MH0109

This whole situation has me completely dumb founded. WTF is all I can think to say about this situation. I have served in this profession for 23 years to this point, both as a very active volunteer and now a very involved career member in my current department. I am appalled at what is taking place in Stamford with this career vs. volunteer nonsense. This has to be the final straw in the battle as far as I am concerned. This chief officer has gone too far and after a complete investigation on this fire, he should be removed from the fire department. We, in the fire service, took an oath to protect LIFE and PROPERTY. This officer violated that oath, and therefore should be removed. He returned auto aid career companies to a reported fire while not even on scene-GROSS Negligence. I also read that three members were hurt at the scene, as they successfully burned the roof off a seven thousand (7000) + square foot home because of EGO. No excuses necessary on this issue, period. He was wrong in returning any company before the arrival of units, period. This action is on tape-no one can hide the fact it happened. I can now see that the citizens in the north end of Stamford should be concerned for their safety. One destroyed home can be replaced, but what is next from the EGO ridden volunteers companies that return manpower? Stop the career vs. volunteer battling, before you kill someone…. He returned highly trained personnel, members were injured at this incident, and he should be held accountable for it. We in the service have heard that size-up starts long before the incident. Strategic and tactical decisions on the fireground are made on the FIREGROUND, not before arrival to the scene. Returning units before arrival of trained personnel goes against the basic fundamentals that the most junior member in the fire service are taught. The members of LRFCo should be ashamed of themselves over this incident. The other volunteer departments that continue to battle with the city departments need to take notice of this incident and this battle needs to stop. Someone needs to get these groups together and figure out how to work side by side. I want to emphasize that I am not bashing anyone personally. I will not take sides in the battle of whom or what service is best in Stamford, CT as I do not live there. They need to figure that out themselves, but this incident has shown a complete disregard for the mission of the fire service as a whole.