Politically Appropriate Behavior

FossilMedic tells us:

Last week I participated in two firefighter-focused political activities. One made me proud and the other left me uncomfortable.

SHOWING SUPPORT AT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL

Wednesday evening I joined fellow members of IAFF Local 2068 outside the county government center. It was the third night of public hearings for the proposed FY 2009 budget and we were assembled to show our support when President John Niemiec made the union’s presentation. Before entering the boardroom we were reminded that any responses or verbal reactions would have a negative impact on our mission.

If you want to know how a labor organization can continue to be successful in a right-to-work state, fast forward this presentation to the 25 minute mark, where Niemiec’s presentation begins: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/cable/channel16/asx/budget_hearing_wednesday.asx Note that he is the guy in the business suit and tie. His message to the board was comprehensive and nuanced.

A large group of firefighters, retirees and families filled up three rows of seats in the boardroom, providing silent witness and support. I was impressed at the presentation and proud to be a member of the local.

TRYING TO LISTEN ABOVE THE CHATTER AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL

Thursday night I was the one in a suit and tie, attending the 20th annual Congressional Fire Service Institute dinner. As I was entering the ballroom I remember the difficulty Hal Bruno had to get the attendees to quiet down at the earlier dinners. He eventually became blunt and direct, like an old school fireground commander shouting into the microphone for everyone to shut-up and sit down.

Bruno stepped down as the master of ceremonies last year. Dennis Compton, a retired Mesa and Phoenix chief officer, found that the customer-service enlightened approach was not as effective as Bruno’s blunt directness. I could not help but notice that the 2500 in attendance was much quieter when Bruno was getting the Manson Lankford Fire Service Leadership Award.

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Photo courtesy Stephen Tabak, IAFF local 1619
via STATter911

Susan Nicol Kyle provides a great summary of the evening on firehouse.com: http://cms.firehouse.com/web/online/News/CFSI-Honors-Bruno-for-Efforts/46$59002

If the CFSI dinner was just for firefighters, the crowd chatter issue would be trivial. CFSI dinner guests are members of the congress, senate and federal government that we are trying to influence. This year, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was the keynote speaker. Another half dozen senior members from both parties made brief speeches.

Senator Joe Biden (Del) said that firefighters make it difficult to be treated like heroes. We also make it difficult to show respect to the very people we are honoring, and schmoozing. It was painful to notice that the tribute to the fallen firefighter families was almost impossible to hear when sitting in the middle of the ballroom.

I point this out because in the decade I spent working on the IAFC international conference, the crowd noise at the presidential dinner has not been as much of an issue. The conditions are similar: a long day of activities followed by a reception and an orchestrated dinner. CFSI does a great job keeping the program going with little down time. They are in a great venue.

Maybe the problem is inadequate audiovisuals. Install strobe lights and electronic air horns on the fire truck podium. Instead of trying to speak over the crowd noise, blast the air horns and run the strobes until you have their attention. Have additional loudspeakers installed throughout the ballroom to provide enough wattage to overcome the chatter.

FEELING LIKE A FOSSIL

Sean Flynn wrote “The Perfect Fire” in the July 2000 edition of Esquire magazine about the Worcester Cold Storage tragedy. http://www.esquire.com/features/perfect-fire-0700 You can still read the article but the impressive computer simulation of the fire is no longer online.

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The article won the National Magazine Award for Reporting and was the basis for the 2002 book 3000 Degrees: The True Story of A Deadly Fire and the Men Who Fought It. James O. Page wrote an editorial lamenting the accurate quoting of Worcester firefighters that included the x-rated language heard in most fire stations. He felt that it diminished the story of their sacrifice.

I could not see his point, and I am sure some will not see my point about overwhelming crowd chatter diminishing the importance of the CFSI invited guests. But I think that the guests notice the noise.