A Tale of Two Heroes
DEPARTMENTS
EDITOR’S OPINION
Two chief officers—one a volunteer from Pennsylvania, the other a career officer with New York City—have stepped out from among their peers, each in a unique way that promises to help make the fire service better.
Curt Weldon, a first-term representative from Pennsylvania, has organized the first congressional caucus specifically for the fire service. It’s bipartisan and bicameral.
Congressman Weldon has served as a fire chief, county training director, and mayor in his home state. He has not forgotten his fire service background. Weldon has “taken the nozzle” and formed that first caucus.
We’ve been crying long enough; our action is mandated. Your homework assignment is to awaken your representatives and hold them, as Weldon says, “accountable for fire service legislation at the national level. . . . This nation cannot replace the million or more of volunteers, and the Congress must be sensitized to the needs of all the fire service. This sensitizing must come from within.”
The second hero began his fire service career with the Fire Department of New York City 30 years ago, and because of his interest, knowledge, and dedication, that career is probably unsurpassed anywhere.
Vincent Dunn was assigned to the world’s busiest companies, ones that would only get busier as promotions moved him from hot spot to hot spot. Loved and respected by peer, subordinate, and superior alike, Vinny stands as one of the most experienced fire officers in the world.
Strategy and tactics for extinguishing fires became easier for Vinny as repetition of fire and the opportunity to fight increased. However, buildings falling down, in pieces or in total, exacting their horrible toll, were still somewhat of a mystery.
Beginning 10 years ago, Vinny doggedly gathered data on every collapse he could get to. Pictures and patterns evolved. Study and understanding begat rules and guidelines. Now he shares that information with you in his breakthrough work, Collapse of Burning Buildings. Vinny’s book is dedicated to the 46 firefighters killed by collapse in his department since his appointment. He shares the profit with the New York Firefighters Burn Center and FDNY’s WNYF magazine. What’s better, he’ll be here in these pages, with you, on a regular basis as one of Fire Engineering’s contributing editors.
Two fire service heroes, one using his persuasive powers in government and the other communicating life-saving information to other firefighters. We wish them both all the best.
