There are
certain trends that continue in the field of public safety in general and the
fire service in particular. Many of
those traditions are positive, some are not.
Fortunately, for every one of those not so great trends, there is
something greater and better that can normally overcome it. For every arrogant officer, there is a servant
leader—for every unmotivated “probie” that won’t lift a finger, there is a new
hire that loves to learn and help—this is how we have survived, despite our
lowest common denominators.
But of the
negative traits, one of the most common laments in the firehouse and the
dispatch center is that the fire service is far too reactive. Often, persons of all ranks wonder why “we
have to have something bad happen before anything can change.”
Whether the
efforts to improve firefighter safety after a firefighter fatalities or the
change in dispatcher certification requirements after a tragic situation in
Florida—the idea or the effort or the attempt to change almost always occurs
only in the smoking debris of what once was presumed to an effective and stable
organization—where problems are suddenly brought into the sunlight by a crisis
or failure of incredible portions—totally unforeseen by most, but likely
entirely anticipated by a few.
The damage
to the morale of the employees is severe, the damage to the reputation of the
agency is scalding and the outcomes for a city, state, or county government can
be financially devastating. Not to
mention the faith of the community in its public services can be
shattered. Our brothers and sisters in
the private sector also know of this phenomenon—we hold no unique place in the
annals of inept problem anticipation and/or recognition. This week, it was published that the issues
with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, whose batteries have a nasty habit of catching
fire, were documented in 2006. A
concerned employee wrote emails describing the problem—and was ignored and marginalized. Read
about it here: http://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2013/01/2006-battery-fire-destroyed-boeing-787-suppliers-facility/60809/
.
But why does
this happen? Why, if everyone sees it, or
if even one or two people see it, do we not fix obvious problems inside
agencies that we claim to love—working with people we care about, doing a job
we are passionate for?
I think the
answer lies somewhere in that caring, and in a lack of training for people to
be effective managers and leaders. But
even more than that, it lies in a very simple concept: Inertia. From high school physics class hopefully you
recall this Law—a body at rest tends to stay at rest—a body in motion tends to
stay in motion. You may also know that
law from your experiences trying to hit the gym. Don’t go for a couple of days—and watch your
exercise routine go very quickly the way of the eight-track tape; Beta VCRs; and
the Romney Presidential Campaign. What we
do, we tend to keep doing—unless something forces a change.
Think about most
public safety agencies and those that lead them. They are perfectly happy with things as they
are. How often have you heard a
variation of “one hundred years of tradition, unimpeded by progress” used to
describe the fire service? We have all said it. But what does it really mean?
It means that those inside most agencies, no
matter how much they may complain about day to day issues—are perfectly happy
with things just as they are. For those
in leadership roles; they are even happier. For enacting change, or even considering it,
is really hard work. And when you work
in public safety—where salaries and evaluations don’t depend on performance—there
is no institutional reason to go anywhere but the same place as yesterday. When you add in the fact that many agencies
bathe in pride and honor and glory (whether overtly or subvert, deserved or not)—
the ego decides that anything that challenges the perception that things are
fine is not just wrong, but a threat. Together,
any interest in doing things differently is inherently unwanted. Any voice from inside or outside that
highlights an issue is a personal attack; and only the people in positions of
power inside the organization—those with the most to gain from nothing—think
they have the answers to any problem, or the right to ask any question.
And that is
where inertia comes in. For an
organization, the only thing that can change the direction of a hundred or
thousand people moving in one direction, or not moving at all, is a very powerful
force. The only thing that can clear the
cobwebs of inaction, or the stain of ignorance, is a tragedy. It is not until something very bad happens
that the light comes to bear on whatever issue or challenge was, to that point,
mostly ignored.
Far too
often, a death of a civilian is not what causes change. Sadly—routinely— it is the death of a member
of the service. The most significant
shock that can happen to a department is what brings out the questions, calls
out for answers, and pushes the agency into motion.
The history
of this pattern is long and extensive in the fire service. How many firefighter fatalities did it take
before we decided that Rapid Intervention Teams were a good idea? How many vacant buildings have claimed
firefighters, before people started asking—why?
In the 911 center, how many senseless citizens were lost due to
preventable mistakes—before discussion began of certification and training and technology
to allow dispatchers—require dispatchers—to meet basic standards?
It doesn’t
have to be this way. History shows us so
many great leaders who listened to information from all sources; who welcomed
ideas and influence and support from all sides to chart a new way forward. But many of them too, had problems along the
way. For many of them, however, they
were already moving forward. And the
rule of inertia applies to them as well—and the power of those who fought Martin
Luther King, or the US during WWII, or against all the innovators in the arts;
science; sport—all of those who said “no you cant”; “that’s not your concern” “or
“Mind your business” or “We have always done it that way”—all they succeeded in
doing was pushing someone—or something—or some movement forward.
So ask
yourself, are you moving forward in your agency? In your life?
Are you letting the forces that try to stop you push you forward? Or are you letting that resistance hold you
back. Whether a fire department or a
person striving for a degree—the facts are the same and the price to be paid
for never moving, never growing, never learning is the same. We owe it to our organizations to do better—we
owe it those we serve not to accept that things must always be the way they are
or were. With the ever increasing diversity
of people in the public safety field and the trends in education and training—the
ideas to prevent the next tragedy will possibly come before things really get
bad.
Are you
ready to listen?