Letters to the Editor
DEPARTMENTS
The value of organization membership applies equally to volunteer chiefs
Well, I don’t know what the answer is for anybody else, but I know where this chief is! I’d like to express my concurrence with your July editorial, “Where Are You, Chief?” I’ve been heavily involved with researching the membership roles of the International Association of Fire Chiefs in this last year during my tenure as second vice president, and I can assure you that we have a long way to go to continue exercising leadership in the fire service.
The reason most often given for failure to join the IAFC is “It’s too expensive” or “I’m only a volunteer, and I’ll be a chief only for a year or two.”
As far as expense is concerned, IAFC membership dues actually cost less per day than the price of a cup of coffee, including a tip. If one views membership strictly from a financial point of view, it’s easy to become dissuaded from joining any organization. A fire chief at a recent executive fire forum said, “Some people know the cost of everything, but the value of nothing.” Membership in the IAFC does have a cost, but the value increases as the legislative and political influence of the fire chiefs increases.
The second issue is somewhat more subtle. Leadership isn’t a sometimes thing. Granted, sometimes individuals don’t get to remain in a leadership position for long, but the impact of the organization continues. I might point out that although the presidential terms of literally hundreds of thousands of Rotarians, Kiwanians, Lions, Elks, Moose, Optimists, and other organization members are temporary in nature, the commitment of these orga nizations is a perpetual one.
A volunteer fire chief has every bit as much reason as a paid chief to become a member of a chiefs association. The reason is that fire doesn’t know the difference between career and volunteer. Our roles in protecting communities are every bit as complex whether our status is paid or volunteer. And the need for information to manage an organization isn’t a function of taxable income. It’s directly related to the need to serve the community.
Again, please accept my expression of concurrence with your stated editorial philosophy. You’re to be commended for your position on the issue.
Ronny Coleman First Vice President International Association of Fire Chiefs
Sharing evaluation methods helps readers to answer “How Good Are You?”
A1 F. Mehltretter’s article “How Good Are You?” in the July issue reinforces the need for evaluative documentation. Thorough job analysis (breakdown) is vital to determining if learning expectations have been achieved. Precise, detailed, evaluative checklists, with operational steps spelled out, help to reduce appraisal subjectivity and foster consistency in application and interpretation.
Pike Township Fire Department in Indianapolis, lnd., is also using structured evaluative tools. For uniformity, the top of each checklist has a standard header that indicates the department, division, subject matter, intended personnel, and participant-identification information. Included in Pike’s checklists are behavioral objectives, references to National Fire Protection Association standards when applicable, instructions, and equipment/materials/ assistants needed. In the middle portion of the checklist, the task steps (job breakdowns) are presented as observable and measurable behaviors. Evaluator comments, scoring, and directions for routing are incorporated.
Evaluative checklists address psychomotor and cognitive domains, as designated by the behavioral objectives’ domains. Cognitive domain checklists consist of observable and measurable verbal and/or written behaviors, such as naming the parts of a self-contained breathing apparatus mask. Psychomotor domain checklists deal with observable and measurable phvsical performance behaviors, such as raising a 35-foot extension ladder. Under the general behavioral statements, specific steps of the task are defined.
Along with evaluation checklists, Pike uses a summary evaluation form. This form is for recording checklist scores and, most important, for documenting that appraisal results have been reviewed with the participant.
“Reinventing the wheel” can be costly and time-consuming. It would be advantageous if others would share evaluation procedures as Chief Mehltretter did in his article. Also, it can be reassuring to know that your evaluation procedures are similar to what others use and you’re “in the ballpark” regarding current fire service evaluation processes.
Janet J. Daskalos Fire Service Consultant Reserve Firefighter/EMT Pike Township Fire Department Indianapolis, lnd.
Safety officer seeks information on water-related rescues
I’m in the process of putting together a set of protocols for our department to follow in case we must respond to an aircraft accident in the landing channel for float-equipped aircraft at the Fairbanks (Alaska) International Airport.
I’d like to hear from other fire departments which also have crash fire rescue responsibility for seaplane traffic within the boundary of their airports. I’m particularly interested in hearing what other departments are doing in the area of training firefighters in fire suppression and rescue tactics involving aircraft that’s either totally or partially submerged in shallow water.
If you have information that might be helpful to me, please send it to Jon Chapman, Airport Safety Officer, P.O. Box 60369, Fairbanks, AK 99706.
Jon Chapman Airport Safety Officer Fairbanks International Airport Fairbanks, Alaska
Different opinions on dinosaurs
I’d like to take exception to your editorial “Why?” in the June issue. The people you refer to as dinosaurs come from an entirely different age. It was my pleasure to work with these people you deride when I came on the job 19 years ago. Almost all of them suffered the ravages of the Great Depression and served in World War II and the Korean War with a sense of duty and commitment that carried over to the fire service. They were all true team players who put commitment to the job first. These people realized that every action, however small, contributed to the success of any operation.
What we’re going through today is change for change’s sake. I feel you owe an apology to those people who quietly put in 30 to 40 years of service without a whimper, for the satisfaction of a job well done.
Robert F. Walton Captain
Lexington Fire Department Lexington, Mass.
Editor’s reply: I’m sorry you read my remarks to mean that dinosaurs represent all senior leaders in our fire service—nothing could be further from the truth. In my 40 years of combined volunteer and career fire experience, I’ve met many dinosaurs. Age, time in rank, and the like have nothing to do with it. It’s based solely on attitude. The inability of these “leaders” to grow with the needs, changes, and stimuli within the fire service can stagnate us and our relationship with the society we serve. And if you don’t think both of them are changing, you’re in for a rude awakening.—Tom Brennan
Your June editorial “Why?” reads as if we wrote it for our contract negotiations and our problems with other emergency services. I hope some of our dinosaurs at the Fire Department of New York City read it. Good job. Tom Von Essen
Financial and Recording Secretary Uniformed Firefighters Association of Grea ter New York New York, N.Y.
