Make it Happen

[efdcapt115 1,511]

One thing I've noticed as of late; something I thought had finally been passed over as being antiquated, is the disagreeing that is still occurring between the mighty forces of Emergency Services Unit and Special Operations Command.

Disagreement expressed on these pages could to be a good thing, as it might foster better understanding between those agencies who likely cooperate 98 percent of the time without incident, but disagree occasionally, and it comes off like a competition on those rare events.

But thinking about it, is this situation any different than what occurs in a majority of places, between emergency personnel?

Isn't it true that a contingent of volunteer firefighters still look upon their career counterparts with some sort of disdain?

Aren't there a few career firefighters, who cannot see any gray areas in the fire service and therefore conclude that ALL volunteer services are undermanned shams? (and how many of them were formerly volunteers with the exact opposite views)

Aren't there some cops who will always view the fire department showing up as just another inconvenient blocking of their highway?

Aren't there obstructionists in every branch of emergency services who would rather die or watch as constituents continue to die, than give up one inch of their authority or admit that changes need to be made to operations?

The imperfections of the systems in place in the greater New York area, serve to demoralize ALL who work within the systems. The ability to adapt to simple operational changes, that in many cases wouldn't cost an additional tax-dollar, or donation-buck, and many times would save money overall, are continually looked at with disdain. With inaction. With resistance.

Each individual however can still have an impact on positive change; if they would direct their energies toward the positive improvements and shun the negative energy. None of us alone will change the emergency services world during our careers. Let me repeat that; none of us alone.....

But collectively, smaller positive contributions all add up in the end toward building momentum for inevitable and productive change.

Most of the positive changes that have come about have been those individual contributions. Think about Chief Haligan. He invented a tool. Think about the guy/s gal/s who thought up 2in 2out. The person who invented exhaust extraction systems. Sure, some were collective improvements made by groups of people tasked with inventing that improvement.

But Chief Haligan went back into the shop somewhere at a firehouse and pulled out a length of hardened steel and started thinking about it. Coupled with his experience at defeating doors and locks. So you keep it simple, like he did and the sky is the limit. It's about an idea, more than what you can do in a steel shop. Your contribution might be ideas, gathered on paper; ideas about how to consolidate a bunch of smaller departments into one larger one, that would become a vast improvement in delivery of fire services. Captain Nechis's ideas, analytic thinking is his haligan tool. Whether it get built or not is still in question. Time however will prove he and his counterparts were years ahead of their time with their ideas.

Ideas are empowerment. What can you do individually to improve emergency services? Think about it, you might just be on to something big.

[EMT348 12]

Well put

[firemoose827 324]

I would love to see a change and would work with any group collectively to start the ball rolling.

I for one am tired of the argument between agencies...agencies who are supposed to be focused on the same thing, the person calling for help.

Speaking fo myself, I do not, nor have I ever looked upon the career brothers/sisters with disdain. I look UP to them for advice and knowledge.

I definitely do not look at the PD with any disdain either, in fact, its a known fact that when they show up to violent scenes with violent patients threatening the lives of our EMS crew I am the first one to hide behind them and then proceed to kiss their feet...(hey, they have the guns, not me!)

Each one of us are an important link in the emergency services chain and need to band together to be effective; any one part of that chain becomes broken or separate and you get nothing.

At work, I cooperate with the State OFPC and work with them in the field. We trained together and formed some tight bonds, as a result we work together and get the job done, we share info with each other and offer assistance which makes it easier to do our jobs, protecting the Developmentaly Disabled who can not speak for themselves and rely on others to protect them. We screw up and some defensless person(s) perish.

I often wonder the same thing; why can we not band together in emergency services as we have banded together at my job?? Why can we not see the overall picture and try to achieve the same goals instead of trying to improve our images and standing over the others? Kinda feels like junior high all over again but instead of the Jocks, Nerds, and Punks you have Firefighters, EMS, and law enforcement all bullying each other...

Im ready for change.

Great thread and hopefully it doesnt get bumped out of importance by a thread dedicated to "whats in your turnouts?" or "what kind of light bar do you use?"