The Kitchen Table

1. Do you enjoy your current occupation? Yes, it's...

2009-11-07T03:33:59.179-08:00

1. Do you enjoy your current occupation? Yes, it's challenging, it's fulfilling, I get to meet lots of new people, I get to work with some terrific people, I get to be a coach and teacher, and I get to learn new things almost every day.

2. What makes you satisfied with your job performance? I'm a training chief, and we just completed a new training center. The satisfaction of completing that project is unbelievable. Conducting the actual training and hearing positive comments from the firefighters is nice, too. I also get to work special ops, be a paramedic, conduct promotional assessments, and develop training courses, which keeps things interesting and diverse.

3. Why did you choose this career? It's all I wanted to do since a field trip to a fire station in the 3rd grade.

4. If you are not happy in your current position, why? There are some frustrations, primarily added workload without the ability to add staff to help manage it. The economy has a lot to do with that, but it's out of my control so I've learned to live with it. It does force creativity and soliciting teamwork from other employees. Fortunately, we have a lot of subject-matter expertise in our department, which helps.

1. Do you enjoy your current occupation? If yes, w...

2009-11-06T20:29:27.984-08:00

1. Do you enjoy your current occupation? If yes, why? Yes; I enjoy making a difference in my community and it always seems to have a new challenge.

2. What makes you satisfied with your job performance? When people call 9-1-1, they are essentially saying that their situation is beyond their control and ability; we come in, look at the situation, and apply a solution that is literally thrown together with what we can find or what we brought on the truck. There are individuals who MIGHT pull something like that off once in their lives; we do it several times every day.

3. Why did you choose this career? "It's our family business". There's no other job I'd rather do other than teaching people how to do this job.

4. If you are not happy in your current position, why? I'm happy in my position (Battalion Chief) but I spent over 24 years of my 29 year career on a truck company or in special ops. Being at "the tip of the spear" is where I loved to be.

Thank you Truckie, John, and Firedad for sharing y...

2009-10-29T15:47:56.659-07:00

Thank you Truckie, John, and Firedad for sharing your comments... and doing it so professionally. I really do appreciate it. Through this kind of sharing, we all learn new perspectives. I'm not taking anyone's side on this issue. Rather, I'm trying to get us (the fire community) talking about important issues we are all facing. These are tough time and tempers can flair when the pressure is on. Talking and sharing helps all of us cope. I really appreciate all the feedback I've receieved on this and other posts, both here on the blog and through my website. All of you make me so proud to be a firefighter. -- Rich

My issue with this whole thing is: why was this al...

2009-10-22T19:56:03.193-07:00

My issue with this whole thing is: why was this allowed to get to the point of being on the national media? I am not taking side either way except that I cant believe the "upper staff" allowed this to get so out of control that the national media caught wind of it. What happened to the "We take care of ourselves". Lastly, doesn't suprise me that a "blanket" rule was made. Rather than dealing with the crews as people the staff chose to deal with them as children. Can't be "mature" if you aren't given the opportunity to grow/learn.

Hey Rich, It really does run deeper then was prin...

2009-10-21T19:43:33.911-07:00

Hey Rich,

It really does run deeper then was printed. You touched a lot on the firefighters in you opinion, but what about the boss here?
This started over the placing of a racist cartoon on a locker by the occupant of this locker who is black. The occupant of this locker has been the center of his own war for the black man (just one of his many statements made in the course of one day or night shift with this man). Most of the time this man and his rhetoric is ignored.

The commissioner removed this cartoon. With nothing said to the man. Four days go by and another statement appears on this same locker this statement read something to the effect black man has no freedom of speech. The commissioner was made aware of this and it just so happen that the author of this statement was on duty. So the commissioner calls him into his office and tells him to remove it from the locker, he argued with the commissioner to the point where the commissioner relived him of duty. A month go’s by, the commissioner said he is deferring punishment to the city solicitors (because he said he was involved in sending him home) and then more time go’s by with nothing done except the time he lost for not take the second statement off the locker. Now with this individual’s history as you may have guest by now the whole department is now waiting with bated breath to see what is done to this individual for the racist cartoon and statement.

