Who Fits the Profile?

Are you at your strongest when others may be at their weakest?

Do you study your enemy to find its weaknesses?

Do you practice your fighting skills until you can’t get them wrong?

Do you come from generations of warriors or is it simply in your blood?

Have you taken the sacred oath that will place you among the elite?

Are you willing to risk your life for what you believe?

Do you fit the profile?

If you do, then you are a firefighter and more specific to this article; a volunteer firefighter.

I was preparing to write a blog on the continuing events in Boston, but that was interrupted so the Chief and I could finish a close-out report for a grant.

While we were at the fire station working on the report, we had the TV on to Fox News. The coverage of the Boston Marathon bombing was interrupted by reports that there had been a massive explosion  at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas (population 2800) near Waco, Texas. More bad news on top of what’s already a very bad week for our country.

Upon hearing some of the demographic information, it had me thinking that many rural, volunteer fire departments would fit that description. This is taken from the city of West, TX website:
“The West Volunteer Fire Department was established in 1894 as the West Hose Company #1. The first equipment for West Hose Co. #1 was a Hose Reel drawn by a rope tied to a volunteer’s saddle horn. In the late 1890s the equipment was upgraded to a fire wagon drawn by a black stallion. By the turn of the century a two horse “Modern Seagraves” Fire Carriage was purchased.  In 1915 the first motorized apparatus was purchased – a Cadillac Hose Truck with a 40 gallon chemical tank. The first “pumper” for the Fire Dept was a 1925 Reo with a 500 gpm (gallons per minute) pump. In 1929 a Ford Model A was added to the Fire Dept. fleet.

The fire department was originally stationed in the historic city hall, then the city garages, and  finally was moved to its current location in 2003. The current firehouse was paid for by the work of the all volunteer fire department through fundraisers such as the Annual West Fire Dept. BBQ Cook-off held in March. The volunteers raised half of the funds  to build the fire house and the other half was paid for by the City of West.

The fire department currently relies on pagers for its 33 firemen, but also still depends on the loud sirens throughout the City.  City of West is rated at a Class 5 through ISO.

Fire Alarm Warnings
1 blow	Small Fire (Out of town)
2 blows	Fire Drill or meeting
3 blows	Major Structure Fire
4 blows	Use of JAWS
9 blows	Sever Storm Warning (Tornado)”

I will not be commenting on the West, Texas incident. However; my thoughts and prayers go out to them.

The town where I grew up is a rural community of 2800. It has a farmers’ coop, ethanol plant and a couple of industrial plants. So, there is a lot of fertilizer and anhydrous there. It is a tight-knit community with mostly local people working in town. Their fire department is all-volunteer and they have fundraisers every year to raise money for equipment. Sound familiar?

As I said; the all-volunteer West Fire Department could be the face of many rural, volunteer fire departments throughout this country. And the volunteer firefighters who populate their fire departments might very well fit my profile.

Are you at your strongest when others may be at their weakest?

In other words: are we strong enough-both physically and mentally-to mitigate an incident that has caused someone else to feel weak and vulnerable?

We are called for help for any number of reasons; some of them are downright confounding. We don’t tell the caller (or Dispatch) to call someone else. We figure that there is SOMETHING that we can do. Squirrel in the chimney? We got it. Someone locked their keys in the car? Did you know that you can call this number and they can unlock it from there? Something is chirping and you can’t find it? Your smoke alarm needs new batteries. And every now and then, there will be a fire. We have to be ready-physically and mentally. We cannot grow lazy and complacent just because we don’t have a high volume of calls.

Do you study your enemy to find its weaknesses?

Fire is the enemy, but that definition has been expanded to include a building that is under fireload (Brannigan). To know about fire progression, you have to know about building construction, building materials, reading smoke, wind velocity, doing a full 360 upon arrival and watching for changes in conditions are just a few of the considerations. To get to know the enemy better; it is here that you train like you fight and then fight like you train. Burn buildings/containers are a good starting point, but acquired structures for live-fire training is where you will get real world, hands-on experience. If you are not having a half-dozen structural fire calls a day, then you need live training to learn and to improve. There is valuable experience to be gained.

Do you practice your fighting skills until you can’t get them wrong?

This is critical, because the only thing that can take the place of low call volume is more training. I know that it gets tedious to keep donning and doffing the SCBA, but how else are you going to cut down the clock? Seconds count when you get to the scene, you have fire showing and a frantic parent telling you that her kids are still inside. Keep in mind “kids” might also mean “pets”.

