LETTERS
DEPARTMENTS
Mastering the fear of Public Speaking
I read with interest the editorial “What Are You Afraid of?” in the October, 1983 issue of Fire Engineering.
Public speaking was a required course in my college curriculum in 1959. I was so nervous about getting up in front of a group of people that I only received a “D” in the course. I truly believe that I was passed just so I could graduate.
Today I do a considerable amount of teaching and public speaking and people react with disbelief when I tell them that I once was so nervous that I could not speak in front of a group of people.
I would like to share with you how I overcame the fear of public speaking. I became a very active American Red Cross First Aid and CPR instructor and started teaching two or three classes a week. Obviously, the first couple of classes were very difficult and I am sure my students suffered as much as I did. But after awhile speaking became second nature to me.
So I suggest participating in a good public speaking course, such as at a community college, Toastmasters, Dale Carnegie or some other schools. Then become an active first aid and/ or CPR instructor. You will be doing a valuable community service while helping yourself. Anyone with average intelligence can and will become a good public speaker if they follow my advice.
Gary E. Bohling
Chief
Whitehall Fire Department, Ml
Reexamine Priorities
Have you ever responded to a fire and found the newest and most expensive piece of fire apparatus being manned by fire fighters who are still garbed in rubber coats, rubber gloves, and helmets that look like FDNY equipment circa 1918? Or, better yet, fire fighters who have no personal protection at all. If you don’t believe that this condition still exists, just look at the newspaper photos of fires, you’ll usually see a couple of fire fighters in street clothes playing a hose stream into an open window.
How can a department justify a new pumper when their fire fighters do not have the personal equipment necessary to make an aggressive interior attack? And don’t you think that the taxpayers don’t notice this?
I contend that every fire fighter today, volunteer or career, should be supplied with state of the art turnout gear including Nomex coat, bunker pants, a reliable brand of boots, leather gloves and a helmet complete with a face shield and ear flaps. Every fire fighter on an attack line should also have ready access to an air pack.
You may be wondering where you are to get the money for all of this. Answer your own question the next time you are putting together specifications for your new pumper. Do we really need this, or is there something less expensive that will do the same job? You may even save enough money to supply all of your newly equipped fire fighters with pagers or home alert monitors.
When fire fighters feel like fire fighters, they will do a better job and attendance at drills and calls will show a marked improvement.
It’s kind of tough to feel proud about your department when your outfitted like one of the Keystone Cops.
If this strikes home with any of you, just stand up at your next meeting and say, “Before we go hog wild with these truck specifications shouldn’t we consider buying the men some good protective gear?” After all, chrome and gold leaf have never extinguished a fire.
Gregory A. Tsibulsky
Third Assistant Chief
Hornell Volunteer Fire Department, NY
Additional Comments on Mall Fires
I would like to add some comments to the excellent article by Roger McGary “Shopping Malls Demand a Pre-incident Action Plan” in the October issue of Fire Engineering.
One often overlooked problem in mall fires is the metal deck roof. In the Winter Park Mall fire the gases generated by the roof caused the steel of the low section to elongate. This pushed concrete columns of the high bay mall out of alignment causing precast concrete roof sections to fall.
The fire was beaten by the action of an alert chief officer who pulled the ceiling, saw the traveling roof fire and used a deluge gun stream up against the underside of the steel roof. On such a fire a ladder pipe is useless. The fire underneath the roof is far ahead of the visible fire on the top. Venting is not possible; tests at Factory Mutual in 1959 showed that huge vents, impossible for fire fighters to make, would be required to cut off the extension of the fire. The only solution is to recognize the problem, pull ceilings and use heavy streams on the exposed steel decking to prevent the generation of gas from the asphalt. Don’t remove the streams when the fire dies out, it will return so keep the water flowing. One Florida mall has sprinklers above and below the ceiling to cope with this occurance. Metal deck roof fires make “unbelievable” quantities of smoke. Don’t be afraid to “throw water through smoke” to hit the roof. If sprinklers had been installed they throw water through smoke. As always “know your buildings”; many malls, like the Winter Park Mall, are of mixed construction.
Francis L. Brannigan
Port Republic, MD
Mall Formula
Chief McGary’s article on pre-planning for mall incidents (October 1983) was well done and generated some thought provoking discussion. However, I would like to comment on his use of the cubic foot formula.
The cubic foot formula is a field method for determining fire flow and manpower needs. It is generally accepted that one gallon of water when converted to steam is required for each 100 cubic feet of involvement, thus in the following situation we can see how it works:
100′ X 50′ X 10′ / 100 = 500gpm
This is the base fire flow, not the amount needed for total involvement. There are several other factors that must be considered: percent of involvement; occupance factor; the exposure charge as a percent.
To simply use L X W X H / 100 would be a large underestimation, especially if we are looking at a totally involved building. A safety factor in most cases for the average fire load size-up would be two or three times the base fire flow figure found by the above formula.
The National Fire Academy Incident Command Course has an excellent breakdown of the fire flow calculations for field use. It can be adapted very nicely into pre-plans.
Ralph Cardinal
Fire fighter, Casper Fire Department, WY
Effective Communication
The Prince George’s County Fire Department has always actively solicited ideas, suggestions and criticisms from all members of the department. It is recognized that in a large fire department it is difficult to weave through the chain-of-command in order to get ideas to the top management staff.
Three effective methods have been implemented by Chief M.H. Estepp which allow for the least senior fire fighter in the department to communicate directly to the fire chief on any subject. These three methods of improved communication are: fire chief’s task advisory group (TAGs), feedback system, and fire station visits.
The fire chief’s task advisory groups (TAGs) have input via two major methods. The Prince George’s County Fire Department utilizes a complete “Management by Objectives” format for budgetary and program development implementation. The TAGs review the MBOs separately from the management staff and provides input toward revisions and improvements in this system. In addition, the TAGs can identify any problem in the department and recommend a realistic solution. The members of the TAGs are selected at random and serve for six months with each bureau and division represented.
The Prince George’s County Fire Department “Feedback System” is a 24-hour recorder located at the office of the fire chief. Any person in the department may telephone in a gripe, problem or suggestion directly to the chief. A voice distorter is connected to the system to ensure confidentiality if desired. Responses to inquiries are published in a periodic letter to all personnel or individual responses are directed to the caller if requested.
Chief Estepp frequently conducts station visits in the county’s 46 fire stations. This allows for a personal two-way conversation to determine the general morale and concerns of the fire fighters and officers. These meetings are very valuable in determining if the policies of the department are understood and carried out at the fire station level.
The three aforementioned methods of improving communications have proven to be very beneficial and, along with command officer and staff input, have provided the basis for many decisions. None of these communication forms are allowed to be used to circumvent the chain-of-command when it is necessary that this be followed. Chief Estepp, by establishing an open climate for communication, gains the advantage of using the talents and ideas of all members of the department to the maximum extent.
Steven Edwards
Captain, Prince George’s County Fire Department
