The most dangerous words in the fire service
By Rick Lasky
The Chicago Fire Department has been known for decades for “Bringing the main to the street” by hooking an engine to the hydrant with hard suction–a technique that has served the department well. (Photo by Gordon Nord.)
The fire service has come a long way from how we operated some 50 years ago. Tremendous improvements have been made in everything from our protective clothing and our tools and equipment to our fire apparatus and the training we receive, and the list goes on and on. We’ve made advancements in how we fight fires and, when needed, have adjusted our tactics and strategy to keep up with the improvements that have been made to what we use to combat fire. Building codes have improved, and we have made great strides in our efforts to prevent fires from occurring in the first place. We’ve come from sirens on firehouse roofs to pagers to text messaging to the incredible software that aids in alerting and dispatching firefighters today. The fire service is and always will be led by progressive leadership, good bosses who are always looking for new ways to protect the public and keep their firefighters safe. And as much as we have fought change in some instances, giving in on some of it then fighting it again, the fire service has done well and continues to push forward.
The Way We’ve Always Done It!
I’ve read on various social media platforms where some feel that the phrase “the way we’ve always done it” is dangerous and sets us up for firefighter injuries because a particular task or skill is “old” and “outdated.” I’ve even heard some of my friends say it, and as much as I understand why they may choose to say it, with all due respect I must disagree with them on this one. Yes, there are things that we do that we shouldn’t and there are things we should do differently from how we did them in the past–that has always been the case–but there are a lot of things we do and have done for a long time, and they work great.
Some of these include the following:
– Many of the hose loads and stretches we used way back when still work extremely well today, and NOTHING beats an engine company that can advance an attack line quickly and get water on the fire. And members do so quickly, safely, and efficiently because they train on stretching attacks lines all the time!
– The techniques that we use for search and rescue, staying oriented in a room full of smoke, and working with a search partner still work well today, though we don’t train on them nearly enough.
– Several of the techniques for ventilating a building still prove effective today. We have always taught our firefighters that we fight fires using a coordinated attack between the attack and vent crews.
And there are many more. So maybe the phrase some should be using is “Stop getting people hurt doing stupid stuff!” But if you take a closer look at firefighter injuries or at many of the line-of-duty deaths (LODDs) that occur each year, I think you’ll soon realize that there is another phrase that wins the most dangerous phrase in the fire service award, and that would be “We never thought it would happen here.”
The Words
I wish I had written down over the years just how many times I heard someone say, “We never thought it would happen here,” whether at a funeral or while investigating an LODD or a serious injury to a firefighter or just visiting with the members of a department who just went through a really bad time. Just a note each time it was said. That being said, though an LODD is a horrible experience and one that we all hope we never have to ever go through, this is a serious job that requires a serious thought process and the kind of people who are willing to treat it that way. Question for those who serve in the fire service: “How seriously do you take your role as a firefighter or an officer, and what do you do to stay fresh, current, and on top of your position within your department?”
Above: Several fire departments across the country use a red X or fluorescent colored painted X to mark a building as “Dangerous” to arriving firefighters. Entry with most is only allowed after a decision is made by the incident commander and safety officer. In this photo, the Chicago Fire Department is preparing to make an exterior attack. (Photo by Gordon Nord.)
Below: Honor Guard members and pallbearers escort Comstock Township (MI) Fire Chief Ed Switalski, who was killed in the line of duty. Chief Switalski was considered a “Firefighter’s Fire Chief” and an incredible leader who was taken from us too soon. (Photo by Tim Olk.)
Here are just a few reminders to help you and your brothers and sisters stay safe:
– If you don’t think it will happen here, then get ready, because you’re probably just moments away from something going wrong. Those who think they are bulletproof always find out that they aren’t, and it hurts big time. There are very few do overs in the fire service. Bottom line: Drop your guard just one time, and that’s all it takes. Big department, small department, busy or slow, it doesn’t matter–you’re just as dead. Everyone ends up on the same memorial in Emmitsburg.
– The right attitude is huge. A positive attitude when it comes to training, mentoring, and staying on top of your game is paramount. The only one thing in life that you have control over is your attitude. Surround yourself with people who love the job like you do
– Train, train, train! Those who have earned the right to wear our uniform have done so through training every opportunity they can. No excuses. Training brings about efficiency, which is what makes for the company that the “good ones” want to work with. Why would you not train for a job that could kill you?
– Learn from every mistake and learn from every success. Don’t beat yourself up when you mess up, and don’t allow your ego to run amuck when it all goes right.
– Never leave a fire scene, hazmat job, or technical rescue incident without having a quick talk about what went well and what you need to possibly work on. Try to never waste this valuable learning experience.
– This is probably one of the most important: Study, review, and learn from past serious injuries and LODDs. Another great resource is the Near Miss program at www.nationalnearmiss.org, where “Lessons learned become lessons applied.” Look at any of these three areas, and you’ll soon realize just how lucky you’ve been and, more importantly, how to keep yourself and your teammates out of harm’s way.
Obviously, this is all just a start in staying safe and alive with all that we do in the fire service. There is so much more. Staying fresh and into the job and placing a priority on training will help you avoid ever having to say, “We never thought it would happen here.”
Rick Lasky is a 37-year veteran of the fire service, has served in career and volunteer departments, and was chief of the Lewisville (TX) Fire Department for 12 years. Most recently, he was interim chief for the Trophy Club (TX) Fire Department. Lasky began his firefighting career on the southwest side of Chicago, following in the footsteps of his father. He received the 1996 ISFSI “Innovator of the Year” award for his part in developing the “Saving Our Own” program. Lasky was the co-lead instructor for the H.O.T. Firefighter Survival program at FDIC for more than 10 years and is a member of the editorial advisory board for Fire Engineering and the FDIC. He is the author of Pride and Ownership: A Firefighter’s Love of the Job and coauthor of Five-Alarm Leadership: From the Firehouse to the Fireground (Fire Engineering) and is the cohost for the radio show “The Command Post” heard on Fire Engineering Talk Radio. In 2017, he was the recipient of the Tom Brennan Lifetime Achievement Award.