So; you have to learn the skills until you can do them blind-folded, in your sleep and with your gloves on. And after you learn how to do that, then you are going to learn to throw a 24-footer by yourself. No; you’re not a truckie yet.

Do you come from generations of warriors or is it simply in your blood?

We know that the fire service has a long history of tradition. In many families, firefighters in those families can be traced back several generations. Some might even try to tell you that, when the caveman invented Fire, his Cro-Magnon grandpa was there to put it out! Regardless; everyone has their reasons for joining a volunteer fire department. It’s true that in the early days, it was more of a social organization in many communities, but because of liabilities and just the sheer nastiness of some of the hazards associated with fire suppression, it has become necessary to learn skills at a professional level.

Have you taken the sacred oath that will place you among the elite?

No; this isn’t where Gomer and Otis are deputized by Sheriff Andy. This is where you honest-to-God raise your right hand and state that you will serve and protect the life and property in your community to the best of your ability and knowing that you risk your life to do so. Remember that firefighting is not a hobby, a boy’s night out or “fun”. It is serious, dangerous and there are no do-overs. You will want to know BEFORE the Moment of Truth whether or not you have the heart for it.

Are you willing to risk your life for what you believe?

This isn’t a hypothetical or theoretical question. We have seen the many ways that firefighters can die. “Willing to risk your life” doesn’t mean that you are “willing to die”. Know the difference, but also know that it can happen on the way to training, at training or after training. It can happen enroot to the scene, at the scene or after the scene. Firefighters have been taken from us while they slept. We have seen catastrophic failures of equipment. We have seen sudden changes in conditions that have resulted in multiple firefighter deaths. Everyone has to give the Grim Reaper its proper respect by training and responding at the highest level of professionalism.

Our time on this Earth is short. Spending time to help others in their time of need is of the highest calling. We should want to train to provide the best care that we can, instead of re-hashing arguments over YouTube videos.

Respect the fallen by saving the questions and by extending your thoughts and prayers to everyone affected by the loss. Reports will come and we will honor the fallen by learning from them.

In doing so, we remember them by never forgetting their sacrifice.

TCSS.

The opinions and views expressed are those of the article’s author, Art Goodrich, who also writes as ChiefReason. They do not reflect the opinions and views of www.fireengineering.com, Fire Engineering Magazine, PennWell Corporation or his dog, Chopper. All articles by the author are protected under The Adventures of Jake and Vinnie© umbrella and cannot be reproduced in any form without expressed permission.

Same Old Song and Dance

Another cheating scandal; more missing funds. Will it ever end?

Disclaimer: The links were chosen at random and are not an indictment of the fire departments mentioned. The links are examples of what has been a growing problem in the nation’s fire service.

Firefighter cheaters.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-07-19/news/bs-ed-emt-cheating-20110719_1_cheating-scandal-exam

http://www.universalhub.com/2011/more-four-dozen-boston-firefighters-suspended-role

Firefighter thieves.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/jan/04/police--duty-firefighter-used-phony-emergency-call/

http://www.ocregister.com/news/fire-380179-police-county.html

Firefighter drunk drivers.

http://www.turnto10.com/story/21800293/woonsocket-firefighter-faces-dui-charge

http://www.macon.com/2012/09/14/2176712/houston-county-firefighter-charged.html

Firefighter arsonists.

http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/Colorado-Volunteer-Firefighter-Arrested-for-Arson-189934051.html#.UVs5ZpOG1g0

http://onlineathens.com/local-news/2012-09-14/volunteer-firefighter-arrested-charged-arson

For the most recent example, go here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/03/virginia-couple-arrested-arsons/2048669/

The aforementioned articles have been the subject of many discussions among firefighters for the past several years. Though there are recent examples of more of the same, the problems have not been just recently uncovered. You can find discussions at the various firefighter discussion forums that date back to before the explosion of social media.

Take firefighters cheating on written exams. The motivation for cheating is that the test taker felt that he could not pass the exam without the added edge that cheating would give them. Underpinnings could be a bump in pay, bragging rights or assignment to an elite squad. To go a little deeper, this could be a person who has relied on cheating since their high school or college days. The fact that they were not caught strengthened their belief that they would never be caught. Their personal intentions would never allow for the idea that their indiscretion would be splashed over the front page of a newspaper, website or be the lead-in story of the 6 o’clock news and thereby damaging the public perception of the fire department. No; such a selfish act never considers the collateral damage that it causes.

