An interesting column I found while surfing the internet.
Fire Service and the Internet.
Friend or Foe?
William Carey for Tin Helmet
I believe that the sole contributor to the loss of honor, brotherhood and
loyalty is probably the most used instrument in the fire service; the Internet.
When I started, you knew of another department's fire by either being at the
fire or by word of mouth, in detail, from someone who was there working. If
there was a problem on the fire ground, or a problem among persons, it was
usually handled by those immediately involved. With the Internet the fire
service has the ability to have photographs and comments of a fire
immediately posted for the viewing public, long before units on the scene
have begun to go in service. Forum boards allow immediate posting of fire
ground radio transmissions, almost verbatim, along with periods if immediate
questions, thoughts and speculation. Most fire service news has become a
matter of cut and paste instead of quality composition and follow-up articles.
No sooner is a story no matter the subject matter, posted then members of
the fire service adds comment to a relevant forum. Simple thought provoking
comments turn into fiery arguments where one firefighter (or groups of
firefighters) wages a faceless battle against another firefighter, in an effort to
prove each other wrong, to prove that his department is better, that his
tactics and strategy are far superior. The ease of entering into this fray is
made best by having internet access available nearly everywhere we go, at
almost 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
20 years ago, if I heard about a fire ground problem at Station __'s fire, if I
wasn't there, or didn't know anyone there, and I wanted to interject myself
and my comments, I'd have to call that station personally, or go to that
station myself. Now, if I read about a firefighter having to bail out a window
in Everett, Massachusetts, I can, in seconds, make my thoughts known to
everyone in the little time it takes to post on the Internet. Mind you, I have
never been to Everett, have no knowledge whatsoever of the fire, fire
conditions, fire building, fire department and firefighter, yet I can post my
comments immediately as if it were a department press release. Look at the
idiocy posted today. "Brothers" not even on the same coast, passionately
concerned about a department in my county not having an ambulance.
"Brothers" not even living in Charleston, New York or Boston, are posting
spirited thoughts about how each of these departments should be operating
in light of past incidents. I would be sensitive to their words if they were
actual members of the departments involved; yet the majority of them are
not. Just like nearly every wireless conversation before it, what might have
started with good intent and honest questionings, has quickly turned into a
simple ideology versus ideology in a schoolyard bully manner.
There is no honor, brotherhood and loyalty anymore in the fire service, in
one collective body. One "brother" can immediately attack another "brother"
based on what he perceives as a fault, with little, factual support, and other
"brothers" join in on each side, like sharks being attracted to chum. I am not
saying that the Internet completely is at fault, but what I am saying is that
generations ago, some of us remember the adage, "if you don't have
something nice to say, don't say anything at all." With the ease to compose
and send messages, to anyone and everyone, it is almost addictive being
able to say what you want, even though you may have no relevance to the
subject at the time, aside from being a "brother". My childhood best friend,
who is a chief officer, had two working incidents recently that were
successfully handled. No one was injured, firefighters that is, or killed. The
property loss was kept to a minimum. Being in a volunteer department, he
and other members operated as best as possible considering staffing, units
responding, mutual aid and such. Yet on a local forum, a "brother" took my
friend's department and operations to task, not because he was there, but
because he perceived many ideas all based on listening to a scanner and
making assumptions. This "brother" posted his thoughts immediately and as
expected, other "brothers" added to the fray. And yet not one of them took
the time to call my friend's department and ask their questions. Fortunately
my friend has the better character to not even register to post a reply, being
confident that he, as well as other chief officers, from mutual aide
departments, knew what happened and that all went well.
We, the fire service in general, look very good at the oddest times. We put
on good funerals, and we are good at "never forgetting" and making sure
"everyone goes home", but with not even the slightest hint of disrespect to
all and any of the fallen firefighters in the American fire service, we would do
well to change those phrases. Make "Never Forget" into "Remember
Why" and change "Everyone Goes Home" to "I will go home".
Turn the focus, in the fire service, not on your "brother" but on
yourself. Turn the focus from not being a part of the fire service,
to "how do I represent the fire service".
During the Civil War, when General Thomas Jackson was in the Valley, he
never told his subordinates what his plans were. The men marched for days
without knowing their course. But they followed; they obeyed. They
concerned themselves only with what they had to do at the moment, and not
about what Johnston or Ewell were doing. At another time, a color bearer
from the North was seen retrieving his colors near the end of a battle. Some
of Jackson 's men were remarking on the bravery of the man when Jackson
rode up. After being told what his men said, Jackson replied "I don't want
them brave. I want them dead." Granted these are quite old examples of
being concerned with you, focused on "I" and duty. The impression I hope
you understand is that, today, it is far easier to become distracted,
concerned with the other firefighter, the other department, instead of our
own self. Personally, I don't like using the term "brotherhood" in the fire
service anymore. I have seen how friends are treated for being a volunteer
or a paid guy. I have seen how a friend was called a scab for volunteering in
my county yet being hired to work in D.C. I have seen how a current career
firefighter, and former volunteer, led a drive formally labeling all volunteer
departments in my county as "rival organizations". I have seen a longtime
career member called a "puke" and yet this man was a longtime volunteer
before being hired. I have seen firefighters judged based on the number of
responses their department does, alone. "Brotherhood", to me, is in the
catchphrase list along with "crew resource management" and "enclosed
space firefighting." The internet is a great tool, most valuable to the fire
service for learning as much as possible about this trade. But it is being used
too much to define the firefighter. Loyalty, brotherhood and honor are being
defined by what social clique you are identified with in the World Wide Web.
Focus on the "I". Not the selfish "I" but the "I" that you can make the biggest
impact on. When I came in for my shift, I didn't care why the FDNY didn't
inspect a building, why Boston wears running pants and why Charleston uses
booster lines.
I am concerned with: Are my guys here? Is everyone doing okay? Has the
rig and tools been checked? What does the driver need? What will we drill on
tonight? What rigs in the battalion are out of service? What are we going to
do for dinner? Doing housework and paperwork.
I can only say it works for me. I think "loyalty", "brotherhood" and "honor"
would be more valuable if we were more concerned with the guy or gal riding
across from us than the one in some other state.
I may sound hypocritical writing this, but I believe that many individuals in
the fire service would benefit from being off the computer for a good month
or so. Imagine what you could do with the time.
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