Hatfields & McCoys–Fire Service Style

Dear Nozzlehead: I’m a member of an aggressive combination department (paid part-time day staff, full-time chief, and volunteers). A few years ago, my department split into what is now a municipal department and a rural fire company–and each side does not like the other (well, at least this is true for the older members) because of personal history. A majority of the newer, younger members doesn’t care about past history; we just want to train together. The “brass” at my department absolutely refuses to have anything to do with the other department. This is a MAJOR safety concern to me, knowing that our mutual-aid department doesn’t know how to use our equipment or function together as a team to perform a RIT assignment, etc., effectively. What can we do so our “brass” will let us train with our mutual-aid department? We all feel that training together would allow us to be confident in each other’s skills.
–The Chauffeur
 
Dear Driver of Miss Daisy,
Interesting description of your department–“an aggressive combination department.” Being aggressive, in a broad sense, is behavior that’s forceful, hostile or attacking, either in retaliation or without provocation. I’m nervous now about writing back to you. Or do you mean you’re part of an aggressive FIREFIGHTING department? You and your crews really “go in and get it” when the bells sound–is that more like it? We’ll see.
 
So your department “split” into a municipal fire department and a rural association? And this was due to “personal history”? I just wanna congratulate the brain surgeon(s) who came up with that idea. As we can see, it’s worked out really well.
 
Brotherhood? Nope.
Sisterhood? Nope.
Serve and protect? Nope.
Saving life and property? Nope.
Egos and selfishness? BINGO.
 
Think about the “we” and “them” stuff that you’re used to reading in this column. And it directly relates to a simple two-question test that I’ve used for years when trying to figure out fire-service conundrums:
1.    What’s best for the people (them) having the emergency?
2.    What’s best for the firefighters (we) responding to the emergency?
 
Not much else matters. THEY are the only reason we exist, but of course, we often forget that. We get focused on what we want–not what they need. We forget that when we swore to protect and serve, it was not about self-serving and doing what we want; it was about helping them.
 
It reminds me of an old friend of mine who was the fire chief of a decent rural volunteer fire company. Times were changing, and they were having trouble turning out for several runs. Failing to turn out for ANY run is unacceptable. Sorry, it’s not about you; it’s about the people who called 9-1-1 and who were silly enough to think that your fire company might actually respond–and do so with well-trained and well-staffed at that! The public doesn’t understand the concept of “we may not get six out on a run.” And neither do I. Again, remember, it’s about the people who need you when they are having their really bad day.
 
Anyway, the “county” fire chief was considering placing some career firefighters into that rural firehouse so that service could be ensured during times when turnout was historically poor. When the rural fire chief heard that, he went insane. Seriously–went nuts. Once he calmed down, he threatened to “surround the county courthouse” with trucks and volunteer firefighters to protest the idea of career staffing. He further stated that he would shut down his company and that the volunteers would walk out before they would allow any career personnel in THEIR firehouse.

Silly firefighters. These days, nearly all of the firehouses in that area are career-staffed. So many of those companies forgot their mission, and while they were busy ignoring help, the world went right past them.
 
So back to your little slice of firefighting paradise where your so-called leadership absolutely refuses to have anything to do with the other department. Humph. THEY don’t like those OTHER people and will therefore ignore ’em. Clearly leadership at its best–best for us, not the people who need us.
 
Should you be concerned? Absolutely. Are your concerns justified? Hell yeah. Mutual aid is a myth unless those departments have common SOPs, equipment and guidelines. It’s a daydream if the departments don’t train together. When mutual-aid departments don’t have those common threads, all they’re doing is bringing more firefighters into an already leader-less scene. Why add more problems to the mix? Why have more firefighters witness the ceremonial burning down of another building? After all, it’s not YOUR building; it’s someone else’s building.
 
In your case, your leadership needs to get their heads out of their egos and focus on what’s best for the citizens and the 9-1-1-dialin’ public. Sure, it may sting that some clowns split the department in half for whatever reasons. I get that. But above and beyond that, the fact is that they did split, and now (Kum ba yah, my Lord, Kum ba yah) you all have to work together.

Get past the personalities and get focused on the mission. Again, I get that what happened was done for some very personal reasons, but the fact of the matter is that you and they are STILL going to fires together, and STILL must count on each other.

Consider talking to the individuals one on one. When we talk to people face to face, they have no “audience” to perform for, and they become a little more human. Try it. Even talk to the folks who you think don’t like you, in the same one-on-one manner. What could it hurt?

Suggest a roundtable with key folks from both sides to discuss training, common policies, guidelines and related operational “survival tools.” Without certain common denominators, you’re doing (or not doing) so many of the things identified in most NIOSH line-of-duty-death reports.

Yeah, I get that they don’t like each other. OK, don’t go on vacation together. But if they’re going to respond together, they must train together and eliminate anything that could cause uncoordinated tasks that have absolutely lead to the critical injury and death of firefighters before them. This is hardly the first time firefighter egos and personalities have gotten in the way of what’s best for the public–and them. But maybe this might be one of the few times where we actually look above the personality crap and prepare to make runs together. It just might work.

Another tip: You may also want to check with your state to see what laws exists related to mutual aid. Or check with ISO regarding credit–or the lack thereof.

Either way, it’s easier to “suck it up” related to their egos now than it will be when trying to answer questions later about WHY didn’t they choose to work it out … when a citizen is crying about a headline-making, lawyer-attracting event–and regret becomes the order of the day.