Now the blanket rule comes out. Mind you the department members really didn’t have a problem with it. But I have to be honest here we did not think it would include the American flag. Yes the directive did said clear of all decoration and also listed on the directive were several items such as MDA, IAFF sticker with etc at the end of the list. Most guys don’t think of the flag as being a decoration. Another month goes by and it’s enforcement time. I receive a memo saying I am in violation. I go and talk with the commissioner and ask why I was on this list of men who were in violation of the directive. He said you have a sticker on your locker, I said yes I do, it is the American flag that’s all I have on my locker. He said well, I said the American flag is not listed on the directive. He said yes it is and we both started to read the directive and low and behold the flag was not on it, but when we hit the end of listed items he pointed at the etc and said “See it is on the list.” I said you are saying “Etcetera means the American flag?” He said yes. Three times I asked him hoping he would recant, that did not happen. So I removed my flag and chose to fight this other ways. Firefighter Krapf refused to remove his and was sent home. One thing here the commissioner had taken down the statements on the black man’s locker doing so stopped this man from losing anymore time then he did. But didn’t do the same with Krapf and the flag. Krapf was going to lose more time until he took the flag off of the locker himself. You know that if a white man had place a cartoon like this one it would’ve been holy hell to pay. After 911 firefighter, Krapf had an incident with this guy he tried to tie the one we have on the back of the truck in a knot. He said it interfered with his view when driving. Krapf untied the flag. The next day he caught him trying to cut it off of the truck. Krapf was transferred because of that incident. This in no way takes away from firefighter Krapf’s love of country and our flag. He stood firm on his beliefs

There is a big difference in taking orders at a scene and fire house life rules! There is no schooling for firehouse life management. (This is an ability that only comes with experience and knowing yourself and your firefighters well). I agree that on the Fire Grounds there is not much room for deviation from orders or rules BUT there is a big difference between a races cartoon being placed on a locker and the American Flag on a locker. This Boss failed to address that properly.
*Hence* Lazy or just Dumb management!

This should have been handled well before it made ...

2009-10-19T17:40:24.285-07:00

This should have been handled well before it made any news media. Both side were wrong the way it was handled, yep time to grow up.

I thought that we got rid of all the freelancers w...

2009-10-18T09:13:58.122-07:00

I thought that we got rid of all the freelancers when we ALL went to NIMS methodology. Seems there needs to be an attitude adjustment there. We did this to all get on the same page, and to make sure that we would continue to be able to work and play nice in the fire service? Can’t all just get along and get back to working towards having a fire safe county to live in. Seems there is always too much bickering around. Like the guy getting time off for having a flag sticker on his locker, did he not heard the order to clean off all lockers not just his. Is that really a proper way to display a flag in the first place?

I believe that many people in the fire service do ...

2009-10-16T07:26:29.618-07:00

I believe that many people in the fire service do not truly view their fire department as a business. A fire department is basically a business with employees and expenses. What gets lost is the higher ranks (i.e. Chief, Assistant Chief, Battalion Chief, etc) are basically upper management. The front line officers are the supervisors. Every officer needs to know how to manage not just firefighters on the fire ground but also as people and employees.

My observations are coming from what I see in POC and combination departments. Employees need to be recognized for the successes and constructively criticized for mistakes. I think that good fire chiefs are not just an encyclopedia of fire service experience and knowledge. They must be a great manager of employee, because the employees are a business’s greatest asset!

Chris beat me to the reply. Although there is "no...

2009-10-06T12:08:13.921-07:00

Chris beat me to the reply. Although there is "no such thing as a routine fire", there are what we consider "bread and butter" operations. These are the types of incidents we frequently encounter and which, feeding even farther on what Chris stated in his reply, for all those reasons of complacency, etc. are the ones which can land us in the most trouble. Furthermore, these bread and butter occupancies are ones common to most any jurisdiction in America, so there are lots of lessons to be learned.

I think you (sfd) are correct in your statement, but I would be willing to bet my paycheck that Mr. Naum wasn't suggesting that conditions at any fire are "routine", nor suggesting that a less-than diligent attitude should be assumed by the companies operating on scene.

Dear SFDrescue1; First and foremost, Thank you for...

2009-10-05T16:25:34.628-07:00

Dear SFDrescue1; First and foremost, Thank you for taking the time to comment. The point of the piece presented was exactly that; "there are no routine" circumstances from which we operate. Two structure fires that followed generally accepted tactical deployment and protocols, each with inherent construction features and fire dynamics that may have contributed to the events. As recent as September 20th, I posted a piece entitled "It's Not Always Business as Usual” that redundancy, "routiness" and frequency of typical calls, may at times- for some organizations, lead to complacency and compound into less than effective operations. When things go wrong, they can go wrong at an escalating rate that may at times not be apparent. The lack of “parenthesizes” around routine doesn’t detract from the theme that; although companies may be engage in current structural firefighting operations in buildings, occupancies and under fire condition encountered in a similar fashion at some point in the past; the outcome of the current engagement may be entirely different due to a variety of circumstance unique to that incident requiring ongoing and acute situational awareness, focused tactics and engaged command management.

