Teamwork is invaluable

Teamwork is invaluable

The “good old days” were when firefighters were men of iron, and smoke eating and risk taking were more essential to the cause than thinking about the long-term consequences. But the truth is, we didn`t endure much more pain than today`s firefighters.

Today with all of the safety precautions we observe, protective equipment we wear, and effective fire prevention efforts we employ, we have reduced the number of fires in our cities. That is nice, but it appears that we have about the same number of fireground injuries today as we did in those days. This seems analogous to military officers who were using old tactics (from the Revolutionary War when linear formations faced the enemy) with modern technology (repeaters and Gatling guns).

Old smoke eaters should remember how important it was to open up or ventilate a confined space or building before entry. We also stayed low and relied on our exposed tolerances–our ears, face, and hands–to determine our limitations before pulling out.

Today, it seems as though we rush into a situation standing up, with our invincible PPEs on, with no regard for proper ventilation–and steam-cook the entire house. This tactic/method adds destruction to the un-burned portion of the building and endangers any victims and firefighters who may be inside. So what`s the deal? I assume that all of us understand the benefits of proper ventilation, but too often I do not see it happening. I believe this problem arises from our lack of teamwork with other companies arriving on the scene.

Teamwork is essential to competent fireground tactics. It induces safety, morale, and proficiency in any organization. Can you imagine a football team that never practices together or doesn`t have any established plays (preplans)? Think about that team`s win-loss record; then think about our record.

I hear that training academies are not offering enough training in basic fire suppression, but are teamwork and preplan training limited to the academies? I remember when different companies would practice scenarios together in vacant parking lots with the district chief present to approve any tactical changes or disputes. In other words, we learned together, and we worked together as a team. I wonder if this happens in other cities too?

Steve Dunham

Captain

Tulsa (OK) Fire Department

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