Integrity is a key attribute for a firefighter. Trust by the community that they serve is very fragile. Whether it is a business or a private home; firefighters are entrusted to enter uninvited, mitigate the hazard and to leave without succumbing to the temptation of thievery. Think about it; a homeowner has just suffered the worst day of the life, are struggling with what the fire has taken from them, only to discover that their rare coin collection or family heirloom is missing. They mention it to a neighbor and before you can get back to the fire station, the rumors are already growing that firefighters stole something from the fire scene. The police are called in, a firefighter is arrested and charged and the worst nightmare of a fire department is realized.

Drinking and driving isn’t a problem until there’s a problem. It is less likely to happen in a career department than in a volunteer department because of a set schedule. Though volunteer departments don’t completely own this one, there are a higher percentage of volunteers that are being arrested and charged with DUI, because they were drinking after work, the tones dropped and they chose to respond while under the alcohol’s influence. The incident is magnified if there is an apparatus accident, where its driver failed field sobriety tests. The local paper throws down on FOIA and the next thing you know, the headline in the paper alerts the public to another dirty little secret. Then, someone posts it on Facebook, it goes out on Twitter, is re-tweeted and your next fire department fundraiser is a rousing fund-failure.

Although any bad behavior by firefighters will shake the moral ground; a firefighter that sets fires will rock the world of our communities and destroy the department’s image as the public’s protectors. It causes the sworn oath to ring hollow. It creates suspicion with every fire. What has taken decades and generations to build will take even longer to repair; even more so, if more than one firefighter was involved.

And then comes the excuses. From being “bored” to “hero worship” to “overtime pay” and on and on; there will be no rational justification for the firefighter who is arrested and convicted of setting fires.

Remember Coatsville, Pennsylvania? http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=6724691

It had a community living in terror and a task force desperate to solve the string of some 30 arson fires. It has been four years since Robert Tracey was arrested. I have to wonder if things are back to “normal” in that community. I am betting that it is not.

Not long ago, discussions on dealing with wayward firefighters centered upon “policing our own”. Some would bemoan news outlets for identifying a perpetrator as a firefighter or former firefighter, as if this would somehow make things better. Some of these forum scholars declared that they did not perform background checks nor did they verify firefighters’ driving records and wanted to deal with stuff “internally”. Let’s see; not smart enough to stop it before it starts and yet; smart enough to resolve deep psychological tenets of a fire-setter. Yeah; right.

And I can’t end this without giving a shout out to the deniers. They are the firefighters who believe that the actions of someone a couple of states over have no effect on their fire department. Tell that to the IAFC, who issued a white paper on firefighter bad behavior and to USFA, who has tackled the issue of firefighter arson.

Remember; when you ignore bad behavior, you reinforce it.

 
The opinions and views expressed are those of the article’s author, Art Goodrich, who also writes as ChiefReason. They do not reflect the opinions and views of www.fireengineering.com, Fire Engineering Magazine, PennWell Corporation or his dog, Chopper. All articles by the author are protected by federal copyright and cannot be reproduced in any form without expressed permission.

2012 Sucked So I Will Simply Move On

I’m not going to sit here and reflect on a year that was filled with so many disappointments.

I like to think that I am an eternal optimist, but did anyone else notice the negative tone of wherever you looked? It was everywhere.

ONE positive that I noticed is that, firefighter fatalities were down in 2012. Since 2009, firefighter deaths have been well below the “100 per year” threshold. Also noteworthy is that deaths attributed to cardiac issues were also down. It would appear that health and wellness initiatives are starting to see some positive results and we should. There are plenty of blogs and books dedicated to firefighter fitness. One that easily comes to mind is Fire Service Warrior and its founder, Chris Brennan.

In fact; when you partner the work that the FireSmoke Coalition is doing with its research on the effects of gases present at the foreground that adversely affects firefighters and preventive measures AND we work to improve over all fitness, it is no wonder that there has been a reduction in cardiac-related episodes.

So, when I say that last year sucked, it is a broad response to the many personal negatives that have affected me. It is not summed up simply by saying that “my guy lost” the Presidential election. It goes much deeper than that. Since I started preparing my first article for 2013, I have lost another brother-in-law and it leaves me with the opinion that I am attending more funerals of family members than I care to.

