Article from Fire Chief-> Darwin and the volunteer fire service

I just read an interesting piece by Ronny Coleman on the "Fire Chief" website. Here's a link to the article: http://firechief.com/departmental-issues-amp-management/darwin-and-volunteer-fire-service. I highly suggest both paid and volunteer firefighters reading this because it offers a good perspective on the volunteer fire service and also brings up that dreaded word change without actually saying it.

 Everything is evolutionary. It is unavoidable. Name something that has not changed over the years. Just look at the fire service. We've gone from horse drawn carriages to amazing pieces of fire apparatus that carry equipment to not only put out a fire, but address other emergencies as well, whether it be rescue, hazmat, or whatever else your first due response area may see.

In no way whatsoever do I fit into the category of chief that Coleman mentions. But I think as an everyday firefighter, a "grunt," the changes that Coleman brings up is important for all firefighters to recognize. It's knowing what is in your first due. What needs does your community have? Yes, the chief is going to be dealing with more pressing issues concerning these changes, like how to guarantee crews or making sure that firefighters are up to training standards.

I think  it is important to recognize changes that are coming to the volunteer fire service at all levels. Coleman's post may have focused more on the chief side of things, but this got me thinking as a regular firefighter. We always need to be ready for whatever the calls may bring. We always need to be "Combat Ready" as the training group Training Traditions teaches (they are awesome! Highly recommended!) Thinking "outside of the box" is an integral part in firefighting. Can your department right now meet all of the public safety needs of your community? What standards do you hold yourself to?

I think at this point, we are definitely past the social club aspect. That is a thing of the past. But if your company ready? What changes are still being resisted? It kind of worried me that Coleman specifically pointed out that volunteer fire chiefs need to know about risk assessment and NFPA standards. I know that when I went through my essentials of firefighting program, even as a junior firefighter, I had to learn NFPA standards. Who and where are these not being taught?

Although, some of this goes back to my thesis if you read my previous post. There needs to be some type of accountability with the volunteer fire service. I do not understand how that has gone so unregulated in some ways for so long. How can we not hold each other to at least some standard? You can three departments in one municipality with three different types of standards. How is that efficient?

There are some levels of standardization that may be seen in a paid department that might not work in a volunteer department just because of time restraints, as Coleman states. But that is not an excuse to have any standardization. We have to be as safe as possible.

Coleman's post really got me thinking in ways I did not expect. In fact, I'm still thinking about it in different ways. I hope you do too.

Keep fire in your life. Stay safe.