The editorial reinforces the need for a common-sense approach to the issue of safety in the emergency services.
Although the incident described is an extreme case (and one that no fire service officer could condone or recommend), the point is abundantly clear–we are overregulating ourselves.
Granted, we want to do the best job possible in all emergency situations. Our primary goal, of course, is to protect the people we supervise, followed very closely by the citizenry we protect.
It is all too true that there used to be very little regulation related to safety. However, we have pushed ourselves over the edge to the point that common sense is not encouraged or even allowed. I think this is a common reaction of the emergency services community to procedures that come to the forefront. It is really a pendulum type of effect–we go from one extreme to the other.
Historically, we take little or no interest in an item until it is thrust into the limelight (for whatever reason). Then we react with alarm, and regulations are put into effect that severely limit the ability of the incident commander to make appropriate decisions.
We need to put the pendulum in the center–have some regulation but allow for common sense. After all, emergencies aren`t machines, and safety can`t be made totally objective in our business.
C. Kingsley Poole
Battalion Chief
