It was a warm, bright and sunny February day in Daytona when thousands of people descended on the raceway. The parking lots were jammed, with prices ranging from $20 to $50. The toilets were crowded and rather crude, designed strictly for functionality, not comfort. The tickets were more than $100 each. Yet despite the three TS — toilets, tickets and traffic — that would make any other event a disaster, the Daytona 500 was sold out. Scalpers were everywhere. People were lined up at the elaborate merchandise trailers. Sponsors flooded the grounds with samples of their products.

How is this possible? The odds are against it, as human beings are creatures of comfort and the economy is not exactly the strongest it ever was. This didn't happen by accident. It takes a great deal of work, and some of NASCAR's successes can be applied to fire departments.

The first thing is that those involved in NASCAR embrace technology and are always open to change. They are always looking for ways to make their machines safer, faster and more fuel-efficient. They use the latest tools and are constantly communicating with experts in the field. They aren't afraid to listen to a new idea, and more importantly they are eager to apply it and to experiment on the testing grounds. If the concept works, they quickly employ it.

Members of a successful fire department also will embrace technology and change. They would always be willing to look for ways to make the services they provide safer and more efficient. They would be willing to seek experts in and outside the fire service who may have new and different ways to accomplish the things that the fire service profession demands. They would be willing to safely try these concepts on the training ground with the idea that all are not going to work, but also they would be willing to immediately employ those that do work.

The second thing NASCAR organizers do well is planning. It takes a great deal of planning to put together the best car one can. It takes planning to prepare a track and get ready for a NASCAR event. They plan the event with the thought of how their plans will affect the community and how well these plans will fit into the community master plan. This type of event involves a large number of people who can be depended on to do their jobs. NASCAR is visionary; planners don't only think about the particular race they are preparing for but how all of the things they do will affect the fan and the future of the sport.

The successful department does a great deal of planning. Planners have a clear vision of where they intend for the department to be in three to five years. They are very cognizant of how these plans will fit into the community's master plan. Successful departments clearly define the various jobs in the department, and planners realize that they are going to need help in implementation. They aren't afraid to establish partnerships in the community and they realize that, contrary to most firefighters' philosophy, they can't do everything by themselves. This type of department opens its doors to the community and invites volunteers to help make its vision happen. Members think about how the plan will affect each person in the department and its impact in the community. After all, this is what keeps them in business — and it is a business, just like NASCAR.

For NASCAR, teamwork is absolutely essential to achieve goals. Just take a look in the pit and watch the virtual choreography that goes on there. In preparing and building of a car, it takes team work to bring the various technicians' talents together to produce a fine machine. No one, including the driver, is more important than anyone else on the team. It takes them all, each putting out 100%, to accomplish the common goal of the team.

This, of course, doesn't even mention the teamwork it takes among the officials, the track maintenance crew, vendors and the track management during race day. There is also the teamwork that develops between NASCAR and outside agencies such as the media, and police and fire departments.

To be successful, fire departments must establish teamwork. To accomplish goals, everyone is needed and no one is more important than anyone else. This team must be fine-tuned and well-trained, with all members knowing their jobs and what part they have in achieving the department's goals. Everyone needs to put 100% into their jobs, even if it's sweeping the floor of the fire station. Teamwork also needs to be developed with outside agencies. When the big race comes, it will take internal and external teamwork to mitigate an emergency.

One more key to NASCAR's success is its members' ability to get the name out to the public. It constantly receives financial backing from sponsors, and its representatives are continually concerned about their NASCAR's in the eye of the public.

A successful fire department is continually concerned about its image in the eye of the public. Members are concerned about their image on or off duty. This even comes down to being careful where official vehicles are parked when out of the station. For example, when in a strip mall doing an inspection, the vehicle shouldn't be parked in front of a bar.

As far as sponsors are concerned, departments should actively seek partners in the community to sponsor various activities, such as prevention and education programs. Community sponsors also can help support training activities. A department needs to continually get its name out to the public. It is highly important to have its name in the local paper, reflecting activity, training, and special achievements of the department and its members as often as possible. All of this imaging will result in excellent public relations with the community and elected officials, which then will result in funding.

One element that NASCAR emphasizes is safety. Drivers are injured and killed occasionally, but it's far from acceptable. Team members are constantly seeking new and better technology to make their jobs safer. They think, breathe and talk safety. All NASCAR team members are held accountable for their actions.

Fire departments should look to NASCAR as an example of a dangerous industry that does not accept death and injury as part of the job. Departments must continually seek safer ways of doing the job. Reports of injuries and LODDs should be studied. Every member of the department must be ingrained with a safety ethic and be accountable for his or her actions. Everyone in the department must be a safety officer in spirit. Safety must become the new culture of the fire service.

Despite its three TS, NASCAR fans still leave each race satisfied and eager to return. Because of the three TS of the fire service — time, training and tools — a fire department can use the lessons learned from NASCAR to have a very satisfied membership eager to do the job and a satisfied community eager to support them.

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Chief Mike Chiaramonte is a 35-year member of the Lynbrook (N.Y.) Fire Department and a past chief of the department. He's currently the chief fire inspector, where he's responsible for code enforcement and prevention education. Chiaramonte was a past chairman and board member of the IAFC Volunteer and Combination Officers Section Board and New York State Director to the IAFC Eastern Division. He's also a National Fire Academy Instructor and an adviser to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Chiaramonte is a state EMT-CC and an instructor at the Nassau County EMS Academy. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of Houston and a master's degree from Hofstra University, both in communications education.