Dear Nozzlehead,
You would think that in 2018 my so-called problem would not be a problem, but I am afraid that it is and I am not sure what to do. I am a relatively new member in my firehouse but come from a family of firefighters. While our city has deteriorated over the years, we have many fires and emergencies and lots of great pride in our fire department. As a probie, I finished near the top of my class; I gave 110 percent, was an academy squad leader, and was overall very proud of how well I did considering how tough our fire academy is. When it came to firehouse assignments, I was thrilled to be assigned where I was–one of the absolute best companies (reputation wise) in the city.
On my first day, I arrived very early with goodies for the members and did above and beyond what a probie is expected to do. I never had my cell phone in the firehouse, volunteered for extra house watch, helped prepare and always clean up after the meal, did the garbage, and made sure my officer and group knew that I was absolutely all about being the best probie they ever saw. Honestly, I would compare and go up against any probie citywide or nationwide, especially in any big city fire department. I am that sure that I did it correctly. So, you would think life is good, right? Not exactly.
From the day I started in that firehouse, the smoking was the worst I ever encountered. I don’t consider myself sensitive, but this is as bad as it gets. It reminds me of a true smoking lounge, only the entire firehouse is the lounge! From the watch office to the kitchen to the TV room to the bays, the smoke is horrible. It’s cigarette smoke, pipe smoke, and cigar smoke. You would almost think that the firehouse is a designated smoking area, but it is not. The orders are very clear that there is to be no smoking in any of the firehouses–but the rule is ignored. The city laws state that smoking is illegal in most indoor places, including bars, restaurants, clubs, offices, and many other public areas (including all city owned buildings).
After considerable thought, I reached out to my officer and asked if one area, any area of our firehouse, just one small area could be designated smoke free. The last thing I want to do is cause any problems or even draw attention to myself, but I was literally getting sick at the firehouse, and I wasn’t the only one, but of course, as you might expect, no one was willing to speak up.
Unfortunately, my response was received with far less than enthusiasm, and we still all work in a firehouse where we have a better chance of getting smoke inhalation than we do on a fire scene–because on fire scenes we are required to be masked up! And I am now marked as “that” firefighter who whined about smoking.
Any suggestions?
– Non-Puff’n Probie
Dear Non,
It sucks to be you. Seriously. Here you are as a new probie, trying to do your best, and the environment and culture within at least your firehouse force you to deal with a problem, a problem among so many other things you should be dealing with. It’s once again an example of how we, as firefighters, can sometimes screw up the best job in the world. In this case, someone allows this to happen even though it is again the law?
But it happens. We get so wrapped up in our little firehouse world that we lose touch of the fact that we aren’t so special that we can ignore laws and do what we want to do. But we do. Read the headlines each day of what we do to screw stuff up. There is no shortage of stories in today’s media of stuff going on in firehouses that shocks even the most jaded. From drugs to drinking to prostitution to rape to hazing to assault, all are examples of us losing touch, perspective, and respect and failing to do our jobs! In the case of your department, everyone there is being paid, and not by the run.
In your case, not only are your officers screwing up, but the superior ranking officers are also failing. There can be no mistaking when a chief comes to visit quarters and PRETENDS to not smell the smoke. So, between some of your officers and the district or battalion chiefs, deputy chiefs, or whatever, everyone is afraid to face the firehouse foggers and all have their heads in the sand but continue thinking that they ARE doing their jobs and that there is NOTHING wrong with the subordinates pretty much doing what they want. And if they do what they want in quarters, they are probably doing what they want on the fireground, but that’s for discussion another day.
Author Diane Vaughn uses the term “deviation of normalcy” to explain how two tragic space shuttle disasters occurred. Normalcy of deviance signifies the condition in which “people become accustomed to deviant behavior to the point that they no longer see it as deviant.”
Essentially, to you, a relatively new “outsider,” and other people outside of your company, the activities (in this case the constant smoking) seem deviant; however, people within the firehouse do not recognize the deviance because it is a normal occurrence, and a selfish one as well. In hindsight (aka, after being confronted or being officially confronted), the officers and members should soon realize that their seemingly normal behavior was deviant. Again, it’s that “something that happens” when we walk in the firehouse and our world, and behavior, suddenly changes. It’s when we would normally behave one way outside the firehouse but differently when we are inside, on duty. The issue now is, will they change or not? In your case, the response was that they will not change, putting you in an unenviable position. After all, as a probie, you are expected to shut up, listen, and learn. I agree with that, generally, but not to the point where the firehouse environment sucks.
Your officer has failed, as have those above him, and now you are forced to be in the middle of it. Quite frankly, at this point, since your officer will not change, you have a few choices:
1. Suck it up (see what I did there?).
2. Speak to a union rep and ask for advice on solutions.
3. Ask to be transferred.
4. Go above the officer and file a complaint.
5. Go back to the officer and ask for reconsideration of a small designated smoking area, and keep the issue in house.
Now, I know many of you reading this are getting annoyed because in some of your worlds filing the complaint against the officer is the only solution. To some extent I agree with you, but I also, perhaps unlike a few of you, attempt to solve this in a “real-world” scenario, and in some “real-world” fire departments these days this probie unfortunately gets labeled a rat and carries that for a long time. Worth it? That’s up to you, but since I get to write this column, my advice is to avoid that when possible.
While the probie should have never been put in this position to start with, my suggestion is to go back to the officer, ask again, and remind the officer what an outstanding probie you are and you are just asking for a simple break. And, if that doesn’t work, ask to be transferred and move out of that house to one that hopefully doesn’t have the same problems.
Why am I not encouraging you to file a complaint? Because, unlike the readers of this column, I have some background from you on your department (and its culture) and know that, as sad as it is, it is not worth your becoming a martyr for this issue as a probationary firefighter. At this point, if the officer won’t change, find a new home. And, if that isn’t approved and you continue to be sick, you have few options other than to complain officially, remembering that the officer forced this–not you.
A special request from Billy Goldfeder/Nozzlehead: 2018 is the 20th anniversary of the 100-percent nonprofit Web site www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com: The Secret List. In a limited-time T-shirt fundraiser, 100 percent of the profits will be split 50/50 between the Firefighter Cancer Support Network and The Ray Pfeifer Memorial Foundation. Please consider supporting these two important charities and get a cool shirt as well. The shirts are available at www.tenthreegraphics.com.
