Another fire department has been in the news related to an inappropriate posting on social media. In this most recent incident, a firefighter posted a photo of his crew inside a residence where they had responded to a structure fire. With the wreckage of an interior room behind them, the crew lined up for a photo with the caption, “I thought my crew only gets first dues when I’m gone. I’m here and on tailboard! Good work boys.”
This is certainly not the worst example of social media misuse among firefighters. Still, the firefighter who posted the photo and his officer now face potential discipline.
While the department’s chief explained the 22-year-old firefighter’s actions being the result of “a young firefighter letting his exuberance overcome good judgment,” these kinds of actions are not unique to rookies. The fact that an experienced officer went along with the photo shoot is proof of that.
Short of banning the possession or use of personal cell phones on duty — something that would be extremely difficult to enforce — what can fire departments do to prevent social media missteps that reflect badly not only on the individual or crew involved, but on the entire department? Emphasizing two basic principles may help:
- Beware the “We’re so wonderful” mindset
- Ask “what if this happened to my family?”
“We’re so wonderful” mindset
In the recent incident, the crew was not goofing around or doing clearly inappropriate things at the fire scene. They were just posing as a group after the fire with an “attaboy” tagline. But public self-congratulations go against the essential mission of the fire service — that we are there to help, to serve, and it’s not about individual egos. It’s nice when other people say that firefighters are wonderful, and you can modestly accept and thank them for the compliment. But firefighters should never say such things publicly about themselves.
What if this happened to my family?
The other principle that should always be considered when dealing with work-related social media is essentially how you would feel if this happened to your family or at your home. How would you feel if a photo like this was taken in the burned home of your family or your parents? How would you feel if their pain and loss were publicly posted without their permission?
The obvious answer to this question is probably not great. Having a home damaged or lost in a fire is devastating. The destruction of possessions is only one dimension of that loss, which also includes history, memories, plans and hope. A fire, or a motor vehicle crash, or any other type of emergency response may be routine or exciting for a firefighter, but for the victim of that incident, the effect is very personal and often life-changing. The last thing that person needs is for their personal tragedy to be put out in a public forum.
Not the last lesson
In the recent incident, the firefighter apologized to the homeowner and the department took responsibility for the actions of the crew. There may be further accountability in the form of discipline yet to be determined, and this may depend on what, if any, policy the department had in place related to social media. These are appropriate outcomes and hopefully everyone in that department will learn from the experience.
Unfortunately, it seems very unlikely that this will be the last social media gaffe by firefighters. For departments to manage the use of social media by their members, it is not enough to just make a list of rules. Department members not only need to know what to do or not do but also understand why their decisions and actions matter in this regard. Be clear about identity and the mission — that firefighters are part of a team doing important work, not rockstars seeking individual glory. And remember that having empathy and respect for those you serve is an essential job skill in every aspect of the work.
