Dear Nozzlehead: First of all, I would like to commend you for your straight-to-the-point attitude. I’ve been a career firefighter for many years and am also a businessman. I can’t agree with you enough about the blatant disregard for human life exhibited by some training (and fire) officers. These training officers have made their way into the position either because of an injury that’s prevented them from performing their normal duties or because of the “Good Boy Promotion Process”; I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.
The problems with some training officers: 1) They have the “It’s my way or the highway” attitude; 2) they lack experience and the ability to actually train and teach; and 3) they have a cult following; out of fear, firefighters will swear they saw nothing when something goes wrong.
Let me tell you two stories that exhibit what I’m talking about.
Story 1: Early in my career, the training chief sent my engine company to another town’s training grounds for a live-burn exercise. When we arrived, a scruffy-faced, overweight guy greeted us and said, “My name is Burn’um Dick, and you haven’t fought fire until you’ve gone through my class.” I thought, “Oh boy, we’re in trouble.”
The live burn involved a two-story brick structure with metal stairs inside and out and metal shutters covering the windows-the swing-out type. Dick told us there was a small child trapped somewhere in the building and we were to perform search, rescue, suppression and overhaul. Simple enough, right? Wrong. I should’ve realized we were in big trouble when I saw this moron’s turnout gear; it was so burnt you couldn’t read the name of the company on the back, and his helmet was completely burnt up.
Both of our two-firefighter crews rolled in, hooked up to the hydrant, stretched a line in the door and started our search; no fire on the first floor-just about 20 bales of hay. We made our way up the stairs where were met with a small mattress fire, which we extinguished, and continued the search.
We then found the dummy. All of a sudden, the entire first floor became engulfed in flames. It was clear the training officer had soaked the hay bales with diesel fuel because the fire was ripping and started to roll up the stairwell. At this point our hoseline burned up and, because the smoke was so black and thick, we became disoriented. Let me tell you, I don’t care how macho you think you are, when the crap hits the fan like this, it’s a nightmare!
All four of us clung to each other because our natural instinct told us not to get separated. After what felt like a lifetime, a firefighter opened an exterior door and we all rushed for the light of day.
We were very lucky that we weren’t killed because this training officer had to prove to the world that he knew how to start a fire and that nothing could scare him. My hero!
Story 2: After a big snow storm left about 1 foot of snow on the ground, horseplay kicked in at the firehouse. The captain decided he was going to tie a piece of plywood to the bumper of his personal truck, and the crew was going to take turns “surfing” behind the truck. Sounds fun, right? Wrong.
The first firefighter was whipped around the pickup during a sharp turn and run over by the captain. But wait, it gets better! The captain stopped to assist the injured firefighter, who suffered a fractured femur and hip. He then used his cell phone to call the station and ordered the medic crew to respond with no lights and sirens and to not contact headquarters about the situation. EMS arrived, packaged the firefighter and rushed him to the emergency room. The captain then called everyone over and told us that if anyone asks, the firefighter fell off the top of the truck while checking to see if the water tank was topped off.
The injured firefighter has experienced major health problems as a result of the accident; a metal plate and screws now hold him together. He was forced to use all his sick and personal time, and the captain who covered it all up and his cult following never mentioned a word of the truth. And what was this captain’s next promotion? Chief of training.
There are a lot of great training divisions out there, but the sad reality is that many aren’t so great. And for the cult crewmembers: Shame on you. You better hope you never become the guy with the steel plate who can’t even play with his kids anymore.
I didn’t write this letter because I’m unhappy with my current position or because I was overlooked for a promotion. I’m writing because I love my job, and I hope the cult crews will finally say enough is enough and stand up and question these officers’ actions if they feel they could result in injury or death.
-Mad in the Mountains
Dear Mad,
Well I sure hope you got it all out of your system. The publishers had to purchase another printing press in order to accommodate your many words. They had to sell more ad space and purchase another 55-gallon drum of ink. And I had to read the whole thing and be easily reminded of how correct you are. Your points are well worth discussing.
The “my way or the highway” attitude is appropriate sometimes-just not when “stupid” kicks in. If it relates to a fire officer enforcing policies and procedures that will impact a firefighter’s ability to survive, then hell yeah, the “my way” attitude (which is the way, based on SOPs, etc.) is correct. However, if the attitude ignores SOPs/ SOGs, and the fire officer is out of control, then forget it. Need proof?
In a very recent recruit line-of-duty death (LODD) in Baltimore, the fire department’s internal report revealed that the vacant house where the training exercise was held was not authorized for training because an earlier drill had damaged the walls and ceilings, which allowed fire to spread faster.
According to the report, the unsupervised fire recruit on the third floor got her boot caught in a ragged part of the wall, preventing three others from pulling her to safety onto the roof. The section of wall in which she got caught was created during the previous drill. Some may ask, “The recruit got her boot caught? Didn’t she know how to get unstuck?” No, she is a recruit. Recruits require constant supervision. That’s why they’re recruits!
