I thought of this forecast in the terms of a SWOC analysis: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges.

Our strength lies in two areas — training and awareness. Groups like the FDSOA, IAFF, IAFC, NFFF and others are keeping our focus on doing things safer. We are certifying more incident-safety officers across the country in all levels of the fire service.

A weakness is that many departments are struggling in this current economy. Departments have downsized or removed the position of incident-safety officer or made it an ancillary duty, which takes the focus off of safety as a primary function within an organization.

Our opportunity is to step outside the box and take on the challenge of doing more with less. Get out into the community, pre-plan and train like you mean it. Make our rapid-intervention teams into the Navy SEALS or Delta Force of the fire service. Make our fireground safer by backing building codes that require residential sprinklers.

The challenge is convincing ourselves that we are not greater than the whole. We have to put the safety of our men and women above the desire to being voted "most popular" and know that at the end of a call, or shift or day in the office, that our focus and very best effort was the health and safety of every member of our organization. I really think the bottom line is that it is not about how much we have, it's about caring enough to do what's right, in regard to safety, every minute of every day!

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Return to the 2010 Decade Forecast: Sighs of the Times main page.

Or jump to another 2010 Decade Forecast perspective:

• Cultural Barriers
  By Kelvin Cochran, U.S. Fire Administrator
• Booming Woes
  By Denis Onieal, Superintendent, National Fire Academy
• Emerging Economy
  By Rob Brown, Chief, Stafford County (Va.) Fire Department
• Volunteer Issues
  By Philip Stittleburg, Chief, LaFarge (Wis.) Fire Department, and Chairman, NVFC
• Apparatus Advances
  By Peter Darley, President, FAMA, and Chief Operating Officer and Vice President, Darley Co.
• Expanded EMS
  By Gary Ludwig, Deputy Chief, Memphis (Tenn.) Fire Department, and Chairman, IAFC EMS Section
• Federal Deficits
  By Bill Webb, Executive Director, CFSI
• Safety First
  By Rob McLeod, Deputy Chief, Chandler (Ariz.) Fire Department, and Chairman, FDSOA
• Creative City Managers
  By Bill Wolpin, Associate Publisher/Editorial Director, American City & County magazine
• Renewed Hope
  By Meri-K Appy, President, Home Safety Council
• Budget Efficiencies
  By John R. Hill, President, Envizion Financial