POLITICS AND THE BUREAU
FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU
It’s rarely discussed in fire prevention courses and most often is omitted in fire prevention texts. Yet, politics usually is the most important factor that affects the operation of the fire prevention bureau. How well fire prevention personnel control and react to political pressures determines the overall effectiveness of their activities.
Politics, for our purposes, simply can he considered “an influence.” It molds policies and attitudes. It may be overt or covert, subtle or explosive. The way a fire prevention bureau operates in the political environment perhaps can best be described in terms of a game in which each team strives to obtain and maintain its objectives and goals.
THE POLITICAL “GAME” AND ITS PLAYERS
The players in this game are two teams—the bureau and the politicians. The difficulty, however, is placing specific individuals on a team. The determining factor in making team assignments is knowing whose interests each individual represents. Players sometimes change teams during the middle of the game.
The rules of the game usually are not well defined. They, too, may change during the course of the game. Many fouls are committed, and they usually are not called.
The stakes involved provide the driving force for playing the game in the first place. As with most other activities, money is at the heart of the matter. Business owners attempting to expand or stay in business often transform fire code compliance issues into a political tug-of-war. Developers trying to attract new companies to their properties often dangle job and ratable “carrots” in politicians’ faces. “Burdensome” codes threaten to reel the carrots back in.
Sometimes the bureau finds it necessary to “punt” in order to win the game. While the bureau’s goal should be winning (ensuring code compliance) in a fair and equitable manner, another objective is added: to make both teams winners.
HELPFUL HINTS
Here are some tips you can use when playing the game. They hopefully will help you understand the political influence on a bureau’s operation.
- Analyze yoursupport network. A new fire inspector or fire marshal immediately should conduct a support analysis. How much support do you or will you have? You must have support for your efforts. 1’he support
- network should stretch from you directly to the executive (mayor or city manager) of your jurisdiction. It should include all supervisors, such as the chief of the department. It’s not enough for supervisors to “talk” their support; they must back their words with actions.
If you find yourself in the position of having to take a legitimate stand on a particular fire safety issue, you should be backed by management. If you are left out on a limb and the branch is cut, then you know that the political pressures are too great. There’s no point in staying in the bureau—you’ll just be spinning your wheels. Get a transfer as soon as possible.
Review your support network periodically. Conditions change while you’re sitting on the limb, and you must keep an eye on the chain saw.
- Know who your friends are. Which individuals share your goal of fire safety? How can they help you to carry out your objectives?
As time progresses, your fair and consistent attitude toward fire safety will attract others who will want to help. The added support will make your efforts easier and more fruitful.
Watch out, however, for the snakes in the grass! Individuals whose objectives differ from yours may see you as a threat. As long as you faithfully perform your duties, the snakes usually can be held at bay.
Hidden agendas of politicians. A politician sometimes may use the issue of fire safety and the fire prevention bureau as a front for attempting to curry favor with his constituency.
A recent example involved the construction of a large gasoline bulk terminal facility in a minority sector of a city. The terminal was built to all local zoning regulations and fire codes and exceeded nationally recognized standards of practice by a great margin. Storage tanks were fitted with foam chambers, subsurface injection equipment, and a large water supply to be used for applying foam “over the top.” Overfill protection with automatic diversion and shutdown was in place.
During the terminal’s construction, local community outrage boiled over in the form of protests. Community meetings were held and heated debates ensued. Nuns and elderly citizens carried protest signs. The terminal was a time bomb.
Rather than try to show the citizenry that all possible safety features had been incorporated into the facility, local politicians blasted city staff for allowing such a dangerous facility to “slip through” and be built. During a public hearing, the fire department was accused of being “willy nilly” in approving the facility. (The “willy nilly” politician rushed to fire department personnel after the meeting to clarify his statement. “Please don’t take it the wrong way,” he said.)
“The councilman’s on the phone. ” A common political trick is to call the fire prevention bureau directly to get action on a particular issue. City policies should stipulate that council members direct their needs through the proper chain of command. In this way, requests for assistance and follow-up may be closely monitored. The bureau is not the private “army” of an individual council member.
Document, document, document. This probably needs no explanation, yet it cannot be overstated. Generating and keeping the proper paperwork to cover yourself is essential. Remember, many of the politicians will be long gone while you’re still in the bureau.
Ride the ivave of hysteria. It’s a sad, well-known fact in fire prevention circles that fatalities must occur before action is taken to strengthen fire safety regulations. Most significant code provisions are the result of some specific, tragic fire.
If possible, use the public pressure generated by these events to spur changes in your regulations so that “it can’t happen here.” The “wave” fades very quickly, so act rapidly. Changes don’t always happen, but it’s worth the effort.
Politics will be with us forever. It’s best to work w ith the pressures and to direct them where they’ll benefit us the most.
