09/09/2006: "Guest Editorial"

Improve Safety? Less Money? Why bother?
I am not a town resident but I attended the Town Council meeting Thursday night excited at the thought that the two fire departments might really be moving closer to becoming one entity (story posted below -Ed). Despite the fact that the mayor's own commission recommended a move to one administration that could save 30% of the Town Fire Department's budget, and despite the fact that Fire Fighter safety would be enhanced, the council tabled the item without action. It wasn't tabled pending further investigation, it was just dropped.

Training and safety of firefighters was mentioned, but those concerns seemed to be a very low priority to the council. Both my son and I are volunteer firefighters on the island. That's how we think of ourselves. Not as District 3 fire fighters first, although we are part of that department. We're just fire fighters. When you are working on a fire in the dark in bunker gear and a mask the department you belong to becomes insignificant. However, training differences and variations in equipment can be very significant and could result in tragedy. Occasional combined training is not the same as regular, continuous drills. When the pager goes off, you don't know who will respond. That is why it is so important that we all be comfortable with each other and with the different equipment both departments use under the worst possible conditions. I don't want some variation in training or a different fitting on an air bottle to ever be the reason one of us is hurt or worse.

I've worked in management most of my career. As a manager, the council's reaction to their own commission report was a surprise as well. If I had someone come to me and say they could save 30% of a department's budget AND improve the safety of personnel working in a very dangerous profession I'd be all over it. Instead I heard comments about how insignificant the savings were. One council member actually said we could easily think of ways to spend that much right now. I couldn't help but wonder if they could think of more ways to save that much while they were at it.

Another justification for not going forward that I heard several times was about control. The council didn't want to lose "control" of their Fire Department. This attitude prevailed even after Fire Commissioner Bob Jarman pointed out that under the proposed model the town would still control their assets and have the ability to back out if the arrangement if it didn't work out. I guess I don't understand this issue at all. What is the control hang up? I don't remember seeing the council members at any of the fires I've been to. What control are they so worried about losing? What do they think a bunch of fire fighters are going to do with fire trucks? Such silliness.

Although there might be legitimate concerns about how a combined department would work we'll not get the chance to work them out now. The mayor didn't see any "smoking gun" reason to go forward. I'm wondering what that gun would have to look like. I see public opinion as expressed in the Journal's poll, a possible 30% cost saving and most importantly enhanced safety and efficiency in fire service island wide as a pretty big smoking gun.

So, in the end nothing is happening again. Always a safe move for politicians, even if it isn't the best move for the town or it's fire fighters. A new chief will be hired and this great opportunity to bring the departments together will be gone. If this seems wrong to anyone else, especially those fire fighters and citizens living in town, maybe you could let the mayor or Town Council know. Ultimately it won't change how I respond to a page around here. I'm sure it won't any of the other fire fighters either. Whether the call is for District or Town or both, we'll be ready to go. It's what we all do. I just hope none of us have to pay the price for the council's decision.

Jerry Henderson
San Juan Island