All I know is that it has hit me like a ton of bricks and has forced me to be more introspective on setting priorities in this Life. I will strive to find the edge that saw several readers of Chief Reason blogs, but in order to do that, I have to get a couple things off of my chest.

So, this is To Whom It May Concern:

I am tired of all of the “fiscal cliff” dramedy. Our federal government has proven time and time again that the two-party system is self-destructing. The two houses of government want to go in two, separate directions with a President who doesn’t understand the art of compromise. Instead of finding real solutions to the problems that we face, they want to spend time looking for gimmicks that kicks the can down the road for future generations.

I mean; what has happened to “representative” government? When did it become this bloated behemoth of amendatory bills and points of order and all of the trickery and chicanery that it has become?

How is it that, in Congress, John Boehner decides what goes or doesn’t in the House and the singing duo of Reid and Pelosi decides what goes to the floor of the Senate?

Did you know that you don’t even have to be present to filibuster? Now, all you have to do is notify leadership of your “intent” to filibuster. You know; “phone it in”, as they say. Jimmy Stewart (Mr. Smith) must be rolling in his grave.

And why are legislative bills 2700 pages long? I actually know the answer to this one. It is because of all of the “augmentations”. Let’s call it “pork” or “sausage”. Regardless, it goes through the meat grinder known as Congress and is packed into a prophylactic to make it easier to shove…well, you get the picture.

And for the record; Illinois has its version of Boehner, Reid and Pelosi. It’s called Mike Madigan, the “most powerful politician in the state”.

Having little influence THERE, I will spend my time focused at a local level. As a trustee for our fire protection district, I will not use the federal budgetary process as a template for our fire district finances. For me, that means a balanced approach. Borrowing will be limited and money will never factor into discussions of firefighter safety. Firefighter safety will always come first and we will tax and budget for it. Period.

I have seen too many fire districts struggling just to pay the interest on apparatus or a new building that they can’t afford. If either was needed, then a budget plan that included savings, applying for available grants, increasing tax rates or calling for a bond referendum should have been in the plan. You don’t just wake up one day and discover these problems. They can be years in the making, if you don’t exercise restraint.

Next; I am tired of the pension banter. Illinois has the distinction of having the most underfunded pension system and the worst credit rating in our country. So, again I say;

To Whom It May Concern:

You believed that it was your civic duty or your “calling” to serve on your city council or in the state legislature. You sat there while your loyal public servants were negotiating employment contracts-legal, binding contracts.

And even though you didn’t bother to look at actuaries, investment statements or take the advice of financial analysts; you kept agreeing to new contracts; knowing that you would have to borrow money to pay them or skip payments all together.

Why would you lock in return on investment at 8.5 %, even though statements were showing anywhere from 0 to 5% and then express total shock to hear the economy was driving everything down?

In the Land of Lincoln, pensions are underfunded by $95 BILLION. And because pensioners are expecting YOU to honor YOUR word, you are now labeling them “selfish and greedy”!

Do you even realize that a contract is a legal and binding PROMISE? Because if you do, then quit whining and figure out a way to pay them without sending my taxes even higher than they already are; keeping in mind that I am trying to save for my own retirement.

Two years ago, Governor Quinn got a 67% increase in the state income tax to pay past due bills to medical care providers and schools, to name a few. It was only to be for one year and it has been two. He lied. He also said the added revenue would go for the purposes that I stated. Instead; the money went to pension funds. He lied again.

I am so fed up with the convoluted process known as politics that I a swearing off blogs about politics UNLESS they directly affect the fire service. You may quote me.

And last; to my friends at NIOSH:

Since we are seeing fewer firefighter deaths per year, can we see a more timely and detailed fatality report? Could you possibly widen your pool of resources and end the “template” approach?

I, for one, appreciate the work that you do, but let’s be honest; can “poor communication” or “a lack of leadership” be present at every fatal incident? You might be right; I am just asking, but consider that there is a culture to change in the fire service that may require stepping outside of the box, because without compelling, well written reports; fire departments will continue to dismiss NIOSH firefighter fatality reports as “same old/same old”.

To my fellow bloggers and critics: I am bringing back a strong voice of reason in 2013. However; I will continue to be uniquely qualified in matters of opinion.

TCSS.

