Tom Gugliotti
On February 21, 2023, Webster Fire Rescue, where I am a call firefighter, was dispatched to an overturned canoe on Webster Lake with people in the water. The initial call was dispatched as a first-alarm assignment, which signaled off-duty, full-time personnel and the call-firefighters to respond to assist the on-duty, full-time firefighters. The rescue was made quickly, and when off-duty firefighters who indicated they were responding did not show up to the station, it was assumed they had heard they were not needed and returned home.
The following morning, I was on my way home from working my full-time job when I heard my hometown ambulance being dispatched to a familiar address. It was the home of Paul Cloutier, a full-time Webster firefighter and a member of my volunteer fire department, Muddy Brook. The call was for a 52-year-old male, in cardiac arrest. I arrived at Paul’s house shortly after the ambulance. Paul had last been seen leaving his house to respond to the water rescue call the previous day. He had been found sitting in the driver’s seat of his truck and was pronounced deceased on scene.
- Better Eating in the Firehouse
- Following a “Plant-Strong” Diet
- Controlling the ‘Controllables’: Fueling for Fire
- Worthwhile, But Not Easy
Paul joined the Muddy Brook Fire Department in 2017. He was self-employed, running his own construction and remolding business. Paul had a big personality and always gave 110% to any project he was involved with. He put in the same effort with his hobbies and personal goals. He earned his certifications, receiving an award from the fire academy for his natural leadership abilities, and quickly rose to the rank of lieutenant. In 2021, Paul joined Webster Fire Rescue as an on-call firefighter and set out to become a rescue diver. In 2021, he obtained his basic and advanced diver, along with full face and drysuit. This was above and beyond any of the expectations set for him. Diving—both recreationally and for the fire department—became a passion for him. As with most things Paul set his mind to, he had excelled at it and had plans to improve the town’s dive team. In July of 2022, Paul accepted an offer for a full-time position with Webster Fire Rescue. He was known for urging people to try new things, mentoring new members of the department, his unique sense of humor, vast array of hobbies, and a passion for serving his community. Above all else, he adored his two children, Quinton and Victoria, and spoke of them frequently.
The loss of Paul was unexpected and caused a great deal of pain within both fire departments. As time passed, I started reflecting on some lessons I could take away from the short time I knew Paul and from his passing. Over and over again, we have heard what the number-one killer of firefighters is. “Overexertion and stress accounted for just over one-half of the deaths in 2022. Of the 49 deaths in this category, 34 were sudden cardiac incidents and one was due to cardiac symptoms. Eleven deaths had an unspecified medical cause, and one was due to a stroke or aneurysm.”[1] Paul had recently lost a significant amount of weight and regularly worked out, but he still had a way to go to be at a healthy weight and develop healthier eating habits. Paul often spoke of his family history of cardiac issues. He had numerous relatives that had passed away at ages much lower than the average life expectancy. This was something Paul had expressed concerns about to many of his friends. Paul’s cause of death was found to be cardiac in nature. It caused me to reflect on my own eating habits and the struggles I have had with my weight.
The Choices We Make
I identified two cultural themes within the fire service that contributed to my poor nutritional choices. The first was stress. I am guilty of being a stress eater, and I justified it by telling myself that at least I am not abusing alcohol or using drugs to cope. If I experienced a difficult shift, it would not be uncommon for me to go home and overindulge in sweets or foods high in carbohydrates. The second theme is the family atmosphere we have in our firehouses. While the familial bond we share with our brother and sister firefighters is a positive characteristic of firehouse culture, the group sit-down meals and frequent ordering of takeout was causing me to overeat and make poor nutritional choices.
The CDC recommends we reflect, replace, and reinforce to improve eating habits. “Reflect on all of your specific eating habits, both bad and good; and your common triggers for unhealthy eating. Replace your unhealthy eating habits with healthier ones. Reinforce your new, healthier eating habits”[2] Paul’s death motivated me to reflect on my lifestyle and replace my unhealthy habits. I reinforce my healthy habits by rewarding myself at certain weight-loss increments with an appropriately portioned favorite food dish that I had cut out of my regular diet. It has been a difficult journey. I haven’t quite reached my weight-loss goals, but I have lost weight, my clothes fit better, and I have more energy.
The morning of his death, Paul had been at the firehouse exercising. After the workout, he reported feeling ill and that he was going home to take a nap. It was February in New England, cold and flu season, and we had no reason to think twice about his statement. Wrong. If you are not feeling right, take it seriously. Especially if you just completed a physical activity and are experiencing cardiac symptoms, such as pain, dizziness, clammy skin, cold sweat, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, shortness of breath, chest neck or arm discomfort or tightness). Less than a year prior, Muddy Brook Fire Department had lost past Chief George Brown. He had returned home from a call, went out back behind his house to chop wood, and was found deceased a few hours later. Take these feelings seriously. Make people reporting symptoms get checked out by a doctor. If they absolutely refuse, make sure they are not going somewhere where they will be alone, and advise the people with them to closely monitor them. It could save their life.
