We ran another "CSI, New York: Crash Scene Investigation" class tonight at Verdoy Fire Department in Latham, NY (aka the "Taj Mahal" of Upstate NY) {thanks to Chief Dave Leonardo for giving up other plans to stay onsite and assist FASNY after the onsite Verdoy coordinator had a conflict} --

The class is a focused look at emergency services operators injured or killed while responding to a call or while on scene. During a discussion about scene staging, one of our attendees wanted to know how to open a dialogue with local and/or state police regarding preserving Fire Department work areas without alienating them or getting involved in a contretemps. The VFIS suggested course of action is to establish that dialogue with law enforcement in a meeting setting long before that looming dustup occurs.

So how does one go about that, exactly? No further instructions were given by VFIS, and I wonder how receptive the police would be to a fire department requesting that kind of meeting, particularly if the current relationship between law enforcement and fire personnel is already tense.

While employed in a different capacity before joining FASNY, I was appointed to a task force to coordinate city-wide long-range planning regarding special events. The task force consisted of representatives from the police department, fire department, OGS, the Thruway Authority, parking venues, Chambers of Commerce and the Mayor's office among others. As a group, we established far more effective lines of communication and safer operations within the city for crowd control, traffic flow and public safety than could ever have been done working independently.

My thought is that if the fire departments want to create a cohesive response team which incorporates the police AND fire, start with your local government representative, whether that is Town Council, the Mayor's office, or some other official, tell him or her that your department wants to engage in a positive and professional working relationship with law enforcement responders, and request a meeting. Attend that meeting with an open mind and a genuine desire to serve the community and there's no telling how far you can go.