The opinions and views expressed are those of the article’s author, Art Goodrich, who also writes as ChiefReason. They do not reflect the opinions and views of www.fireengineering.com, Fire Engineering Magazine, PennWell Corporation or his dog, Chopper. All articles by the author are protected by federal copyright and cannot be reproduced in any form without expressed permission.

Anatomy of a Firefighter

They are questions that are often asked by both those wishing to be a firefighter and by those trying to understand why someone would be a firefighter: what does it take and why do you do it?
I will often reach back into my past and resurrect some of the mental tools that I used during my time as a firefighter. It is a characteristic that is so ingrained into your being that it is yours’ to be used for the rest of your life. You will react to decision-making in a much different manner to all kinds of emergencies and other critical situations.
One of the most interesting phenomenon-or at least to me-is the actions that are taken by firefighters at that moment when they realize that someone’s life hangs in the balance and the only one who can affect that outcome is the firefighter who is there at that place and time.
In other words: what triggers the response in the firefighter that has them risking their life for another?
I believe that it is not because of pension or pay. I don’t believe that a firefighter wants to be a hero. And it certainly isn’t because firefighters believe that it is a safe, stable profession.
I think that this desire to help others-however dangerous-comes from the most important part of the firefighter’s anatomy…the heart!
It is a healthy heart; full of sense of duty, honor, bravery, compassion and community. Traditional values for Humankind and service to communities, as described in our fire services’ glorious history, flows through a firefighter’s veins and at any moment will give them the superhuman energy against a supernatural foe.
It is a heart that is strong enough to engage the repeated assaults from strenuous and stressful events. And though outcomes may not lift the heart, but instead, weight it down; the heart will react with extraordinary resilience and will beat even stronger in the many men and women who wear their uniform.
When you think of the heart of a firefighter, can you think of any other profession where generation upon generation has that desire to join the ranks of their moms, dads, grandfathers, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters and cousins? In many cases, children will go completely out of their comfort zone to NOT follow in their parents’ footsteps, but from the first, toy fire truck or peddle car and fueled by the stories of their parent; the child of a firefighter wants to be nothing else. It does not have to be thrust or forced upon them. It has become their dream. It is reinforced by the many fire toys, books, trips to the fire station and culminating in a junior firefighter program.
For most jobs; the heart only needs to beat. The employee needs only to show up. If their heart isn’t in it, they can call off, quit or get fired. If a firefighter discovers too late that they don’t have the heart for the job/a love for the job; it can have catastrophic results for the firefighter or his crew members.
No; the heart of a firefighter has to be there from the beginning. Everything else can be “developed”.
What about a brain? 
From an anatomical point, a firefighter has to have a brain that is wired to make critical decisions very quickly. The right decisions must be made every time that Life is at risk; be it the life of a victim or the life of the firefighter. Some would argue that this situation presents itself every time the tones drop, but it doesn’t.
Firefighters have the expectation that they are going home at the end of their shift. The many tasks that are taught develop conditioned behavior. As an example, ventilation can be done by opening windows, cutting a hole in a roof and using the assistance of a fan. Once it is decided to use either horizontal or vertical ventilation, then it is simply completing the task as we have been repetitiously trained to do.
I use ventilation as an example of a conditioned behavior. What about instinct? Are their situations where firefighters act instinctively?
Instinct is defined as “a largely inheritable and unalterable tendency of an organism to make a complex and specific response to environmental stimuli without involving reason”.
