What Not To Wear....... Firefighter Edition

Recently there has been some controversy over a group of Washington D.C. firefighters appearing with President Obama to illustrate the impact that sequestration (forced spending cuts) would have on emergency services.  While their heart may have been in the right place their actions, more particularly their outfits, were inappropriate.

Why it was not ethical

I feel that since these firefighters were wearing their department issued uniforms, it was inappropriate and ethically wrong to show support for something as politically divisive as the sequestration debate.  All politics and other potentially controversial issues should be avoided when representing a public employer because the public is composed of many different viewpoints.  Remaining neutral on politics or other controversial issues helps assure citizens there is no bias or corruption in these professions that serve the public. 

When those firefighters put on their uniforms they are representing the city of Washington D.C and should not be giving the impression that an entire department or city for that matter holds the same opinion.  It would not be ethical for any public employee whether it is a teacher, police officer, or garbage truck driver to be making political statements while in uniform.  Can you imagine if they had shown up at a pro or anti gun control rally?  That would be highly unethical, and so was supporting the president in this partisan debate.

The other side of the story

These firefighters and their supporters will argue that they are individuals and allowed to have their own opinions on subjects such as these.  I agree they should be able to support this cause, but the firefighters should be dressed in street clothes or their fire department union apparel.  Every firefighter is an individual and should be able to personally support any political party, movement, or position they see fit.  The problem with wearing a department uniform while doing this is that you give the impression that an entire group or department that is supposed to serve the public is picking sides on political issues.

These firefighters will also argue that the president was just using them to showcase how emergency services could possibly be cut by sequestration and that they were not "taking sides" or playing politics.  I feel this isn't the case because as soon as you stand behind one side or the other you are showing your support or at least giving the appearance of support for one sides politics over the other.

How to fix it

I think the best way for the Washington D.C Fire Department to handle the situation is to make everyone aware that it is unethical for any member to make political appearances in their department uniform.  I don't think any discipline for the firefighters who chose to stand behind the president is necessary, but they should be made aware that it is possible in the future if a similar circumstance arises.  In the future all political activities should be handled through their union.  In fact when the white house originally contacted these firefighters, it was through their union and not through the actual fire department.  Unions are very politically active and are able to throw their support behind political candidates without the conflict of interest that comes with a government run departments supporting or appearing to support a political candidate or political stance (such as the president's opinion on the sequestration debate).   Informing the public of political issues as a member of a union is much different than doing it as a public employee.....and far more ethical.


References:

http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-02-23/local/37249252_1_first-responders-fire-department-firefighters

We love firefighters...but not their pensions

 

Over the last few years there has been much made over the amount of tax payer money going to finance public state and local employee's pensions.  The fact is that many pensions have been underfunded for years and were skating by on investment gains without planning for any issues (such as the recession) in the future.  So are these pensions good or bad?  In this media driven world sometimes the real answer isn't as black and white as it is portrayed.  A pension is only as good as the people who run it.  Many states like North Carolina, New York,  Wisconsin and North Dakota have run relatively conservative plans that did not crash when the market did.  Other states such as California and Illinois are struggling to fulfill their commitments.  So how does this controversy effect firefighters and what effect will it have on the field as a whole?

Job Applicants

Being a firefighter or other public employee is generally not a great way to strike it rich.  Salaries are modest and enough to live a comfortable life, but generally do not have as high of a ceiling as most private sector jobs.  To offset this many state and local governments use things like pensions and good benefits as a way to attract workers that otherwise may go into the private sector.  A public backlash against pensions that results in the elimination or drastic reduction in payout of pensions will deter potential job applicants.  This will weaken the hiring pool for most state and local governments.  Less qualified applicants means a poorer quality of service and possible erosion of confidence the public maintains in its emergency services.

Current Firefighters

If pensions are eliminated or severely reduced many current firefighters may look for more lucrative work in the private sector or switch career paths completely.  Currently most fire department's  pension plans require 20 years of service to be vested and collect a guaranteed check, with 30 years of service required to max out the potential amount of these pension checks.  If there is no incentive to stay at the same department then many firefighters may jump at the possibility of more money elsewhere.   There are many private firefighting firms that pay around $100,000/year with no taxes for firefighters to go on high risk assignments in Iraq or Antarctica.  These jobs could look even sweeter if compared to a job on a local department with no pension.  Many firefighters have college degrees and may feel they would be better served working in a completely different area if pensions are eliminated.  In fact a firefighter I personally worked with left the department for a job at an engineering firm when the city council was debating the possibility of ending the pension system.  Losing qualified firefighters due to pension elimination or restructuring will result in less experienced people in leadership positions and the possibility of lower quality of service for the public.

Compromise

So how can this be fixed?  I think the answer is compromise.  Public employees and government leaders need to come up will fair pension systems that are run conservatively.  No city should have to go bankrupt or deal with financial crisis just to pay a bunch of retired firefighters.  Making sure that pensions are fully funded is the key to avoiding problems.  This will require more money being contributed from firefighters and governments.  It will also require planning for moderate to low return on investments instead of counting on high returns to pay retirees.  There are many successful pensions that struggling pension systems could use as a template to ensure a sound fiscal future for both governments and firefighters.


References:

http://presreed.com/2010/09/15/217/hip-young-woman/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kil-huh/public-employee-pensions_b_1707659.html

New World Systems Aegis Fire Solutions: A firefighter's perspective

New World's Computer Aided Dispatch System is billed as something that will give "quick access to the most accurate intelligence to keep firefighters safe and well prepared."  While this software should make responding to calls simpler and more efficient, the results have been mixed for my department.

