I am listening to Ray

BILL CAREY, WRITING IN BACKSTEP FIREFIGHTER’S BLOG, WONDERS “Is anyone listening to Ray?” AND SPECULATES ON WHAT THE ANSWER MEANS. This started with the April FDIC big room presentation by Lieutenant Ray McCormack. His animated advocacy for a “Culture of Extinguishment” was a Fire Engineering video sensation, until FDNY lawyers required Bobby Halton to remove the video, read a letter from the Fire Commissioner and apologize for the furor.

I was late responding to the excitement, posting “How Aggressive Suppression?” almost a month after the presentation. This started a great conversation with Fire Engineering editor Bobby Halton.

MAKING EDITORIAL CHANGES

Textbooks, especially those related to an NFPA standard and published as an IAFC product, need to be moderate in tone and content. The post-FDIC conversations about the balance between safety and suppression were compelling. I wrote about changing the chapter HERE. This is how the topic finally appeared:

COTIP_Aggressive_web

Ray writes Tactical Safety articles at thehousewatch.com. These are must-read articles for fire fighters and fire officers. Today’s article covers “Tactical Safety-Attack Supervision: One Box That Should Always Be Filled”…

RISK MANAGEMENT RECONSIDERED

It was a treat hanging out with Bobby Halton at the Professional Development Seminar conducted by the Fairfax County Professional Fire and Rescue Officers Association. Halton is moving the discussion further. He points out that we started with math, calculating event probabilities. The “Everybody Goes Home” is a sociological approach to changing behaviors. He is working in the next approach.

The federal NIOSH “2-in-2 out” rule is a decade old. Halton says that the rule is flawed … you will see more information in an editorial in his magazine later this year. He previewed a new presentation in Fairfax that is designed to continue our discussion of what is appropriate fireground risk management.

Hint: the first two engine companies should concentrate on locating and suppressing the fire.

Mike “FossilMedic” Ward

Also on FireGeezer…

How Aggressive Suppression? – May 10, 2009
THEY are Listening to Ray – October 20, 2009
What Direction for EMS Education? – November 9, 2009
The Next Paramedic Shortage – October 16, 2009

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FIREhat

Alright, I'm intrigued. Bobby, keep up the good work, I'm looking forward to this next conversation. (Pat Mahoney)

FossilMedic

Bobby:

Thanks so much for the response. I better appreciate the tyranny of 950 words or 45 minutes after listening to your longer presentation in Fairfax.

Your ability to put the issue in context, explaining how we got to this rule and looking at the impact of following the practice based on what we have learned was a valuable and thought-provoking experience.

Mike

Bobby Halton

Mike,
Thanks for taking the time to post such kind words, and I also would like to thank Art and the others for their thoughtful comments.

It is always difficult to attempt to measure and determine the amount of tension an organization can tolerate in terms of managing risk. Our profession by it very nature must do this daily. The tension between safety and doing our work will always exist, how we manage it, as Art said much more eloquently, is local.

If my comments stirred passions, good, that is my job, if they confused people as to my passion for safety then I failed. I have only one goal in the short time I plan to continue in my career and that is to increase our ability to process the fireground accurately and thereby increase our survivability. I have choosen to call this effort increasing our fireground mental agility.

We can not control how folks may interpret our words, many things color interpretations, education, history, social status, personal experience, health, level of attention, our lack of verbal clarity, composure and the list goes on and on.

But all that not withstanding I am honored to have had the opportunity to share a thought or two with such persons of unassailable character who both have agreed and disagreed with me, but at the end of the day still respect and love me and I still respect and love them. It is that which makes firefighters unlike any others, and that which makes us all feel so unworthy yet so proud to belong.

I can not imagine how horrible it would be to live somewhere where you were not permitted to disagree. Nor would I want to be part of any profession who did not handle disagreements with dignity and consideration of the other person’s good intentions and good character. I thank you all again for your friendship and kindness and I hope to see you all again. May God hold you all safe till then.

I remain your loyal servant and brother

Bobby Halton

Dal90

Veeeeeerrrry interesting.

laurence delorme

hello,

i think that the aricles written by Ray Mac Cormack are very interesting and the fact that he shares his experience and knowledges with everyone,simply means that Ray is a Man,with a great wisdom.

i like translating his articles in french,always a great moment for me:no,i'm not a "badge bunny" as you say it in the Fire Service:simply a frenchie who wants to learn more about US fire service tactics.

if Ray reads this article and comments:keep us the good work,Ray.

Art Goodrich

Amen.
I remember the buzz at Indy after Chief Halton's opening address and Lt. McCormack's address and it was about evenly split. Some felt Halton's comments were over the top, while others, myself included thought that Lt. McCormack sent the wrong message with regards to firefighter safety.
Maybe it was an over-reaction to an over-simplified look at what we do, but it DID open alot of eyes and triggered many discussions.
It is very apparent that you cannot use a cookie cutter when discussing tactics for fire departments. You have to be smart enough to know what to applies to your operation and what should be left to the larger, urban departments.
The problem as I saw it was that some would not be able to separate themselves from what FDNY does and what the rest of us do.
I have read Lt. McCormack's articles and have found them to be very thoughtful and educational.
I don't agree with everything, but I don't disagree either.
In hindsight, I have a better understanding of the comments made at FDIC.
We all have our opinions.
That's a fact.