By Billy Goldfeder, EFO
“If you’re gonna go to fires, you must have relevant and regular training. Or, make the scene even safer and just stay home.”
Lancaster (MA) Firefighter Martin McNamara was killed fighting a house fire at the end of last year. The issue of training continues following his death. While inappropriate for discussion the day after the fire, predictably the issue remains a hot topic now. The issue appears to be one not just specific to his tragic death but to all firefighters. His death has raised the issue to levels of visibility. It reminds me of a story.
When I was a kid, the town we lived in had a small bridge on a specific roadway near the old Grist Mill … a pretty busy area … and for years there was public concern that the bridge was too small for both cars and pedestrians. But for years the bridge, cars, and pedestrians squeezed through, until one day a young kid attempted to cross the bridge and was horribly killed by a car trying to share the same small space. It was a tragic loss.
The death of that kid “suddenly” created the political energies (which means priorities and funding) to get the bridge widened. And today, that bridge has enough room for two lanes of traffic, a pull-over area, as well as pedestrians.
What could have prevented the death of that little kid? Some “squeaky wheels”–people who NEVER give up, people who KEEP PUSHING, and people who systematically and through whatever process get things taken care of. The combination of some “squeaky wheels” and predictable problems being preventable can result in the minimization of potential tragedies.
One news story about the McNamara tragedy said that the Lancaster Fire Department has an “informal and poorly organized training program.” That may be true. But it isn’t a whole lot different from many, many fire departments around the country. While so many areas are focused on other important training issues such as EMS, WMD, terrorism, haz mat, and numerous other related services, the BASICS OF STRUCTURAL FIREFIGHTING HAVE GOTTEN LOST IN THE SHUFFLE. What? A department with an “informal and poor” training program? A shock? As some say: PUH-LEASE!
It’s no shock when firefighters show little to no interest in participating. It’s no shock when officers lack the motivation to take those half-interested firefighters and GET THEM interested. It’s no shock when programs are offered and few students show up at their local fire schools. A department with “informal and poor” training? It’s probably more the “standard” than not these days. At least that’s what the majority of LODD reports seem to indicate–“training” issues.
“No funding” is another lame excuse (although the fact that it is a problem really stinks). On the Internet alone there is free, daily training on numerous BASIC STRUCTURAL FIREFIGHTING subjects. For example, go to www.firefighterclosecalls.com and click “weekly fire drills.” That’s only a small sample of what is available for FREE at numerous fire sites including emberly.fireengineering.com, and there are many, many other training lessons plans available on the Web–for free. Should there also BE funding? Absolutely. If we can fund pretty parks and fancy streetlights, we can fund basic firefighter training. Squeak.
Of course, on the issue of funding, you can send a firefighter at no local cost to numerous WMD and related terrorism training–all expenses paid from the Feds–but when it comes to BASIC structural firefighting training, there is little available in the same manner. Squeak.
WHY is that so important? Sure, WMD and related “homeland security” training is important, but if we have SO MANY firefighters in the USA with such poor levels of fire training, how will we POSSIBLY be able to handle a WMD-related complex incident if we can’t handle the basic house fire without getting hurt or killed? We have to walk before we can run.
The bridge tragedy with that little girl was predictable, but not enough “squeakers” squeaked. Some of the firefighter deaths in recent times were also predictable, but not enough “squeakers” squeaked.
Tip O’Neill, the well-known Massachusetts politician, had a great term and he wrote a book about it called All Politics Is Local. Like his theory, in this situation, all BASIC FIREFIGHTER TRAINING IS LOCAL. Basic firefighter training starts with the firefighter who is half-interested in learning, and then it requires an OFFICER who has the knowledge, the interest, and the leadership skills to TRAIN that firefighter to the senior level and chief officers who make sure the department is focused on related priorities–all in the “local” fire station using RECOGNIZED STATE STANDARDS that ensure that we have a chance at survival. If the state has no standard, use the NFPA standards. And none of this “career standards” and “volunteer standards” or “part-time standards.” How about just firefighter standards–standards that match the job (and the risk) that all firefighters must do. Squeak.
Maybe Firefighter McNamara’s department training wasn’t as good as it could have been. That’s not for us to say as of yet. But if it wasn’t, it is no different from many departments–volunteer, call, or career. So maybe his tragic death serves as a wake-up call. Or, just like The Station Nightclub fire in Rhode Island–Rhode Island takes LOCAL action to change its fire codes while the rest of the states wait for “their fire” to give them their “local” wake-up call. Or, like the town with the bridge, it had to “find out for itself” before it widened the bridge. Squeak.
The choices are as follows:
- Sit, wait, hope, and do nothing until something bad happens.
- LEARN from the TRAGIC EVENTS of OTHERS so we MINIMIZE the RISK of something bad happening by instituting applicable FIREFIGHTER TRAINING.
Unfortunately, # 1 is what typically happens, so maybe “BIG BROTHER” captain, chief, commissioner, or local government DOES have to “step up” and REQUIRE firefighters have BASIC TRAINING. Then step up. Maybe it has to happen at the regional, state, or federal level to manage that risk. Federally mandated basic national firefighter minimum standards? Hmm.
Required firefighter training gets some firefighters in a “tizzy.” “WHO ARE THEY to tell ME I MUST go to training?” is a typical whiny cry often heard and, while I sympathize with volunteer and call firefighter time issues, it’s a lame excuse. There is time.
If you’re gonna go to fires, you must have relevant and regular training. Squeak.
All fire training starts locally and regularly; in the fire station; by a good, competent, and no-nonsense qualified fire officer using state or nationally recognized standards.
It isn’t that difficult.
Now go start “squeaking.”
BILLY GOLDFEDER, EFO, is a battalion chief for the Loveland-Symmes (OH) Fire Department. Previously, he served as a chief in Ohio, Virginia, and Florida; an engineering/public protection representative covering southern New York for the ISO; and a lieutenant with the Manhasset-Lakeville (NY) Fire Department. A 1993 graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program, he is the former chairman of the International Association of Fire Chiefs Volunteer Section and has been an FDIC instructor for the past 22 years. He recently was appointed as an honorary battalion chief of the Fire Department of New York and is a member of the FDIC and Fire Engineering Advisory Boards.
