Seat-Belt-Case-Study-Research-Results-lecture-April 2018

The tee shirt photo I posted has gotten over 3K views between LI and FB. The question I asked was “What message does this send about the American Fire Culture?”

Captain Gonzalo Garcia with the Broward County Fire Department in FL shared the picture with his crew. He send me a report on what he learned. He gave me permission to post it.

“Just completed my morning shift meeting with my crews. It is a assortment of young and older crew with one female and 12 in total. We discussed the picture of the T-shirt you mentioned a few days ago.

For the most part I got two responses, one from the older crews and one from the younger crews. The older crew, 15 plus year in service, mostly reacted as I did which is to realize the idea of dying from fire was not a laughing matter.

This older group have families with young kids and are more in tune with the harsh reality of the firefighting job. The younger crew appeared to jump into the logo and sound like a bunch of motivated Marines getting ready to take a hill and not thinking about possible casualties. This younger crew are very motivated and have an almost too good of a time thinking about the T-shirt.

I wonder if we, including myself as the older group, or as mentors have not properly passed on to the younger crews the culture I hope will develop in our industry. A culture where firefighting can be fun but we also need to be cognizant of the dangers of today’s environment, cancer risks, and rate of combustion for new products.

I have witness the younger firefighters wanting to go into a burning building without giving it a second thought as to all the particulars I have to consider before taking an aggressive interior attack. Perhaps it is something that comes with training and certainly experience. I force myself to read each Line of Duty Death report to remind me of how simple it is to die on this job.

Thank you for posting and reflecting on this simple picture which can and has brought up very true and interesting points of views and conversations. It is appreciated.”

Culture Matters! Culture is passed down from generation to generation just like DNA. In 1976 my Lt. said “Firefighters’ have to get killed, its part of the job.” do we still believe?

We can all do better preventingts vs eghts vs egh and surviving fire.

Clark Research book Chap intro-3

Ohio Fire Chiefs Conference
Opening Ceremony July 13, 2017
We Speak Your Name
By Burton A. Clark

We Speak Your Name, because we are firefighters, because our sons and daughters are firefighters, because our mothers, and fathers are firefighters, because our sisters, and brothers are firefighters. By speaking your name, we honor you, and we honor the past, because all of us here today owe you a debt that cannot be paid. By speaking your name, we celebrate your life, and the Precious Present you gave us. By speaking your name, we believe in the future, and take your memory with us into tomorrow.
We speak your name…. group 1

Charolette R. Adair, Allan H. Anderson, Jr., Oscar Armstrong III, Gregory S. Baker,
Michael Ray Baughn, Randy D. Boley, Edward L. Brillhart, Michael A. Burgan, Edward CareyStephen D. Carletti, Kenneth Cashman, Donnie G. Cathcart, Robert G. Chilcote, Frederick Alan Coates, Edward Patrick Conricote, Donald C. Cottrell, Brooks Cowgill, Thomas E. Coyne Jr., Kinnison F. Cribley, Michael E. Cupp, James B. Daniels, Michael J. Darrington, Arthur R. Denny II, Earl G. Detty Jr., James A. Dickman, Albert P. Dingle, Duane P. Dress, Rocky E. Dunkin,Arthur R. Ebert, James N. Eddy, Richard A. Eierdam, William A. Ellison III, Dale F. Eyerdom, Ronald Fogel, John R. Fritz, Robert K. Galehouse

We speak your name, because it takes courage to be a firefighter, and it takes courage to be part of the fire service family. Your name gives us the courage to carry-on every day. We speak your name, because we are committed to the fire service, and our families. Your name is our example of the love you gave to your family and the service. We speak you name, because we are competent firefighters who always strive to do better – in memory of you.
We speak your name… group 2

John August Garman, Maurice Gates, James D. Geiger, Arthur J. Girty, Robert Douglas Good, Daryl Eugene Gordon, William Bryan Gray Sr., Terry Richard Guss Sr., Paul L. Haislop Sr., James M. Hall, James H.Hanson, James E. Harvey Jr., Lawrence J. Hauserman, Raymond C. Hickman,Raymond D. Holtz, Charles Horning II, Eddy G. Ivers, Eugene F. Jankowski, James H. Johnson, Kenneth J. Jutte, Jennifer L. Kibbey, Phillips S. Kibler, David C. Knapke, Steven J. Knaus, Robert W. Leas, Terry Leasher, Adam Le Long, Richard A. Long, Stephen A. Machcinski, Conrad A. Mansfield, Reuben E. Mast, Kathryn Ann Mayfield, Joseph M. McCafferty,John McCroden, Frank E. McGaffick, Frank I. McMannes

We speak you name, because the fire service is a calling. You taught us that the fire service is a Life and Death discipline. By speaking your name, we are reminded that what we know, and don’t know has consequences for those we service, and for those we love. Your name demands that we hold ourselves to the highest level of professionalism.

