BY JAY LOWRY
The fire prevention bureau (FPB), often a stepchild in relation to the other divisions of a department, must step forward and take the lead in the 21st century. The fire marshal/inspector has long been seen as the person who goes into a building, finds the doors locked or blocked, and shuts the place down. While this image is good for Hollywood movies, it is a shortsighted view of the men and women who are the guardians of our community’s safety. The fire marshal today has to be educated in everything from public relations to state law. It is imperative that the FPB members be attentive and process what they see. A tremendous dose of common sense is required, too. It seems that although, as a profession, we have taken great steps forward, we still have not resolved basic issues that stand in the way of true progress. Let’s examine some basic problems we face today.
The fire prevention office should not be a dumping ground for sick or unwanted members. Yes, both need special attention, but not at the expense of fire safety. For example, if you are a company officer, you probably enjoy being at the end of a nozzle or on the roof, opening up. If that is suddenly taken away from you by an accident or political disfavor, nine times out of 10, you will be a very unenthusiastic participant in the daily FPB functions and responsibilities. There are cases in which some who have experienced these circumstances have come over and done a great job. That, however, is the exception, not the rule.
Fire marshals should know how it feels to be a firefighter before they can effectively protect them. FPB personnel should have the respect of the members they protect. Being a firefighter is like belonging to a squad of combat troops storming the beaches at Normandy in 1944. Outsiders who never heard a bullet whistle are not looked on as equals. That is a hard fact to face, but it is a dose of reality. Whether it has been one year or 20 years, the troops never forget “one of their own.” They will respect an opinion of one of the bravest who now looks out for their interests in the fire safety arena.
Before a war erupts, let me say that there are many fine fire marshals out there who have not been firefighters. However, it is a distinct advantage to have served.
Mission statements should be straightforward. Do we have to reinvent the wheel with these things? Don’t get me wrong. They have their place, and some departments have excellent mission statements. They don’t have to be 35 chapters long to be effective, though. Keep it simple and straightforward. Don’t spend all of your valuable time explaining how, what, where, and when. You have to do the job sometime.
The passion to serve is not there. Light the fire! The fire service is a calling, not just a job. In “Be Nice” (Editor’s Opinion, Fire Engineering, September 2000), Bill Manning lays it all on the line. The job we do is steeped in tradition and is highly romantic. My heroes growing up were Dennis Smith and Frank Brannigan. Report From Engine Company 82 provided a glimpse into the world of a firefighter. That’s what I wanted to be. Protect the average citizen from the Red Devil. I became a firefighter, loved it, and took on this new challenge of fire and life safety. I was concerned. The underlying myth that is a staple of service through the fire department is strong. How well would my new job live up to that? It came to me after about a year as fire marshal: It is an honor to serve as a firefighter, but it is a higher honor to serve firefighters themselves. I am accountable to all those I serve. That is an awesome responsibility, not to be taken lightly. If you don’t feel the responsibility on your shoulders and if, on occasion, it does not give you pause, take stock of your career choice. It may be time to move on to another job.
I serve the citizens-let the firefighters worry about themselves. What an absurd statement! I swear to you that that very statement has been uttered to me. The FPB’s task is saving lives-not just Joe Citizen’s, but also the lives of those who have to get in harm’s way. Regardless of whether I am conducting a plan review, conferring with architects and engineers, or providing guidance to fire protection companies, my thoughts center squarely on how to protect lives, customers’ and firefighters’. When you look at a building, see it as a whole. How can we get people out? Where are “the bravest” going in? How are they coming out? What are the hazards? All the hazards! This is where a student of the fire service can excel.
My certifications mean I know my job! Your certifications mean that you have attained the knowledge required to obtain that certification. I recall a captain who had every certification imaginable. He got certified the minute it was available. I applaud his effort and desire to become educated. It would have been great if he had had the ability to pull a line into a building, but he was a statue on the fireground. If only you could put a fire out by smothering it with paper!
I recall a fire inspector who came down to our area and took the bull by the horns. If you asked him in which code section a certain obscure item could be found, he knew right away. When he walked into a building to do an inspection, he was as lost as Hogan’s goat. Look at him on paper, and he was a Lexus. Break him down into performance, and he was a LeCar.
Codes, codes, codes, and codes. Why does it seem that the code was written by a novice? When I review the code, why don’t I see more fire service professionals (chiefs and fire marshals, for example) on the code committee? I am fed up with this-what can I do? Simple answer: Become part of the process. Don’t allow John Doe, CEO of Doe and Associates, to dictate to you what fire safety is! That is your specialty. When was the last time you attended a corporate meeting and told them how to make a million? I quizzed a “prominent” committee member, an expert on fire safety, asking him his opinion on what caused the tragic loss of life at the Cocoanut Grove fire in Boston. He looked at me as if I were insane. “What are you talking about? When did this occur?” I stared at him in disbelief.
A fellow fire marshal attended a model code group meeting. He asked around and found out that no fire service representatives attended that meeting. He believed that he should step forward and ask questions on behalf of his colleagues. He asked the panel about allowing drop ceilings to be installed over an old combustible ceiling without removing the previous ceiling. What would happen when a fire occurred and grew in the void area between the two ceilings without it showing below, thereby creating a dangerous situation? “The fire department will put the fire out” was one panel member’s answer. My friend just walked away. I understand his frustration. It is imperative that we get people on these various panels who actually know the dangers that lurk behind the door.
I am familiar with the model codes and the applicable National Fire Protection Association standards. I enforce them. I realize that theses standards are not flawless or all encompassing-their defects are obvious. But if you sit back and allow building officials, professional engineers working for interest groups, or the local contractor to sit on the these panels and you don’t provide some checks and balances, then you are more at fault than they are. You are the fire service professional.
It is vital that we increase the scope of our responsibility. Don’t be content knowing just enough to get by. Read every fire service book you can get your hands on, get those certifications, and actually use the knowledge! Read Frank Brannigan’s Building Construction for the Fire Service. He is more informed about building issues than anyone in the fire service. Don’t become complacent-light the fire!
JAY LOWRY joined the Charleston Fire Department in 1986 and left shortly after to serve in the U.S. Navy submarine force as a nuclear trained technician. He rejoined the department in 1990 as a pump operator and later served as a deputy fire marshal and chief fire marshal. He is a South Carolina-certified firefighter, Southern Building Code Congress International- and Southeastern Fire Chiefs-certified fire inspector 1 and 2, and South Carolina-certified fire marshal. He currently serves on the National Fire Protection Association Technical Committee on Construction and Demolition.
