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It time for every department to do an operations self examination
OK, the final reports are out about what tragically happened in Charleston. When you read the reports and the news stories you will see that what happened could have happened many times before and everyone was just doing what they had always successfully done in the past.
Please read the City of Charleston Post Incident Assessment
and Review Team report because it does represent a consensus view of the professional team of our fire service peers as lead by J. Gordon Routley, Project Leader. It is honest and fully open to presenting the facts of what happened and why it happened. We all can learn from it.
The fire service can NOT let these 9 deaths be in vain. Now is the time for every fire fighter and every officer in every department to read the reports carefully and to use them to do an honest evaluation of how their own department operates.
How many can honestly say that they have never done or seen the same actions take place in their own department?
What is your department doing to assure that each of those conditions is not repeated in your department?
This forum can be a great way to share what specific actions your department has taken to improve safety based upon these reports.
Never again should any fire officer have to have a news story like the following written about his or her retirement after many years of service.
http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/may/15/chiefs_departure_inevita...
Please read the City of Charleston Post Incident Assessment
and Review Team report because it does represent a consensus view of the professional team of our fire service peers as lead by J. Gordon Routley, Project Leader. It is honest and fully open to presenting the facts of what happened and why it happened. We all can learn from it.
The fire service can NOT let these 9 deaths be in vain. Now is the time for every fire fighter and every officer in every department to read the reports carefully and to use them to do an honest evaluation of how their own department operates.
How many can honestly say that they have never done or seen the same actions take place in their own department?
What is your department doing to assure that each of those conditions is not repeated in your department?
This forum can be a great way to share what specific actions your department has taken to improve safety based upon these reports.
Never again should any fire officer have to have a news story like the following written about his or her retirement after many years of service.
http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/may/15/chiefs_departure_inevita...
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Lawrence W on
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Amen to that!
The sacrifices of the Charleston 9 can not be in vain. We all can learn something from the Charleston Report. Whether you are paid or unpaid, municipal or industrial, we can all learn something that will make each of us better protected in our jobs. The Charleston Report is an important read for each and every one of us. Our tactics, our equipment, even our procedures for doing inspections and pre-fire planning can be re-evaluated to improve the quality of our work and our safety in the event of an emergency.
While Chief Thomas seems to have taken the brunt of many reports, there isn't an officer or firefighter that is immune to a similar legacy. The Charleston Fire Department as a whole will remain under constant scrutiny for a very long time.
I can't stress enough the importance of reading the Charleston Report. Please, take the time to read the report and evaluate any and all of the recommendations that may be applicable to your local jurisdiction. This tragedy need not be repeated.
Thank You,
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