The recruit died from burns and asphyxia. Death by fire? Death by failed leadership is more like it. Interestingly, even though the system and applicable leadership failed her and her kids, before she passed out, she actually directed two other recruits to safety. She understood firefighter safety, survival and the fact that we take care of each other-or are supposed to-and she wasn’t even out of recruit school.
According to the report, 36 (yes, 36!) safety violations occurred during this leaderless training exercise. Seven fires were set in the house. Seven fires in a house that wasn’t authorized for training!
The report also showed there was no communication between the instructor and the recruit; the instructor apparently didn’t even have a radio. Also, the rapid intervention team (RIT) didn’t have the proper equipment to perform its job. One media report indicated the RIT was composed of three trainees and an instructor.
Think this stuff doesn’t happen anymore? Well, according to a timeline of the incident, the fires were lit on all three floors of the house at 1135 hrs. At 1149 hrs, a garbled female voice called out, “We have a trapped firefighter [referring to the recruit]. This is not a drill. People hurt. We need help up here now.” Seconds later, someone responded, “Who is this?” followed by, “Repeat, company calling for help. Repeat.” The response was again garbled with a female voice saying, “We have trapped firefighter and a hurt firefighter and we can’t get her out. We need help up here now.” Too late.
So far, the mayor has fired the training chief, two other lieutenants responsible for training exercises were suspended and odds are more heads will roll.
Should someone lose their job over this? Should an entire career be ruined because of this? Absolutely! A fire recruit was killed because of failed leadership! What if she was your daughter, grandchild or spouse?
My way or the highway?
To address your second point, the lack of experience and ability to actually train and teach is a major issue and was again displayed in the example of the Baltimore recruit LODD. Fire chiefs must determine what standards and laws apply to the people training their firefighters. If those folks don’t have the qualifications, they should not be in that position. Simple and easy, right? Well this was simply and easily overlooked in your stories and in the recruit death.
And chiefs, once you appoint, assign or promote people into positions where they will have the lives of your firefighters in their hands, make sure you have a system in place to ensure they are doing exactly what you expect. Trust them? Sure, but regularly verify that they’re doing what you expect to ensure your trust isn’t broken. Ever.
The third problem you noted: “Out of fear, firefighters will swear they saw nothing when something goes wrong.” And that is a problem-not just in training, but in a department’s day-to-day operations. Firefighters know how things work and unless enough of them get together when they really think something is wrong, then they usually think that “it just isn’t worth it.” Who among us hasn’t been in that position? We all have! Speak up? “Man oh man, are you sure? Do you know what will happen if you speak up around here?” Sound familiar?
So what’s the solution? Find a way to speak up. If management is genuinely interested, you know the ways to provide input, especially when it comes to firefighter survival issues. Of course, many departments don’t have that level of “openness” and, therefore, management forces firefighters to “drop a dime” to elected officials, a reporter or another means of getting the problems aired. This is where things get really ugly. Holiday parties are cancelled. Cable is shut off. People get transferred. Someone starts a blog.
But if there’s no other way to convey a serious problem that could result in a firefighter having a steel plate installed in his body, what else should be done? Ignore it? Better yet, chief, what system is in place that allows vital information to get where it needs to go to prevent a firefighter from getting hurt or killed under your command?
There sure are a lot of excellent training officers out there, but the sad reality is that there are many who are not. So for all the Burn’um Dicks out there: Chances are you haven’t been charged with killing a recruit … yet. You just got a free hall pass and probably don’t even know it. Do whatever it takes to not get charged. Do whatever it takes to train the recruits right. Make it tough? Absolutely. Make it difficult? Yes. Very difficult. Should you make it so challenging that not everyone gets to be a firefighter? Yes! But do it so none of them get seriously hurt or killed. That requires leadership, Dickie. Remember, WWDD?*
And for the “cult crewmembers”: Grow some guts. There are many excellent firefighters coming up the ladder. In fact, I’m pretty impressed by the caliber of some of the 5-year-wonders riding fire apparatus out there. Not all-some. Perhaps this is the generation that will solve some of the issues we beat ourselves up about? Maybe this generation-or you-will finally stand up and question fire officers if you feel their actions could result in injury or death. Don’t be a jerk. Just ask the question. And make sure you know what you’re talking about; don’t be a smart ass. Or don’t speak up. If you don’t ask, you’ll probably be fine. You probably won’t have a problem. You probably won’t get hurt or killed. The odds are definitely in your favor. Sit back, be quiet and forget it. Protect your body parts … if you can find them.
Of course, to help you determine whether you should raise certain issues with your officers, association or union, try this: Speak to anyone outside your department who has been involved in a firefighter LODD, especially during training, to get their perspective. Then, take the information back to your organization and ask them one simple question: “Would you handle things the same way or would you do them differently?” If they answer yes to whether they would do things differently, then they’ve probably learned. If they answer no, run like hell. No kidding. Run like hell and check the classifieds to see who’s hiring.
*What Would Dick Do? Generally, do the opposite.
