Ambulance Author

I'm more than a little disappointed with your choice of author for the “Ambulance Transports” article in the March 2008 issue. Although Jason Schneider is a line firefighter/paramedic, more importantly, he is an executive from Zimek, a company that directly benefits from infectious-pathogen hysteria in the emergency services. A quick search turns up several similar articles by this author in other trade magazines. Clearly, he is using such medium to build a case for his product — a case, by the way, that is full of logical errors.

I do not suggest his product is ineffective or unwarranted. It might very well be the next great tool for disinfecting ambulances. However, all I see is anecdotal proof and emotional appeals. A journal of your caliber should reference empirical data to support any such assertions.
— Marc A. Scrivener, Deputy Chief
Willimantic (Conn.) Fire Dept.

Following Traditions

Chief Ronny Coleman's April article, “Keep Time with Tradition's Tune,” certainly hit home with me. I recently was assigned the task of developing a draft SOP on memorializing what traditions our department practices. My chief also asked me to seek out what other departments are doing to look at adoption of other successful practices.

Chief Coleman and my old chief from the '80s were close friends. Coleman would visit our department and lecture about various subjects. Later, when the two chiefs would get together, they would smoke cigars and discuss what was behind the traditions in the fire service. As a young firefighter, I was entranced hearing about the Knights of Malta and other information on customs used by the fire service. I have long since lost Chief Coleman's address and wanted to inquire if there was a book that explained many of the traditions of the fire service, as well as appropriate speeches for the occasion of a recruit graduation, officer promotion and other such events.

These books might be added to your suggested list in “A Leader's Book Club.” The idea presented in the article talked about how the Marine Corps used different books for different levels of command. That would be wonderful to have in existence for the fire service. Perhaps your magazine could ask for suggestions and compile a honed list to share with your readers.
— Mick McKinley, Assistant Chief
Bremerton, Wash.