Hey, Y’all!

We are barely out of Fire Prevention Week (month!) and BAM! It’s time for the Great American Teach-In! I find myself working through breaks and lunch to get it all done! How stupid! Remember the story about Lumber Jane – she found herself working harder and harder and getting behinder and behinder. She forgot the cardinal rule of lumber jacks – “Take breaks and sharpen your axe!”

So this is just a quick reminder to take the time to refresh as we go through this hectic time of year. Take care of you first! It isn’t being selfish.

Oh, and I learned this new word that really takes the pressure off – “NO!” Try it and see how your life will simplify!

Article Provided by:
Victoria Yeakley, FAFLSE Chair
yeakleyv@hillsboroughcounty.org

Recently this newsletter had a piece that spoke of “Changes in attitudes, changes in latitudes” and the theme focused attention on reasonableness of code application. Much was noted about that and whether you embraced the concepts presented or not, for many the author had hoped that readers would re-examine certain approaches toward code compliance as it relates to their customers, the taxpaying property owner.

Sometimes our roles as life safety inspectors are a seemingly daunting and unappreciated one. The people we try to protect have no grasp about building design and construction, nor do they appreciate the long and tedious processes we undertake in order to identify real life safety threats. We on the other hand, well know what can happen if we fail to recognize non-complying conditions as demonstrated by the more notable examples in Warwick Rhode Island, Beverly Hills Supper Club, MGM Grand, and the like. All of those colossal incidents had life safety weaknesses identified after-the-fact.

Our situation is opposite that of our fire service brethren in the fire ops area, EMS, USAR, etc., as they garner the spotlight in most cases and we remain virtually transparent. Do they save lives? You bet, without a doubt and aren’t we grateful for that? Prowess and expertise they have to be sure, with the common denominator called BASICS. To forget basics for them is to put someone right in harms way. Well, it’s O.K. that they get the credit they deserve because when WE return to basics, we are reminded of several facts that gains us credit making it just fine. What are the facts that lead to recognition?

There are few, if any. Why? Because life safety managers have noted for a long time that the best fire prevention and inspection programs are the ones that one never hears about. Why is that? It is for the basic reasons we all know, but perhaps seldom reflect upon – we are involved in and manage programs that identify problems before they have the negative impact on the public that leads the 11 p.m. news. Yes, our role should be and is fundamentally a proactive, not reactive one. How many times we hear of and read about heroic efforts of the fire service, but little is reported about fire prevention efforts and their successes. Perhaps that’s because there is no such thing as a repository that captures what didn’t happen, only what did. How many lives were saved as we identify and order corrections for a non-functioning fire alarm system; or the proverbial locked exit doors? We don’t know for sure, but potentially it’s how ever many people occupied the building, right? But we sure would know how many lives were lost should that fire have occurred; we knew in those cases cited at the onset of this piece.

Therefore, our focus should be on the basics. What are they? First, we must all remember that our primary role is commitment, not coercion. Yes commitment to the public and to the inspection program that will set priorities which reflect that commitment; that’s basic number one. Basic number two is reflecting that commitment in our mission statement through a regular and routine program of inspections of the various occupancies we are charged to inspect (see 633.052; 633.081; FAC 69A- 60.007(1)).

We can further demonstrate our life safety commitment by going beyond the minimum training required by statute. As FFMIA members, we are a collective body of personalities and experiences with varying degrees of abilities. As we attend the 58th FFMIA Annual Fire Prevention Conference “Your Keys for Prevention” November 6th – November 9th, 2006 in Hawks Kay Resort, let’s go with a renewed spirit that we will all “Return to Basics” and learn all we can about systems, occupancy, processes, legalities, administration and other threats to life safety. Making such a basic commitment will assist us all in recognizing the import of the conference theme.

See you all there.

Article Provided by:
Bart Wright, FFMIA
East/Central Regional Dir.
541 S. Orlando Ave. #203
Maitland, FL 32751
(407) 539-0774
(407) 448-1988 Cell
bwright11@cfl.rr.com

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Saturday, February 10, 2007 has been designated as “Florida State Fire Clown Day” at the Florida State Fair in Tampa.
Mark your calendars.

If you are interested in making this a weekend, please email Myndee Washington at washingtonm@hillsboroughcounty.org and let me know, so we can get discount hotel rates and start planning some activities.

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