We speak your name… group 3

Bruce E. Mettler, Brian E. Metts, John J. Meyer, Brad A. Michener,Paul R. MontavonSr., Leroy E. Murphy Jr., Jeffrey M. Murray, John W. Nance, Dale E. Nelboeck,Gregory A. Northup, Robert J. O’Toole,Steve Olinik Jr., Kevin J. Ollier, Daniel R. Pescatrice,Ricke E. Phillips, Leo A. Powell, Lee A. Purdy, Robert W. Raitz, Kenny Ray Jr., Jeffery K. Renner, James Thomas “Tom” Rhamey, Gregory E. Rodgers, John A. Rozzi Jr., Charles A. Rudd,Lawrence D. Savage, Brian W. Schira, Edgar J. Schneider, Arthur E. Schumacher, Dustin ‘Dusty’ Michael Schwendeman, Henry L. Scott, Ray E. Scott, Harold Wayne Seek, Ryan Neil Seitz, Michael P. Shaughnessy, Earl R. Shelton, Timothy S.J. Shiltz

We speak your name, because our work is not done. Prometheus gave us the gift of fire, enabling humans to become like the gods; however, Zeus coursed us, never allowing mortals to completely control the gift of fire. Thusly, from the beginning of time we have needed firefighters, and firefighters will continue to be needed till the end of time.
We speak your name… group 4

Richard D. Shively, Sammy R. Smith, Harold M. Sparks, Bruce A Stayner, Orval Jean Steele,Gary Lawrence Studer, Paul W. Swander, Leo L. Swank, Michael L. Sweeney, Lawrence J. Sweetnich, Roy J. Swinehart, Edward D. Teare, David Paul Theisen, Robert J. Tieche Sr,. Jon C. Trainer,Cynthia J. Verburg Walter E. Wade, John W. Walsh, Donald Eugene Ward, Tommy J. Ware, John J. Wayman Sr., Arnold E. Weaver, Daniel C. Wilson, Patrick Robert Wolterman, Rose A. Woodbridge, Robert E. Woolf, Patrick E. Yahle, Daniel H. Yaklin, Richard L. Yarman, Robin M. Zang-Broxterman, Jared W. Zimmerly

We spoke your name because we love you, because we miss you, because we are grateful for you. We spoke your name because God created you to be a firefighter, and made us to be part of you.

We thank God for you, and all firefighters – past, present, and future.

Note: This poem was written for and delivered at the Ohio Fire Chiefs Conference in 2017; the printed version was edited by Chief Michael D. Chiaramonte CFO, FIFireE. The poem was inspired by the poem “We Speak Your Names” (c) Pearl Cleage, 2005. The firefighter’s names are listed on the National Fallen Firefighter memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland. The audience was given envelopes with the names of the fallen firefighters. Each group was asked to rise between stanzas and Speak the Name.

Heifetz & Linsky used to review AFC

By Chief Allen Cain, CFO, EFO

Dr. Clark’s compendium of essays highlighting the cultural dysfunction of the fire service, its pursuit of doing the best things and the pathway to professionalism is a fitting example of the man and his message fulfilling the concepts of the executive fire officer’s leadership text, Leadership On The Line. Dr. Clark’s stories expose the adaptive challenges the fire service needs to make in order to eliminate “occupational fatalities.” Clark’s work is simply a mirror that reinforces the notion that this work requires new learning by the people who own the problem. To that end, Dr. Clark repeatedly disrupts our cultural equilibrium, but only at a rate we can absorb. You can find Dr. Clark and his book firmly nestled in the balcony, where he is watching us and calling-out when we fail to lead.

https://www.amazon.com/Cant-Save-You-But-Trying/dp/1887654577#customerReviews

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AWARD WINNERS 

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Best Book in the
Category of CULTURAL ESSAYS

I Can’t Save You But I Will Die Trying: 
The American Fire Culture
Dr.Burton A. Clark, EFO
www.premiumpressamerica.com

To change the American Fire Culture the Fire Service needs to lead the way, but we need the public’s help.  Firefighter death and injury is it part of the job. Thanks to reporters Mike Hendricks and Matt Campbell for this significant contribution to the National Conversation of Consequence on The American Fire Culture.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/nation-world/national/article118921298.html

Please read and share this series with your community.