve upon our tactics and technology.

Sendelbach encouraged firefighters to stop focusing on the divides among us, and shift focus to what unites us: “People debate the aggressive vs. passive sides of the fire service,” he said. “But I’m here to tell you that there is only ONE fire service—the American fire service, united together, standing strong, armed with empirical data to help us do our jobs better.”

Sendelbach shared with the audience that Firehouse World hosts a variety of international attendees and instructors. He then showed a picture of a typical American apparatus, encouraging the international guests to ask their American counterparts, “Why so big?” He then showed a picture of a typical European apparatus, encouraging American firefighters to ask the European guests, “Why so small? Where’s the chrome? Where’s the bell?”

He emphasized that it is at conferences like this one where a real exchange of information and healthy debate can occur—a debate that seeks not to prove the one approach is right or wrong but rather to simply consider the critical questions that serve the overall betterment of the fire service.

Sendelbach addressed the fire service’s similarity to the military, asking if a soldier would go into battle without the latest and greatest in technology, knowing that a dynamic enemy was actively trying to kill them. Clearly, no. So why should the fire service be any different? Members of the fire service must constantly review the tools and ensemble being used to determine if it’s what’s best.

Shifting to a different challenge, Sendelbach shared series of numbers—602, 492, 165—and asked attendees if they recognized them. “What about 343? 9? 6? We know how those numbers connect to the fire service.” He underscored that firefighters know the numbers of the firefighters who are killed in tragic incidents, but what about civilian casualties, like 36—the number of people killed in the Oakland, CA, warehouse fire. “Thirty-six is our new Charleston 9,” he said. “I dare you to come at it from the prevention perspective.”

He encouraged a shift in perspective to those we serve. “Step back, check your ego and consider what humility means to the fire service,” Sendelbach said. “Humility is our greatest characteristic. Humility is what the American fire service was built on.” And with this humility, he said, comes taking ownership of our mistakes so that we can overcome our challenges.

In summary, Sendelbach reiterated the benefits of engaging in healthy debate at conferences—a great place to exchange ideas in a supportive manner. “We don’t want to commit “fratricide” of each other on social media. Instead, focus on what unites, not divides, and keep the discussion positive.