I have been a subscriber to Fire Engineering for more than 60 years and have saved every copy (except for some issues I missed when my mother forgot to renew my subscription during my Army service during the Korean War). I have contributed some articles, which were published in past issues—the first in May 1948. I consider Fire Engineering to be the best of the fire service publications. Keep up the good work of this great magazine.
Fletcher E. Cooper
Litchfield, Connecticut
All sides have responsibilities in tough economic times
I am writing in response to George Potter’s “Job Losses” letter (Letters to the Editor, September 2009). He writes that public service employees in Spain are virtually guaranteed lifelong employment until they retire. He further implies that public service employees (United States) are some of the first to be cut when municipalities suffer from hard economic times. I agree.
What he didn’t point out was that in the United States, most career firefighters and police officers are members of a labor organization. Labor organizations do what they’re designed to do, look after the best interests of their members. When municipalities or counties need to reduce costs, they automatically look at the union employees first. They do this because they are usually the highest paid employees.
When cuts must be made, I don’t feel they should be from public safety unless there is wasteful or redundant staffing. If this is the case, the organization needs to get better at planning. Fire department and administration staff must be proactive in planning and providing for adequate staffing as growth occurs. This must be an honest approach so that staffing numbers match the need. However, when times are tough economically, labor needs to understand that this is not the time to campaign for salary increases. When this happens, it is viewed as labor’s not being part of the overall picture, and it becomes an easy target for cuts.
As fire service leaders, we need to be true to our profession and budget for what we really need, educate our government officials and administration, and actively partner with labor to achieve the end results of professional and efficient service.
Tom Taylor
Chief
Moses Lake (WA) Fire Department
The “How’s” are local
I enjoyed “The ‘How’s’ Are Local” (Editor’s Opinion, November 2009) and am adding my comments. I, too, believe in the idea of preassigned tactical objectives based on first-due apparatus, building construction, etc., but I also like the idea that the first-arriving officer’s size-up and announcement of his tactical objective hold the flexibility to modify the second- and third-due company’s actions. For example, if the first-arriving officer declares on arrival that he is in an investigation mode, it tells the second-due engine to stage at the hydrant and all other companies to assume level 1 staging and wait for a report.
If the first-arriving officer were to say “offensive mode, mobile command,” it tells the next-due officer that the first-arriving officer believes his participation can make a difference in the outcome and on arrival ensures a water supply and, after a verbal turnover, assumes command. In a one-size-does-not-fit-all type of response district, having the flexibility to quickly and efficiently adjust based on a solid size-up and declared mode of operation can be very helpful. We all know that the first-arriving unit makes it or breaks it.
Michael A. Walker
Chief
Yarmouth (MA) Fire Department
Editor’s note: Relative to “Hydraulic Rescue Tools: Operation and Maintenance,” by Billy Leach Jr., in the September 2009 issue, we would like to thank Hurst Jaws of Life for allowing the use of some of the materials in Figure 2. Hydraulic System Troubleshooting Guide, on page 118.
