Just Hangin’ Out: Why Do Firefighters Just Stand Around at Fires?

[Flashpoint 94]

Quote

If you’ve been at the scene of a building on fire, then it’s likely you’ve witnessed firefighters just standing around. Why is that? Inside the yellow tape, firefighters perform all sorts of coordinated tasks from trying to put out the fire, to climbing on the roof and cutting a hole to allow hot gases to escape, to searching for victims, all working to achieve the same goal: rescue people and save property from being destroyed by fire. The rescue of civilians is the highest priority, with all strategies supporting that one objective. But sometimes, those outside the yellow tape might encounter a strange sight: A group of firefighters just standing around.

 

ARTICLE: https://medium.com/homeland-security/just-hangin-out-why-do-firefighters-just-stand-around-at-fires-1ebbf31eba6b

[BFD1054 1,552]

Interesting, thanks for sharing.

 

Ironically, I recently had a similar discussion with one of my Lieutenants. I suggested writing up an explanation of the RIT/FAST and posting it on our FB page. This way, members of the public would have an idea of why we "just stand around."

Edited May 10, 2017 by BFD1054

[dwcfireman 656]

Then there's also the fact that you have a lot of manpower on scene so we can tag out and send fresh troops in as firefighters get tired.

[goon16 155]

That was written by a very respected chief in the FDNY. 

[antiquefirelt 994]

8 hours ago, goon16 said:

That was written by a very respected chief in the FDNY. 

The article gives credit to a Lt. from Dallas Fire/Rescue?

[goon16 155]

18 minutes ago, antiquefirelt said:

The article gives credit to a Lt. from Dallas Fire/Rescue?

It was on another social media site giving credit to someone else.  Didn't read it all the way to the end.  My mistake 

Edited May 11, 2017 by goon16

[antiquefirelt 994]

3 hours ago, goon16 said:

It was on another social media site giving credit to someone else.  Didn't read it all the way to the end.  My mistake 

I though ti t would be odd for an FDNY chief to have taken a Lt's position in Dallas, but nowadays who knows...

[JP59 41]

18 hours ago, dwcfireman said:

Then there's also the fact that you have a lot of manpower on scene so we can tag out and send fresh troops in as firefighters get tired.

 

I agree with dwcfireman. We always make sure we have enough manpower to rotate crews. We run a full rehab operation at structure fires and make sure all members are rehabed and hydrated.

[FFPCogs 863]

Educating the public on how and why we do what we do is always a good thing, but the reality is most people don't really care, nor should we expect them to. By a huge majority all the public knows and cares about when it comes to us is that there's a building with big red trucks with sirens and flashing lights down the street and that we show up with those trucks when we're called. Beyond that there is very little time in their busy and hectic lives to give us even a passing thought..and that should come as no surprise since, by that same large majority we don't spend our time thinking about how and why they do what they do. I mean how many of us give any thought to why an accountant does their job as they do or why that cashier at the grocery store checks and bags our items the way they do....unless the way they're doing it inconveniences us.

 

Where all of this comes to prominence is when we're dealing with the bean counters, who to be fair, also have a job to do...even if we don't like that we're the target of that job. Educating them becomes a primary concern when funds for staffing or equipment or training come under scrutiny. We have to be able to justify the expense of the services we are providing and why we provide them the way we do. I think this article does a good job of explaining some of that, although I think we're all aware that there are a number of other reasons why members "stand around" outside beyond simply FAST/RIT.

 

I know most of you who "know" me here will find this hard to believe, but sometimes I over think things, look at things a little deeper than what's on the surface. After reading this I find myself doing so again. I asked myself why would we have to explain ourselves to a public that for the most part really doesn't care why we do what we do....well I think in some way this has more to do with us than it does with "them"...here's what I mean:

 

After 9/11 there was a huge upsurge in respect and support for firefighters and fire dept.s everywhere and an equally large up tick in the level of interest of what we do. And we all benefited from that to one extent or another. But (there's always a but) in the 15+ years since, those levels have naturally waned, as these things often do.  But from our end, I think some became accustomed to that public attitude and the accolades that came with it and thought it would last forever. But alas nothing does...life goes on after all and people outside the fire service fell back into their routines and worrying about their own lives. To take it a bit further (and anger some I'm sure) there are some FFs and dept.s who one could argue tried to use the tragedy of those 343 lost brothers to further their own agendas, even though they had no direct connection to the events of that dreadful day. Now the point of all this pontification may seem like it has nothing whatsoever to do with the topic at hand, but in fact it does because the event of 9/11 and it's aftermath have shaped our collective perception of how we think the public sees...or should see...us. Many firefighters, being "insiders," have a hard time understanding why anyone would question our actions, on the fireground and off, and some may even become angered by thought of having to explain ourselves. But that is on us, not them. They are why we are here and they pay our way, so they have every right to ask "why are so many FFs standing around"....even if they really don't care about the answer.

 

But back to the beginning, most people might question why so many FFs are standing around, but in the end they really don't care...they only want to get the service they need when they need it and it's up to us as professionals to give it to them. If we can educate a few along the way that's great, but if we can't that's ok too, as long as we do our jobs the best we can and remain humble in doing so. 

Edited May 15, 2017 by FFPCogs