sparkSAFETY

As the old Chinese proverb so aptly states, the greatest journey begins with a single step… and so it begins. I have started this blog primarily (but not exclusively) in the interest of firefighter safety. Safety is very cool to talk about in upper fire circles these days. I hear a lot of big talk and read about some big grant awards thrown at it, but I really don’t see a lot of headway being made. Are LODD’s declining? What’s it going to take? The NFFF goal ultimately calls for a fifty percent decline in firefighter LODD’s. I pray that we do not see an increase in LODD’s! The odds are against us: we are building disposable cars and homes, our workload is increasing and revenues decreasing, a great deal of experience is retiring out… the problem is increasingly complex.

This is your chance to speak up. Alan Jackson spoke about the “little man” in his song … you don’t have to be a 5 bugled, full of yourself fire chief, a 30 year “been there, done that” veteran or even a blow-hearted fire professor to realize something can cause you harm or even kill you on the job, and that maybe, just maybe, YOU could possibly be the catalyst for positive change to prevent such an occurrence. I have seen this happen many times in my various capacities. Charles Darwin said it is not the strongest of the species that survives, but the ones most responsive to change. From my point of view, most fire chiefs only change when forced to do so. I must admit that I often fall into this category as well. I have also learned that personal growth is not possible within your comfort zone.

I will attempt to pattern this blog after a format that has proven very successful in my distance education online classes (thanks to the participation and input of exceptional students). I will post in a specific subject category and see what happens. My challenge to you: don’t bring the problem unless you can bring the solution. Feel free to agree or disagree, but please keep it clean and professional.

Dave

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 3rd, 2008 at 12:41 pm and is in the General category. Please share your thoughts and experiences by posting a comment below.