So; do we attempt the rescue of trapped victims based upon our conditioned behavior reinforced by our training or is it done instinctively and done in spite of what we have been conditioned to do in that situation?
Then, when all is said and done, firefighters must process the mental trauma that is left by the visual trauma and for some, it can be very stressful.
There have been studies done on the effects of mental stress upon firefighters (http://www.waldenu.edu/Documents/News-and-Events/Milen.pdf), but the simple fact is that we all deal with bad things differently. You cannot take a cookie cutter or template and expect it to resolve mental issues in all cases. Mental stress can be every bit as debilitating as injuries from physical exertion and if firefighters attempt to bury it in the deep recesses of their brain, it can present itself when it is least expected. As firefighters, we must recognize the symptoms (http://www.iaff.org/et/jobaid/eap/reactions_to_traumatic_stress.htm) and seek help. As firefighter leaders, we must be vigilant with our post-incident stress monitoring programs.
A firefighter must have ears that can hear the important lessons to be learned in the classroom. They must hear the tones drop, even when they are asleep. They must be able to hear instructions over the noise of the many engines that may populate a scene. Ears that are covered in a Nomex hood must hear valuable communications that come over their portable radios and in spite of the loudness from the roar of a raging fire or the extrication tools at a vehicle accident scene. Their ears must be so sensitive that they can hear the faint/muffled cries for help from a victim who is barely able to speak. They must also have the ability to hear changing conditions in their current surroundings.
The boots that cover the feet of the firefighter creates the solid base from where they must stand firm. For the many who can’t comprehend the “why” in what we do, they cannot “walk a mile in our boots”. Though fire boots that cover the feet of firefighters do not come with a set of brakes, they must hold fast when opposing pressure from a water stream wants to push them back. They are boots that must feel when a floor is weakened by fire. They are boots that must be sure-footed when climbing a ladder or walking along a narrow pathway.  They are boots that are heavily constructed but become much lighter when there is a call for help. They are boots that march in unison and stand at attention for the fallen.
Firefighter must have hands that are strong, nimble and flexible. They must be able to don their life-saving air supply, tie ropes, hook carabiners, wield heavy iron tools, direct a water stream from a hose with the accuracy of a sharpshooter, use cutters or spreaders with the precision of a surgeon’s scalpel, grab their buddy who is about to fall, search a room completely darkened by smoke to FEEL for the victims who cannot cry out for help and then carry them to safety; ALL done with their protective gloves on.
Firefighters must have eyes with clear vision. They must be able to see what they are doing and to see the effects of their actions. They have to have eyes that can read: read the books, look at the videos but to SEE what is in them, read the building, read the smoke, look for changing conditions, see through the smoke to look for victims and avoid the blinding effects of complacency. It is the eyes that see the destruction, despair, pain, sorrow and the lasting effects upon victims and firefighters alike, but they also see the hope, joy, gratitude and support. They are eyes that will guide the firefighter through their career.
I realize that I have approached the anatomy of the firefighter from a layman’s view, but to be honest; I have read many studies on the psychological search for why firefighters are wired differently. They are very clinical, overly annotated and difficult to follow. Many are opinions and theories not unlike my own.
The two links that I provided are both excellent. Please read them and then share your thoughts.
Here ends the lesson.
TCSS.
The opinions and views expressed are those of the article’s author, Art Goodrich, who also writes as ChiefReason. They do not reflect the opinions and views of www.fireengineering.com, Fire Engineering Magazine, PennWell Corporation or his dog, Chopper. All articles by the author are protected by federal copyright and cannot be reproduced in any form without expressed permission.