The Impacts of Codes and Standards
Follow the recommendations listed in NFPA 1582:Standard on Comprehensive Occupational Medical Program for Fire Departments. Annual physicals with blood analysis, urinalysis, pulmonary function test, chest X-rays, EKGs, and cancer screening could help uncover serious health problems. I have heard countless stories of departments losing members when implementing annual physical requirements simply because the members did not want to participate. I have also heard an equal number of accounts of firefighters’ lives saved from these programs by detecting problems early on. If your department is not already doing it, please consider incorporating it into your health and safety program.
I have been reviewing the proposed changes to OSHA’s 1910.156 standard and am seeing some positive proposals regarding firefighter health and fitness. In addition to the already required physicals, other elements in the proposal include health and fitness programs, education and counseling regarding health promotion, and periodic fitness assessments for all responders. These requirements have the potential to improve our health and lower the number of deaths attributed to cardiac issues. While we are still a few years from seeing these proposed changes become a reality, I would encourage departments to start becoming familiar with the proposed changes, especially if they will be applicable to your agency, and begin working towards implementing them sooner rather than later.
What We Can Do
Check in on each other. If someone does not show up for an event that they indicated they were going to be at, give them a call or stop by their house. Paul had a few missed calls the day of his death, and him not returning these calls was not like him. The fire service is a family. Follow your instincts. If someone who always answers the phone for you or calls you right back doesn’t, maybe it’s worth some looking into. It’s easy to write off someone not showing up. There are a million things that could come up in life, but don’t let not checking in on someone become a regret.
As I mentioned earlier, Paul had a bit personality. It made Paul unique and many people loved him for it, but it was not uncommon for that personality to rub people the wrong way. Even I had a few disagreements with Paul. I am grateful we were able to overcome them and that when he passed, we were friends. Unfortunately, not everyone in our departments can say this, and it really bothers me that these individuals could not get past their differences. I have given this advice before when trying to mediate conflict. It is important to remember that we are a team working towards the same goals. When something starts to bother me on the job, I think of the adage written by Robert J. Hanlon in Murphy’s Law Book Two (1980). Hanlon’s Razor states: “never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence.” Often, fellow firefighters are not out to spite the fire department. For the most part, we all want to see the department fulfill its mission. Whatever is causing the problem is likely due to an individual not having a full understanding of a situation or needing more knowledge. This person may even be you. Recognizing this can help you understand what’s going on. Overcome the issue by providing education and a better understanding of your point of view. Do not let personality differences interfere with the progress of your department. Collaborate and have progressive discussions instead of ignoring or arguing with people you do not agree with. Be open to other ideas and strategies. Remember, the person who makes you want to pull your hair out is likely not trying to sabotage the department; they just have a different approach or view than you.
Firefighters are problem solvers. It is part of our job. People call us when they are faced with a problem that is out of their control. We use experience, training, and ingenuity to mitigate the problem. Interpersonal problems are different than the problems we encounter on emergency scenes. Training is one aspect needed to overcome these interpersonal problems. “Training is necessary in the areas of communication and effective listening, matching effective solutions to problems, and giving people the opportunity to practice and discuss different approaches to challenging situations.”[3] Conflict resolution is covered in the Fire Officer programs, but it remains an area that is applicable to everyone, at all levels. Consider providing this training to all department members.
Another critical piece to overcoming these issues is effective leadership. “Firefighters need to see their officers and chiefs not only saying the right words but doing the right things when they are faced with challenging conflict situations.”[4] Leaders should be leading by example. If a leader is not open to different ideas and strategies, including from their subordinates, their firefighters are not going to be, either. This makes conflicts at all levels that much harder to overcome.
There are dozens of lessons the life and death of Paul Cloutier could teach us, but these are the ones that have stuck with me and that I find myself reflecting on frequently. Please take your health and the health of your fellow firefighters seriously. If your department does not have an annual medical physical requirement, push for one. Develop a health and safety program that includes mentoring and continuously monitoring your firefighters. Take firefighters looking or reporting not feeling well seriously. Remember that we are all on the same team and want to see our agencies succeed. Overcome conflict by listening and being open to new ideas. Stay safe and watch each other’s backs.
BIO:
Thomas Gugliotti joined the fire service as a volunteer in 2008 and is currently the Deputy Chief of the Muddy Brook Fire Department in Woodstock (CT). He works full time for the Electric Boat Fire Department in Groton (CT) and as a paid-on-call firefighter with the Webster (MA) Fire Department. He holds a bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from UConn and is currently working on obtaining his Master’s Degree in Counterterrorism from Nichols College.
REFERENCES
[1] Campbell, R. and Petrillo, J. (2023, June 15). Fatal Firefighter Injuries in the United States https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/research/nfpa-research/fire-statistical-reports/fatal-firefighter-injuries
[2] https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/eating_habits.html, 2022.
[3] Willing, L (2021, April 7) The Conflict Challenge: Why do so Many Firefighters Struggle With Crew Conflict?
[4] IBID
