By FireRescue1 Staff
Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder’s recent article “Stop pretending you have a fire department” sparked an outpouring of commentary about the harsh realities of fire department response capabilities in many areas of the country. As Goldfeder writes, “while there may be fire engines and a firehouse, sometimes we are just fooling the public – and ourselves.”
The impetus for the article was a tragic fire that killed four children and their father in Jeannette, Pennsylvania. The kids’ mom and two other children survived the blaze, thanks to the efforts of the Jeannette Fire Department.
Goldfeder detailed the incident, including the fire department response; addressed the pervasive issue of unreliable mutual aid, not specific to the JFD but rather across the country; and considered the harsh realities of what communities are “guaranteed” for their fire response versus what the community members expect or believe will show up when they have an emergency. Bottom line: Many citizens simply don’t realize that, “unfortunately, for a variety of reasons (including sometimes of our own creation), fire and rescue services can end up on the back burner when the public isn’t educated and genuinely doesn’t understand who will (or will not) show up (and how quickly) when they have a fire.”
The article generated a huge response on social media. Here’s a snapshot of the comments. Weigh in here.
