Fire prevention or Fight fires?

[AVF&R452]

All,

This issue hits close to home right now. Our company was first due to a triple fatal mobile home fire a few weeks back. Same sad story, Low income, Old mobile home, no smoke detector found. Mother and two young daughters, ages 8 and 3 lose their lives.

I don't think that we have any choice but to try to educate the public to the dangers of fire. I think our best hope is with the kids. Adults seem to have to much going on to concern themselves with fire prevention. Besides, It will NEVER happen to me.

I agree with Capt. Gonzo that each time the big red (lime-yellow) truck hits the street, It is public relations. But do we make the best of it?? Does each encounter with the public have a POSITIVE result in their safety. Is a trip to the school once a year enough. Each year we tell the public to "Stop,Drop,And Roll", To "Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery" and to conduct "Exit Drills In the Home". All Great Programs, But is it enough?? I don't think so. A simple phone call would have put a working smoke detector in that mobile home-Installed by a firefighter free of charge.

Stay Safe

Jim

[Yanjam5123]

I did say I would reveal the department and the chief and so I will keep my promise now.

The department is Hughsonville in the lower hudson valley in NY. The chiefs name is Glenn Kramer.

I urge anyone who believes this chief acted irresponsibly and is a potential danger to the citizens he is to protect (as it seems he is more interested in getting fires then stopping them) to contact his dept at
HFD45.org at the web site or contact the chief directly at [email protected]

You can also contact the senators office for his county at:
[email protected]

It is a sad day for the fire department when one of its leaders has lost their interest in protecting the citizens and purposefully allows a prevention program to deteriorate to the point that fires become more numerous on purpose. Attitudes such as this must be stopped before someone is hurt or worse yet, someone loses a life. You never know, that life could be a loved ones.

[LtStevieB82]

To this chief who made those remarks I say why should having a strong fire prevention program come at the expense of fire suppression?

I think I understand his point, but the role of fire prevention programs can not be underestimated. I dare say visits to fire stations and by firefighters to schools/groups instill something in people -children in particular - that cannot be truly quantified. People look up to firefighters, and it is our responsibility to maintain that respect of the community and the awe of children.

I know for a fact that after I do programs, these children go home and quiz their parents about smoke detectors and escape routes. Jaded parents re-learn all of those things they heard as children because of their children and by talking to us. And the financial cost is merely a drop in the bucket when compared to the overall budget.

Yes, I want (and belong to) a first-rate organization of fire suppression people. I believe that to a man - and woman - their desire to join the service was fueled by contact with firefighters. I know that's how it was for me. Yes, doing quality work on the fireground speaks for itself, but most people do not see us do our jobs. Fire prevention programs expand our contact with the community, and any opportunity we have to save lives is one we should take advantage of.

[jmk271]

I believe that I read an earlier post that stated they wanted more fires and less fire prevention, that was what they were in it for. SHAME ON YOU. Yes, suppression is what this business is about, but so is prevention, and other things. If fighting fires is ALL that you want to do, I think that you're missing the whole big picture about what the fire service is all about. Just my $0.02 worth.

------------------
JMK271
***Stay safe out there***
***These opinion(s) are my own, and not that of the department in which I serve***

[George Wendt, CFI]

Three points. You guys that do not agree on the value of a fire prevention program do not get it.

1. If you want to reduce the number of LODD dramatically, do two things. Implement a physical fitness program and get the overweight, out of shape, couch potato, as well as the 70+ year old guy out of fire suppression. Train apparatus drivers that the lights and sirens do not make you a better driver. Heart attacks and MVA's make up a significant portion of the LODD. Whoever said that the majority of LODD are not directly related to fire suppression is 100% correct.

2. Fire suppression has more to do with socio-economics than fire prevention does. Try to get a budget increase from the town fathers for more equipment or manpower. Try to get your citizens to give more money when you go door-ro-door or have hold a fund-raiser. The plea usually falls on deaf ears.

Look at the police. They do Community Policiing. They are out in public, meeting the people, doing things like Crime Prevention. What do they have toshow for it? Gobs more money than the FD will ever have. Most towns provide more money for garbage collection than they do for fire protection.

3. If you want to see in black and white the effect that an aggressive fire prevention program can have, go into your department's records and figure this question out...Where do we have our highest frequency of working fires, deaths and injuries? Right. Single-family dwellings. Where is the one place that most jurisdictions are not permitted to inspect? Right. Single-family dwellings.

Enough said.