There is an ongoing debate in the Fire Service, a debate which seems to have two camps. One camp is the safety camp; they feel that we are on a dangerous path, that we are suffering too many fatalities each year and that it will take a complete cultural overhaul for us to find safety in our profession. The other camp is the aggressive camp; they feel that the safety camp is going too far, that firefighting is inherently dangerous, and that a Line of Duty Death is a cost of doing business. This cost can be reduced but never eliminated.

The reality is that both camps have valid points, and like the Politics of late, moderation is key. Somewhere between the extremes lies the path we must follow.

Follow the link below to read the article and comment:

http://backstepfirefighter.com/2010/12/06/safety-in-the-abstract/