Pros

The GPS mapping of the correct route to emergency calls has worked flawlessly.  I was skeptical of the GPS at first, due to my poor experience with my personal GPS device, but I have yet to encounter an issue where the New World GPS has lead me astray.  This has been a particular convenience due to the fact that our old dispatching system had no GPS capabilities.  We used a program that contained maps of certain areas, but no actual directions.  The New World Dispatch System has made responding to emergencies easier and less stressful.
 
The New World Dispatch System has cut down the time it takes to write "run reports" after incidents.  The New World System automatically documents what time the call came in, what time you were dispatched, when you arrive on scene, and when you clear the scene.  This is very helpful considering we used to look up the dispatch log and print it out to get our correct times. Having them entered automatically has decreased the amount of paper wasted and made report writing more efficient.  Less time spent on reports means more time for training and other productive activities.

Cons

The biggest flaw in the New World Dispatch System has been the computer bugs.  My department made the switch to New World over 2 years ago and there are still computer glitches taking place.  Time after time it has been out of service or crashed our mobile computer units on the way to a call.  It takes valuable minutes to reboot the system and often we let central dispatch keep track of our response times because we don't have enough time to get the system up and running again.  While our old system did not have anywhere near the bells and whistles that New World does, it was very reliable and seldom had computer bugs.
 
The New World Dispatch System is supposed to store valuable preplan data about certain locations that may have special hazards and the layout of large buildings.  This feature has worked at times, but all too often when you click the icon for preplan data you get no response from the program.  This issue has been worked on and although there are periods where it is reliable I can't say with confidence that I trust it.  Our old dispatch system did an excellent job of storing preplan data and made this information much easier to access.

Grade

I would have to give the New World Computer Aided Dispatch System a grade of incomplete, with the possibility of an A .  When it is running smoothly it is a great timesaver and a real asset to the department.  When it is experiencing issues, it makes you long for the days of simpler and more trustworthy system. 


References:

http://www.newworldsystems.com/Public_Safety/Solutions/Computer%20Aided%20Dispatch/index.asp

What is a firefighter?

What is a firefighter?  Most people think of the romanticized version we see on television dragging someone to safety with no regard for his or her own safety.  Other's may think of a fat or lazy person  doing no work and collecting a pay check.  The answer is not as simple as those 2 stereotypes.  Firefighters perform a variety of tasks that enhance their community and provide for the public's safety.  The fire service in general does not do a great job of letting the public know what the day to day job of a firefighter entails.  This begs the question, what is the job really like?

Who are firefighters?

Firefighters are men and women who want to make a difference.  It sounds cliché, but many of us really enjoy helping people.  We generally end up dealing with people on the worst day of their lives
and hopefully we can do something to make that day a little better by handling difficult situations in a professional and caring manner.

 

The Job

Firefighters work 24 hour shifts and usually receive a salary and benefits.  The work days rotate amongst 3 different shifts of firefighters and usually results in working around 10 days a month.  Each day is unique and can change at any second.  Some days are very slow and others can be fast paced and full of excitement.  Most firefighters are assigned to a station and work with the same group or crew for a long period of time.  Much of the day is spent training or inspecting buildings to prevent future fires from occurring.  The skills gained from being a firefighter can also lead to other career opportunities such as fire investigator or fire inspector.   There are also promotional positions such as fire chief and assistant chief where individuals take on more of a management role.

 

Responding To Emergencies

As you may have guessed firefighters respond to fire emergencies.  What many people do not know is that fire departments also respond to medical emergencies, vehicle crashes, hazardous material releases, and many types of technical rescues. 

Firefighters are generally required to be certified as EMTs and some departments also have responders who are trained at the paramedic level.  Since fire stations are strategically located around cities, firefighters can usually respond to medical emergencies quicker than ambulances.  Some large departments even run their own ambulance services and transport individuals to the hospital.  Responding to medical emergencies has made fire departments more valuable and visible in the community.

Operating in fire emergencies can be challenging, many times firefighters must crawl on the ground and use flashlights to see through the heavy smoke.  They also wear self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) that provides air to breath, but can weigh up to 30 pounds.  Fighting these hazardous conditions to save lives and property is one of the many reasons that firefighters are valuable to the community.

Other emergencies such as car accidents, hazardous materials releases, and technical rescues (trench rescue, confined space rescue, water/ice rescue) provide additional challenges and firefighters must remain well trained and prepared for these special types of emergencies.  Some fire departments have specific groups such as a hazmat team or technical rescue team that are specially trained for these specialized types of incidents.  Being prepared for unique challenges provides safety for the community and piece of mind for citizens.

Other Calls

Not every 911 call is an emergency, in fact many are false alarms.  Firefighters must treat every call as a potential emergency until a false alarm is identified.  Many times things such as burnt food, or a child pulling the fire alarm can cause these false alarms.  Remaining professional in these types of situations and educating the public about proper procedures is vital to maintaining a good relationship with the public.  Other times there are people that need help like elderly individuals who have fallen or a citizen who's pet is trapped.  These are the types of calls that are not typical emergencies, but still give the fire department a chance to be helpful to the community.

 

Firehouse Life

When you continually spend 24 hours a day with the same group of people they become like family.  Like any family, a firehouse can have some interesting dynamics.   The station is set up like a home with a living room, kitchen, bedrooms, and a garage.  Much time is spent discussing current events, cooking, and watching TV.  The firehouse is a home away from home and everyone participates in the cleaning a maintenance of the station.

Many different personalities and temperaments living under the same roof can be difficult, but also beneficial.  Learning to mesh with diverse groups can teach a person patience, compassion, and humility.  The firehouse becomes a unique combination of work and home that is very different from most careers.  Firefighters learn to trust each other and know what others are good at and what they struggle with.  Most emergency situations require teamwork, and having good relationships at the fire station will help improve communication during emergency operations.