BURTON A. CLARK
Courtesy of Firehouse.com

In 1976, my lieutenant said, "Firefighters have to get killed; it's part of the job."* His statement frightened me. (see article below) Does the fire service and society believe this statement? Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

The major national fire service organizations: NFPA, IAFC, NVFC, NFFF, IAFF, USFA, plus OSHA, NIOSH, and NIST have produced thousands of firefighter safety standards, laws, training material, reports, and investigations over the past 31 years. National fire publications, conferences, and campaigns have focused on reducing firefighter injuries and deaths. The federal government mandates ICS training, SCBA testing and training, and NIMS compliance. As a result of 9/11 more federal grant money for apparatus, PPE, equipment, and training has been spent than ever before. State and local fire service organizations conduct countless hours of training and spend millions of dollars on firefighter safety every year.

In 1976, there were 107 line of duty deaths. In 2007, we had 115 line of duty deaths and about 80,000 injuries. The number of deaths and injuries has not changed much over the past 30 years. The reasons for the deaths and injuries have not changed. Because, in spite of all the safety talk and safety programs our safety belief, attitude, and behavior has not changed.

The NIOSH line of duty death studies report that we do not follow our own safety SOP's, national standards, and training doctrine. We do not use our safety equipment. We do not hold firefighters, officers, or chiefs responsible and accountable when it comes to safety. More fire service personnel are disciplined for being late for work then safety violations. In other words, we tolerate and accept safety misconduct, which can and does result in firefighter death or injury.

In 2004, Martha Stewart was convicted of lying to investigators about a $228,000 stock sale. She served five months in prison and paid a $30,000 fine. The government was sending a message that corporate misconduct would not be tolerated.

In 2007, the City of Los Angeles awarded a firefighter $2.7 million to settle a lawsuit because his brother firefighters put dog food in his spaghetti. Racial misconduct will not be tolerated in the fire service. Societies know how to hold individuals and organizations responsible for behavior that will not be tolerated.

In Charleston, SC, the mayor reports the fire was, "beyond the firefighting capability of any fire department." The fire chief concluded that nothing could have been done differently. South Carolina State regulators found several work place safety violations at the fire that killed nine firefighters. The city paid $3,000 in penalties while not admitting any wrong doing. (Adam Hochberg, "Scrutiny Feeds Firehouse Tensions After Fatal Blaze," National Public Radio, Jan 16, 2008.

In 2007, 12 firefighters were killed in the line of duty without their seat belt on; 300 in the past 30 years. There has been no discipline or penalties or accountability for their deaths.

Our belief, attitude, and behavior reinforce the lieutenant's statement. At the time he did not clarify if he meant firefighter deaths due to: heart attack, vehicle crash, getting hit by a vehicle, building collapse, falling through a floor or roof, flashover or backddraft, lost, trapped, running out of air, falling from a ladder, roof, or apparatus, or trying to rescue a victim. You will have to decide which line of duty deaths are part of the job.

There is little or no accountability, responsibility, or discipline for firefighter death or injury from the fire service, elected officials, or government agencies. There are no consequences for safety misconduct. Because, we have convinced others and ourselves that firefighter death and injury is just part of the job.

Time to Take the Test:
Firefighters have to get killed; it's part of the job. Circle one answer

I disagreed in 1976 and I still disagree today. When a firefighter is killed or injured, something went wrong. It is not part of the job. We can and must behave differently. We do not need to learn anything new, get new equipment, or have new SOP's and standards. We must do every task 100 percent correct 100 percent of the time. When we do not meet this goal there must be accountability and responsibility followed by discipline. We know how to fix misconduct at the organizational and individual level.

When a NIOSH firefighter line of duty death report reads:

• All SOP's and training doctrine were followed by all personnel.
• The structure met all fire codes.
• Nothing could have been done differently.
• Nothing can be learned from this firefighter's death.
• This line of duty death was part of the job.

The lieutenant, chief, and mayor will be correct.

Until then, be afraid - be very afraid. Because, someone near you or in your chain of command believes that "Firefighters have to get killed; it's part of the job."

I know what some readers are thinking, "Clark is full of bull; he is just an old guy who can't take it anymore." You are right. When enough of us can't take death and injury as just part of the job - death and injury on the job will stop. I hope it doesn't take 30 more years.

* "I don't want my ears burned" was the first article I published; it appeared as a Guest Editorial in the NFPA Fire Command magazine July 1976.

Author's Note: I am grateful to the January 2008 NFA Fire Service Communications class for editing this article, instructors Paul Burkhart and Mike Chiaramonte. I am grateful to the February 2008 NFA Organizational Theory in Practice class for their philosophical critique of this article, instructors Mac Greenland and Al Thompson.

DR. BURTON CLARK EFO, CFO, a Firehouse.com Contributing Editor, was a firefighter in Washington, D.C. and Assistant Fire Chief in Laurel, MD. He is the Management Science Program Chair at the National Fire Academy and serves as an operations chief during national disasters and emergencies for the DHS/FEMA. Burton is the host of Leadership on the Line on Radio@Firehouse and has presented Firefighter Safety: Calling the Mayday on Firehouse TrainingLIVE. To read Burton's complete biography and view their archived articles, click here.