Lit Fires; Light Sentences

Want to kill off an evening or two in front of your computer?
Google “firefighter arson”.
Then, kick back and prepare to get angry!
From the lame and pathetic excuses offered up by the accused to the light sentences handed down to the guilty; it’s enough to get this old boy’s blood boiling.
Over the years, I have written a few blogs about this fire service issue and one thing remains true…
It is still a big problem for the nation’s fire service.
Why?
I think that part of the problem is that sentences for those firefighters convicted of arson are not strong enough to act as a deterrent for the next idiots  who masquerade as firefighters while setting fires.
Look at the most recent band of firefighter arsonists: http://www.cbs3springfield.com/story/15593975/former-firefighters-sentenced-to-3-years-behind-bars.
Two-the “ringleaders”-were sentenced to THREE years in prison for a “string” of arsons. “String” means that prosecutors weren’t exactly sure how many fires were set.
Two others were sentenced to three years PROBATION. A fifth firefighter will be sentenced next month (November). I am guessing that he will also receive probation.
And I sit here shaking my head!
Is it because these public safety predators are connected to the privileged class of their communities? Is their daddy or other relatives on the fire department or are past members? Or maybe they have a relative on the city council or fire board? It’s worth researching and discussing.
Is it because they are often “young adults”? Often times, the court system goes lenient because they don’t want to see this “one mistake” blight their record for the rest of their lives? You have seen it in the court testimony: This is a mistake made by otherwise ‘good kids’! Yeah; right. It’s as if they are comparing arson to tee-peeing someone’s house.
But, it seems that someone has to die in the fire or in close approximate time to the fire to see any significant sentences handed down.
Does anyone remember the case of Caleb Lacey?
He set a fire just down from where he lived so that he could be the first there and makes heroic rescues. He confessed to his crime, but claimed he was innocent. He received 25 years to life. Here’s the link:  http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-04-09/news/27061282_1_volunteer-firefighter-arson-case-young-sons.
What if someone had not died in the fire that he was convicted of setting? For the record; FOUR died in this fire.
Had there only been property damage and no fatalities, would his have been another case with an anemic sentence of less than 5 years in prison or worse; probation?
Based upon many of the cases that I have reviewed, I would have to say “yes”.
The problem might also lay with the legal definition of “arson”.
The legal definition from USlegal.com is: Intentional wrongful setting of fires and possession of explosives is governed by state criminal laws, which vary by state. Federal laws also govern possession of explosives, such as on an airplane. Arson is committed when a person intentionally damages a building by starting or maintaining a fire or causing an explosion. The arsonist's knowledge or suspicion that a person may occupy the building when it is on fire will heighten the seriousness of the charge. Arson may be committed by an act of recklessness which results in a fire.
In some states, if the building is not inhabited or is determined to be uninhabitable, then a charge of arson may not apply. That is left to the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ). I would guess that some type of criminal mischief charge may be filed. Again; it could depend on WHO is being charged.
Here in Illinois, if a public safety employee is injured as the result of a deliberately set fire (arson), aggravating circumstances exist for additional sentencing guidelines.
So, it is clear that it may be unclear when you have a fire that has been set that it may or may not be arson and even if it was determined to be arson, mitigating issues might result in light sentences upon conviction.
With that said, I have to ask about the betrayal of the public’s trust when a firefighter sets a fire. Shouldn’t there be an automatic prison term for this betrayal, regardless of whether it is defined as “arson”?
In my opinion, betraying the public trust should bring a minimum prison sentence of at least five years. No; I’m not saying that we are better than the public. I am saying that we are different from the public that we have sworn to serve.
But, from what I have seen, few judges have addressed the betrayal of public trust when they sentence firefighters for setting fires.
In my mind, betraying public trust in the commission of this type of crime is very disturbing and very serious, because every firefighter everywhere is forced to fight this stigma that is put on public display the minute a firefighter is arrested for setting fires. Innocent until proven guilty is dead on arrival as soon as the headline appears.
It has been the subject of investigative news shows such as Dateline. Documentaries have been done on the more prolific firefighter arsonists.
Way back in the 1980s, a firefighter setting fires was a subplot in a little movie titled “Backdraft”. Axe, played by Scott Glenn, was setting fires, because the mayor was making cutbacks. Bull, played by Kirk Russell, found out about it and you know the rest. Have a tissue ready at the end if you watch it. Yeah; I still choke up when I watch it.
Firefighter arson has been referred to as the fire service’s “dirty little secret” for too many years, but the secret is out. It is front page news and lead stories for the entire world to see.
Even today, many firefighters STILL struggle to engage in the discussion of it.
And I know that there are fire departments who still believe that they can handle this “problem” internally.
Simply put; they kick out their problem and kick it down the road to another unsuspecting fire department, where the mutt can resume his fire-setting ways. In the process, I think it opens the door to charges of complicity or conspiracy on the part of the fire department.
To make my position on firefighter arson crystal clear; a firefighter charged and convicted of arson should receive a sentence of no less than 10 years for the crime of arson, 5 years for betraying the public’s trust and NO probation, unless it comes after the prison sentence has been served.
And while we are at it, make firefighter arson a federal offense. That will throw off any hometown feel for the favorite “home boys”.
A bit irrational, you say?
Not a chance.
I have been looking at this fire service scourge for over 20 years. We need to put down the books by Dr. Spock and pick up B.F. Skinner.
As I was writing this, the NVFC released a new report on firefighter arson. It is in a downloadable PDF and can be found here http://www.nvfc.org/media/news/nvfc-releases-report-on-firefighter-arson/, but let me warn you; if you read the report, then you might be admitting that the fire service does indeed have a firefighter arson problem (over 100 cases a YEAR, folks and that’s just the ones we know of).
Let me hear your thoughts.
TCSS.
The opinions and views expressed are those of the article’s author, Art Goodrich, who also writes as ChiefReason. They do not reflect the opinions and views of www.fireengineering.com, Fire Engineering Magazine, PennWell Corporation or his dog, Chopper. All articles by the author are protected by federal copyright and cannot be reproduced in any form without expressed permission.