I am very sorry that the author used the word "ROU...

2009-10-05T11:41:48.561-07:00

I am very sorry that the author used the word "ROUTINE" not once , but three times in this blog. He should know better than to give this concept ANY press. We all (should) know that there is NO SUCH THING AS A ROUTINE FIRE.

Anonymous; if that is your real name: Your post sp...

2009-09-04T07:37:56.532-07:00

Anonymous; if that is your real name:
Your post speaks to the idea that you, as a "street" firefighter wants to be talked down to.
You know; writing is a SKILL, just as firefighting is a skill. With writing, you have to find the right words. With firefighting, you have to find the right tool/tactics to suppress the fire. Oops! Did I say "suppress"? I meant to say "put the fire out" for my street firefighters.
Sorry, Charlie, but Chris puts a lot of hard work and effort into helping to educate firefighters everywhere.
Your comments are selfish and unwarranted.
If you don't understand, ASK.
Take care.

Well said

2009-09-03T11:46:49.582-07:00

Well said

Did you give another "thought provoking presentati...

2009-08-29T22:22:26.220-07:00

Did you give another "thought provoking presentation" on the "build enviornment"? All your word twists makes reading your blog equal to watching a snooty infomertial salesmen who never says what the solution really is.
Talk to the Street!

being a firefighter is a risky job, i salute to th...

2009-08-27T04:18:29.478-07:00

being a firefighter is a risky job, i salute to those who risk their life to save properties and lives..

Building knowledge = firefighter safety. Not alway...

2009-08-26T10:28:59.510-07:00

Building knowledge = firefighter safety. Not always. If anyone reads your post it would seem that your presentations teach how to operate safely in thes buildings. if thats true how would that have impacted these two men? From looking it seems you post a lot of LODD presentations of how to operate safely. Its good to know that you have all this covered.

Really appreciate this information, I am excited t...

2009-08-13T20:21:28.353-07:00

Really appreciate this information, I am excited to start up being a firefighter myself.

Just did a radio interoperability drill and we are...

2009-08-13T15:33:36.233-07:00

Just did a radio interoperability drill and we are still not "talking" together. Why is this such a problem? RADIOs are our lifelines. Training on how to properly use radios needs to be added to the RIT and MayDay training.

That is why they stated the need for a 360 on all ...

2009-08-13T13:53:52.433-07:00

That is why they stated the need for a 360 on all fires if poss.

I'm wondering if it was a daylight basement or a t...

2009-08-13T10:54:57.024-07:00

I'm wondering if it was a daylight basement or a true cellar. If was a cellar then I can see stretching down the interior stair...only practical way to get to the fire. However, if it was a daylight basement with an exterior door or windows why stretch over the fire? I'm not trying to arm chair QB...just wondering.

I saw from the article they had water before they ...

2009-08-12T12:01:23.927-07:00

I saw from the article they had water before they descended the stairs to the basement. It seems the situation appeared to them to be routine. However, from the article, there weren't enough personnel on the scene to conduct an aggressive attack and the captain realized the firefighter she was with was in trouble in the basement and tragically stayed in trying to save him. What a sad day. May they rest in peace

Why Interior Attack?? Most of the Fire Departments...

2009-08-12T10:36:41.610-07:00

Why Interior Attack?? Most of the Fire Departments I know of mention the words "Saving Property" in the mission statement. Does Yours??

they entered with an uncharged line why?? and with...

2009-08-11T16:26:44.958-07:00

they entered with an uncharged line why??
and with all out why the interior attack??

It is so important that Chief Officers recognize t...

2009-08-11T08:14:53.040-07:00

It is so important that Chief Officers recognize the need to develop and implement R.I.T or R.I.C. operating procedures and guidelines. These should be accompanied by MAYDAY procedures and guidelines that are not only implemented but trained on regularly. The events that led up to this tragedy leave no doubt that we need to keep cultivating a culture of “Safety”, in the fire service. As I participate in different blogs and websites, I run in to so many old and new firefighters who bash and frown on anyone who advocates safety. Our job isn’t to die. Our job is to save savable lives and property.

But...but..."I like going to fires". Isn't that th...

2009-08-04T19:47:28.669-07:00

But...but..."I like going to fires". Isn't that the most important thing? After all, we get paid for the short attention spans and need for instant gratification...right?

Great post Chris. Another brick in the wall between recreational firefighting and smart firefighting.