We have used some pretty dramatic fire photos on the cover of Firehouse® Magazine the past few months. Some of these shots have raised safety concerns from our readers. The pictures we use on the cover or inside the magazine represent just a fraction of a second of the action that takes place during a fire attack, at the same time depicting what a small fraction of the firefighters across America do each and every day.
Many times, people say the operations depicted are unsafe and we shouldn't show them. I say we should show them and let firefighters, company officers and chiefs discuss the operations and draw their own conclusions. No one, repeat no one ever writes or calls us to say a photo being used to illustrate an article was safe and correct.
I like to use photos as learning tools. We aim to show the fire service "the right way" by publishing and providing timely features on firefighting, operating procedures and tactics. But it is the American Fire Service that must ultimately implement these procedures.
One of our contributors recently mentioned to me that attitude is killing our firefighters, not the inherent hazards of the job. Are we still operating in buildings with questionable structural stability because it is macho? Are we attacking structure fires with smaller than necessary or effective hose streams with 11/2-inch or 13/4-inch lines when we should be using a 21/2-inch line or a deck gun? How many times do you see in our magazine numerous small handlines being aimed at a building or a row of buildings, when monitors or deck guns would do an effective job? Just a few observations from these photos points out that changes have to come from and be made in the field.
The recent tragic fire that took the life of a Phoenix firefighter has Chief Alan Brunacini looking to change the way the department fights fires. Among the items being discussed: Larger rapid intervention teams. Training for firefighters in an obstacle course that mimics the cluttered conditions inside the supermarket that burned. Thermal imaging cameras on every apparatus. Low air pressure alarms on SCBA that activate before there is only five minutes left, giving firefighters additional time to get out if a problem arises. Better risk analysis at fire scenes to determine when firefighters should be removed from a building.
Our contributor contends we are not learning from the past lessons, and we need to - desperately. Maybe the time to change and take another route is when the newest firefighters come through the academy door for the first time. Like he said, none of the firefighters who died left the station thinking they were going to die. Change has to start now. We cannot continue to conduct business the way we have always done. Tradition or not, we need to protect our people. When my department operated on a highway or just in traffic, I frequently reminded my firefighters to stay out of traffic. I would say it all the time. Luckily, no one ever got hurt. If you pay attention to all the firefighters and fire police who are hit on highways during an incident, maybe we should rely on police to direct the traffic. I know that in many areas there are limited law enforcement personnel to respond to highway incidents. We can't keep putting our people in harm's way. It doesn't make sense.
Finally, after announcing last month our "close calls" idea about bringing to light incidents that we can share with readers about dangerous situations on the fireground, we want to discuss current, timely topics. We will provide topics of current concern in upcoming issues in a forum to solicit your opinions. We will ask contributors to give us their thoughts and will take readers remarks as well. These comments will be published in upcoming issues. What's your opinion? We'd like to know.
The Firehouse Expo is coming soon to Baltimore, July 24-29. A vast array of fire service topics will be discussed, including timely topics such as fire/EMS response to scenes of violence, the Columbine High School shooting, mass-casualty incidents, "telco hotels," a University of Extrication program focusing on airbags and new hybrid cars, and many other fire, rescue and EMS topics. A wide variety of hands-on training is also being offered. See www.firehouse.com/expo for complete details. See you there.
Congratulations to our own Hal Bruno, contributing editor, who was the master of ceremonies at the recent 13th Congressional Fire & Emergency Services Dinner in Washington. He did an admirable job and kept the program to the schedule.
