Solid Vision

I loved your editorial "Be Transparent" in the April issue of FIRE CHIEF for a couple of reasons. You talk about fire-service visionary Tom Carr and the changes taking place within the Charleston Fire Department. I believe you are totally right about Tom Carr.

People don't like change — below the surface, behind the scenes and under all the grumbling and discontent of some, the CFD is on the move, things are percolating and I have a good feeling good things (or probably more accurately, great things) are soon to occur that will prove this point. The CFD has the potential and they seem to be building the leadership team to make things happen. Charleston Mayor Joe Riley deserves credit for pulling off the coup of the decade for getting Carr to come to South Carolina in the first place, as well enduring some tough times in the meantime. As a member of the Post-Incident Assessment and Review Team, I saw firsthand the mayor's commitment and willingness to change where necessary for the citizens of Charleston and the members of the CFD. I have no doubt that with Chief Carr and his team providing the leadership and Mayor Riley continuing to provide the resources, that the CFD will be the best fire department in the United States, as the Mayor, the citizens of Charleston and the families of the fallen firefighters expect them to be.

The Montgomery County (Md.) Fire and Rescue Service is one of the premier departments in the country at the moment and probably the best combination service of our size. This is due to the table Tom Carr set for us, the team he built. We are well positioned to continue our success, with a nearly $200 million budget, the opening of two new fire stations — with others under construction/renovation, phasing in of four-person staffing — the acquisition of new apparatus, state-of-the-art communications, a robust occupational health/medical office, a unique command development center, incumbent physical evaluations, a strong code-enforcement effort, and a diverse, well-trained and safe work force. For us to be able to do all of these things, during these tough fiscal times, is nothing short of incredible. We owe a lion's share of our success to the man currently leading the Charleston Fire Department. I guess you and I see where they could be, and should be, headed in the very near future.

— Pete Piringer
Public Information Officer
Montgomery County (Md.)
Fire and Rescue Service

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