“Where is the leadership, indeed?”
Bruce J. Cavallari
Lieutenant
Palm Beach County (FL) Fire-Rescue
Bill Manning asks in “Will Washington Finally Listen?” (Editor`s Opinion, May 1998) “Where is the leadership, fire service?”
Where is the leadership, indeed? Actually, it`s sort of funny that we would be surprised by the lack of fire service leadership on the national scene during these tumultuous times. Actions by [Federal Emergency Management Agency Director James Lee] Witt, [United States Fire Administrator Carrye B.] Brown, and fire chiefs across the nation described by Manning are not new. In fact, these behaviors have been honed as a result of years of burying their heads in the sand so that their view–“the Big Picture,” as one chief I know likes to say–is not disturbed. For years and years, chiefs have been robbing Peter to pay Paul with our budgets. They have not confronted our political hierarchy with the truth about the costs of our emergency services because they are under the misconception that if we admit we cannot save the world at a fraction of what it really costs, we will lose favor in our community.
Think about it for just a second. When a new town or city or whatever the fiefdom was first established, when was the issue of fire service addressed? First, there was the charter with the new mayor or councilman, then the town council or board of commissioners, and then they hired a police chief and maybe contracted for sanitation services. Nowadays, the cable TV contract is probably next.
The fire service is not paramount because the fire service leadership is more comfortable fighting fires than it is fighting city hall. The chiefs would rather be on their way to a structure fire than on their way downtown to tell the truth to the community. America is burning, and if our leaders don`t get their heads out of the sand soon, we will lose more than the National Fire Academy. We are going to lose the respect our citizens have for firefighters and paramedics. No one respects people who lie to them and can`t keep their promises.
A few weeks ago, my chief, a good and respected man, wrote that our changing fire service is inevitable and that we must be creative in how we approach these new ways. He was speaking of EMS and haz mat and terrorism and a hundred other jobs we budget for and prepare to do every day.
He went on to say, “Let`s face this reality together.” He did not mean that he was going to the commissioners and demand greater support for our ever-expanding role. He meant that we firefighters are going to have to adapt to more work and less support, varied assignments and minimal training, and expanding administration and below-minimum staffing. He meant that our “righteous can-do spirit” is going to save his reputation again U even if it means providing a lower level of service than the one we pretend to be supplying.
And then U a flood or a tornado occurs or the entire east coast of the United States gets crushed by a major hurricane or the Mississippi decides to rise 30+ feet above flood plain and wipes out all of [the citizens` dreams. And whom do they call? It`s not the Ghostbusters! It`s the world`s oldest natural wonder. It`s the first profession designed to save lives and property. It`s a call to 911: “Send the fire department, and hurry!” They count on us to deliver, and, as usual, we are up to the task, risking life and limb, dedicating all we have to give. We rise to a level of service incomparable with that of any other agency.
And when it is all over, when all the children are tucked neatly in their beds, safe and safer because we were there, does FEMA look back and say, “We`d better keep those guys around; they saved our bureaucratic butts”? No! Does the USFA say, “We`d better work on some better training so we can make their jobs safer”? I don`t think so. Do the local fire chiefs approach the city council and say, “We need more support if you expect this level of response to continue; we need more paramedics and trained front-line firefighters and officers and a budget that allows us to send our folks to training forums where we can improve our overall efficiency”? Yeah, right! I don`t think so!
USFA Administrator Brown has showed us where the big picture is. And so has FEMA`s Witt. And while FEMA and the USFA/NFA are busy pointing fingers at each other, do you think anyone will notice that the big picture is not what the fire chief thinks will best protect his administration from cutbacks?
The real big picture is on the rescue truck starting an IV. It`s at the fire on the engine pulling hose. The real big picture is in dispatch and in inspections. It`s the mechanic up to his elbows in grease and water and slime fixing the nearly extinct pumper for the millionth time. The real big picture is whatever it takes to keep the people doing what it says on the sign in front–“Fire and Rescue.” And that takes real leadership, real devotion to your department and to the fire service.
Where is the leadership? Indeed! It is not looking at the real big picture but instead attending to its own needs–a new car, an assistant, or maybe a new committee to discuss this new inconvenience of EMS or haz mat or terrorism or God knows what else.
My chief, and I do respect him, says, “Let`s face this reality together.” Well, boss, I`ve been facing this “reality” for the past 18 years. Where have you been? Some chiefs make it sound like they just arrived at this party. Well, join right in and lead. That`s what you`re supposed to be good at! Where have you folks been for the past 20 years or so?
Where is the leadership? They are firmly implanted on their thrones, heads buried securely in the sand so as not to disturb their perception of reality. There are few precious diamonds among this lot of coal. To them, we all pledge our allegiance; to the others, a challenge. We, the firefighters and dispatchers and mechanics and inspectors and haz mat techs and on and on challenge you. We are doing our jobs and then some.
Now, it`s your turn. All you have to do is lead. Correct the wrongs of the NFA. Work together with other leadership associations to reinforce our firefighters and provide the needed training that will keep us safe. Provide us with the tools we need to combat our future emergencies. All you have to do is lead. All you have to do is your job.
