“Astonished” would be the only word to describe my feeling after reading the Editor`s Opinion. As a 22-year veteran of the fire service who has seen his share of firefighter deaths and injuries, I cannot believe Bill Manning intends to justify Santos` leap from the bridge as representing the time-honored bravery our profession is known for. A hero to me is not defined as courage without thought.
I appreciate the fact that Santos made a split-second decision that resulted in the saving of a life, but I cannot, and will not, condone the action based on the circumstances described. Teaching firefighters the proper way to do a risk-benefit analysis in any given situation is not “psycho babble”; it is the proper way to conduct ourselves during the formidable challenge of fire and rescue work. If the risk far outweighs the benefit in any given situation, being able to justify an action should not be based on whether you live or die during a rescue. What would we have said if Santos had perished in the fall but the nearby boaters had saved the victim`s life?
Safety, risk benefit, and rational thought have not caused us to be misdirected in our mission but allow us to operate with consideration for dangerous situations. Keeping firefighters from the perils of injury and death while performing their duties should continue to be our number one priority as fire service professionals.
Buddy Martinette
Captain
Virginia Beach (VA) Fire Department
