Statter911 just reported on a new fire service report by the Cumberland Valley Firefighters Association on the topic of how "reckless conduct" by firefighters is endangering America's fire service. Its an interesting topic to say the least. We just read the report which says that
"reckless and inappropriate conduct by a small minority of the nation’s fire service is eroding the high moral ground occupied by firefighters". In the report, it outlines specific examples of inappropriate conduct, such as:
- Cheating on exams
- Firefighter Arson
- Alcohol and Substance Abuse
- Misuse of department facilities
- Misuse of Internet
- Harassment and discrimination
There are more examples covered than the ones we outlined above, but you get the idea. To read the report, click on this link below:
http://www.cvvfa.org/fullstory.php?103330
We found the report to be quite interesting, with a lot of valid points. Each of the examples listed described the type of inappropriate conduct, and then outlined "implications for leadership". Very educational and progressive for the fire service! We have had our fair share of inappropriate conduct in Fairfax County, that's for sure.
Two things that we think were missing from the report:
- Lack of Respect for Each Other
- Misuse of Power
In Fairfax County, we have seen (on numerous occasions), high ranking officers abuse the power given to them by the Fire Chief and the BOS. We have also seen a lot controversy, back-stabbing, etc among the rank and file as well. The bitter politics within Local 2068 during the last few years is a shining example of how horribly we treat one another.
Its ironic, because I was discussing this very issue with one of the Big Eye admins recently, who felt that the public would be mortified if they knew how vindictive we can be to each other. The Big Eye admin talked about how great of a "show" we put on for the public, portraying our profession as one with a strong bond of brotherhood, but yet, the brotherhood we claim to maintain goes right out the window the next day. Politics, and personal vendetta's are the norm on a day-to-day basis......and not just in our department.
Some of our readers may be reading this, and suggest that this very website is part of the problem. We firmly believe that this site wouldn't have been created, if all members of our department treated each other with respect, and the misuse of power and bitter politics were a rare occurrence. Unfortunately, this is not the case. All one has to do is skim through the archives of this website to see that the misuse of power has become the norm, and websites such as The Big Eye have been created out of frustration. Trust me, there are websites just like the Big Eye all over the country.
In our opinion, fire service leaders need to look in the mirror, and ask if they are part of the inappropriate conduct that this report is designed to address. When a firefighter is denied the opportunity to participate on a committe, solely because they are not one of the good-ole-boys, what effect does that have on department morale? What would the public think of Andy Duke's decision to take an engine out of service, so he could chastise the officer for having a different opinion than his?
We could go on and on with specific examples......we think that this report should include the issues we have raised here, even if it is an uncomfortable topic. This report could be transformed into an incredible training opportunity to improve our interpersonal relations.
