This week our commentary is provided by Tom McGowan from the Longmeadow Mass Fire Department. In addition to being a firefighter, Tom serves on the State haz Mat team and currently serves as the Coordinator of Program Development at The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. This article was submitted a short time ago but there is no time "limit" on it's sentiment or message.
Badge Covers are a Cue for Training
It's been a week and half or so since another firefighter lost his life in the line duty while
responding to an incident. As if this were not bad enough, just yesterday I was facilitating a
class in training for firefighters at the academy. Several firefighters approached me and
asked who I was mourning. I explained. The responses ranged from 'oh hey I remember' to
'when did that happen'. The other commentary was, "You don't need to wear that any more
the time frame is over."
Head in the sand if you were not aware of the death of a firefighter. In this age of
technology-telephones, Internet, e-mail, etc. as well as the old technology-newspapers, news
media, publications, etc., I find it difficult that a firefighter would not be aware of the death
of a fellow firefighter, especially a line of duty death. Perhaps it's not feasible for the fire
department that has just lost 'one of their own' to be making notification of the death, but
with CISM as one of the new themes in the fire service today, the word should 'get out'. Fire
service related institutions (professional, academic, associations) linked to that local
department should be redundant in their effort to inform all firefighters of the loss of a
brother or sister and the arrangements for the funeral. I can not believe that a firefighter
does not know how to access the Internet. In addition to all the other web sites a firefighter
browses, include in your list of favorites some fire service related web sites. Many of them
contain current and relate firefighter injury and death notices regularly - unfortunately.
Make it part of your daily routine.
Ceremonial respect for the mourning period for a firefighter. As it has been passed to me, in
the fire service the ceremonial respect of the death of a firefighter especially in the line of
duty is a badge cover to be worn. I am reminded that we are a service steeped in tradition.
Brotherhood, red fire trucks, respect for senior firefighters, and story telling to name a few.
One of the purist traditions is that of the funeral rites of a firefighter. From waking of a
brother or sister to traditional music, bible passages, funeral processions, bagpipes, quotes
of heroism in honor of the fallen firefighter, and so on. This of all the traditions must be
written down and communicated forward to the next generations of the fire service and
never forgotten. But my point to wearing the badge cover beyond the time frame is to
continue to remember the death of that firefighter and further why they may have died. Most
importantly, how may we put right the situation so it does not happen again?
"Badge Cover Training" Opportunity. We all have our own way to reflect on the loss of a
firefighter be it attending the wake or funeral, a prayer before bed, or perhaps a raising of
the glass. Typically there is some discussion around the fire house breakfast table that would
lead to speculation on how that firefighter's death may have occurred. Training officers and
mid-level mangers take it a step further. How about dedicating a training evolution in honor
of that firefighter's life to vindicate his/her death? I refer to it as a "Badge Cover" training
opportunity. Not meant to be disrespectful to the badge or firefighter, but rather to
'memorialize' the firefighter.
We recognize that no firefighter comes to work looking to become injured or to die before
the end of their tour. We say 'we want our troops to go home as healthy as when they came
through the door at the beginning of the tour.' We also realize that any moment of the day or
night can become very dynamic. Hazards are presented and risks must be analyzed
sometimes within seconds to make judgments. Yet, in many instances, if you were to
thoughtfully consider decision making in a controlled evolution you might just find a better
way of looking at the situation and improve your position.
Many might say that we may not have all the findings necessary to analyze why that
firefighter died. Take the Law and Order approach to the training opportunity. Take it as a
case 'ripped from the headlines' and present it in a manner that is representative of the
information you know about and then offer assumptions for several considerations. Analysis
with several legitimate reasons as to the circumstances that may have lead to the firefighter's
death could be conducted. Let's challenge ourselves to explore ways to change a behavior or
adjust our attitude.
Thoughtful considerations for training evolutions include and should not be limited to life
safety initiatives, the proper use of seatbelts, proper size-up, protecting the firefighter who
has responded to the highway, watching the smoke, understanding communications skills
development, working inside your resource perimeters, overcoming resistance to change,
work with distractions, strict command control, and accountability. Respectfully, instead of
the discussion leading to speculation about the firefighter's death, place a positive spin
encouraging a lesson to be learned.
Tom McGowan