If These Walls Could Talk

How would your department measure up to the Charleston investigation?

By Timothy E. Sendelbach

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the July 2008 issue of FireRescue magazine.

For the last 10 months, I’ve had the distinct privilege of serving as a member of the Post-Incident Assessment and Review Team for the City of Charleston. As a member of this team, I witnessed firsthand the many attributes of the Charleston Fire Department (CFD), as well as the proud traditions upheld by its members since 1882.

On May 15, our team delivered the Phase 2 report, which detailed the events of the Sofa Super Store Fire

of June 18, 2007. Marked as the most tragic loss of firefighters since 9/11, this incident has created an

overwhelming degree of professional criticism, public outcry and emotional scarring for the city, the CFD and the families of those who died.

Since the release of this report, hundreds, if not thousands, of fire service professionals, along with politicians and members of the local and national media, have downloaded the Phase 2 report. For most, the report depicts a gut-wrenching reality of a tragic night. Yet the untold lessons go far beyond a report or post-incident review.

The facts of this report reveal long-standing traditions, beliefs and operational habits that have been openly, though sometimes hesitantly, passed down from generation to generation. To discover what went wrong, we listened to individuals who expressed their fears and frustrations during countless interviews and site visits. Although political posturing continues to occur, the demands for attitudinal change are beginning to overshadow traditional beliefs.

Unlike any organization in recent memory, the CFD has undergone a microscopic review of its past practices, organizational beliefs, promotional proceedings, financial expenditures, professional development offerings and demonstrated leadership. Not surprisingly, this process has strained long-term relationships, and the character traits that have seemingly been the CFD’s strength have in some cases broken under the pressure for immediate change.

As those directly involved continue to heal from this event, I challenge all fire service members to ask themselves, if the walls of your fire station could talk, what would they say about your abilities to handle a

similar event? Would the truth surface about your own inadequacies, shortcomings and cultural issues related to safety and operational effectiveness? Your past incidents of compromised crew integrity, questionable tactics and near-miss incidents? Your less-than-aggressive efforts in the field of code enforcement and public education? And would your members be empowered to bring attention to some of your more traditional practices? Would your administrators be willing to work with surrounding departments, union officials and area

stakeholders to ensure no stone is left unturned?

Unlike the members of the CFD, every firefighter, company officer and chief officer throughout the country has an opportunity to proactively come clean, step forward and take the necessary actions to promote and implement organizational change within their department. Although no fireground will ever be run perfectly, and no tactical decision will ever be perfect, it’s our duty to pursue each and every opportunity to learn from the sacrifices of others.

The members of the CFD will continue to memorialize their brothers lost on June 18. Yet many throughout our profession have already forgotten, or will soon forget. What I came to realize through conversations with CFD firefighters and officers is that the legacy of the nine members lost doesn’t lie in criticism of the CFD, but rather the powerful lessons that can be extracted from their deaths.

A true memorial to these nine men is a fire service that actively employs ongoing risk-management practices;

a fire service that no longer allows its members to operate in an IDLH environment with their low pressure alarms activated; a fire service that no longer tolerates comprised crew integrity, symbolic accountability or fireground freelancing among any of its members, regardless of rank; a fire service that openly supports and empowers all members to stop unsafe practices on the fireground, in training and any other time in which our members or our customers are at risk; a fire service that truly values and dedicates the necessary resources to pass and enforce building codes supportive of firefighter and civilian safety.

The walls of fire stations throughout the country know the truths of our past actions—truths that aren’t always shared in our public conversations. Although many have been openly critical of the CFD, the reality is that many departments throughout this country continue to escape a similar fate. Their dangerous practices are well known, and their overly aggressive mentality is worn as a badge of courage and superiority. Unless those in the know show true courage and express their concerns, it’s simply a matter of time before we repeat the lessons of our recent past.