I could exhaust my cache of superlatives trying to describe our current presidential election campaigns. The one thing most can agree on regarding this topic is that this election cycle has been and remains completely bonkers.
It’s been so bonkers, that sifting through the muck to find the really important nuggets to help people understand these candidates is very difficult. We’re panning for gold in a river opaque with mud.
That task is even more difficult when trying to parse out where the candidates stand on issues related to the fire service. But, I stumbled upon something the other day that may add some clarity.
For the second time, Scientific American asked each presidential candidate the same 20 questions pulled from their community of readers to evaluate candidates’ understanding of science fact and how that may influence their policy decisions. The publication also did this for the 2012 race between Obama and Romney.
This candidate litmus test to get at their understanding and acceptance of proven, accepted facts is refreshing. It’s the first step in moving toward policies driven by fact versus emotion, rhetoric, ideology and ambition.
This is more important than candidates’ tax returns.
And while it may not seem so on the surface, this is also important for fire service interests. We are intertwined with and dependant upon science to both survive and thrive as a service.
Consider this week’s story about research showing that human-caused climate change is influencing the amount and severity of wildland fires by providing more ready-to-burn fuels. Future policies on climate change may have as much long-term effect on wildland and WUI fires as will the amount of money allocated to fight those fires.
The connections don’t stop there. We are directly tied to behavioral and neurological sciences as we try to discover ways to prevent firefighter suicides and behavioral disorders. We are tied to biological sciences as we push lawmakers to understand the connection between firefighting and cancers, and in understanding how the human body responds to the stress of firefighting.
We are tied to the science of physics in understanding how building construction, fuel load, air movement and firefighter intervention alter fire behavior.
We are tied to the science of statistics in understanding how to allocate resources to serve the most in-need elements of our public and how to help those who need services best provided by non-emergency agencies.
The list goes on and each item directly affects firefighter safety, health, quality of life and ability to serve their community.
Politics, science and the fire service do not exist isolated from one another. All candidates, from president to congressional to state to local, should be tested and judged on their ability to understand and be guided by facts.
Getting them to set aside ideology and influence when it’s time to write and vote on legislation, now that would be a gold strike of historic proportion.
