Chief Concerns Richard Marinucci
When new things are introduced, there are always early adopters who always seem to have to be among the first and are looking for improved products. They are the folks who wait in line for new releases so they can lead the way.
I am not always sure of their motivation, but there needs to be frontrunners—those who start the process. Some might even say it is a form of leadership. But, not everyone is cut out for this, and organizations may not have the resources needed to take the risks. Individuals and departments must decide where they fit in the adoption continuum, so they know when it is appropriate for them to enter a new venture. There are products and services that will ultimately become mainstream, and all (or the vast majority) will participate.
Everyone I know, except my older brother, has a cell phone. This was not always the case. Early on, they were cumbersome and expensive and had some flaws and bugs that needed to be worked out. Today, they are considered essential to the point where they have replaced land lines. They have a host of functions to organize the owners and users. One such function is a calendar. One’s whole life, personal and professional, is stored on the phone. When someone asks for a time and date to meet or call, we now instinctively reach for our phone to check our availability. But, in the early days of electronic calendars, not everyone was onboard.
I admit I was not an early adopter and used a relic called a pocket calendar. I used to make fun of people when it took them so long to check their schedule. I would pull out my calendar and turn to the page while the others would start pushing buttons. Why was their “time saving device” taking so long? But improvements were made, and I have relented and now rely on my phone.
This example shows the value of those who started the trend and helped work out the kinks. It would have been bad if one of those folks was like me and not patient enough to work through the challenges. Most likely, my device would have suffered a tragic ending. We all need to evaluate new items and decide if we are the right people to get out in front of a new product and promote its use. Some personalities are more suited to this, and so are some organizations. To be one of the early birds, you need resources (money), time, and patience. You will have to be ready for flaws and bugs but be mentally capable of working through them with the understanding that there will be a payoff at the end of the day.
One rapidly emerging change is the push for electric vehicles (EVs). There are organizations ready to go and will be in front of the pack regarding development and usage. To that, I say, good for them. I would suspect they have done some research and know what they are getting into. Contrasting that is a fire chief I know who was asked by his community’s policy makers to begin transitioning to EVs. To his credit, he did some research and was able to ask some important questions in a tactful and diplomatic way. This caused the policy makers to reevaluate and take a different posture. While I am sure this organization will eventually test the waters, it is not likely to be at the front of the line. Kudos to the chief for asking reasonable and logical questions. Again, this is not to say those moving forward are wrong. They are just in a different situation and, hopefully, know what they are getting into.
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Other technological advances are easier to accept and more likely to have minimal issues during initial adoptions. These are the “mainstream” products, those used in other industries and vetted by them. They could be items or tools used in the construction industry, advances to assist with management and administration, and products coming from similar industries. For example, there are many advances in the medical profession. They get tested and used in controlled environments and in situations not unlike those faced by EMS providers. There is little to be considered that won’t translate to field work. The most probable consideration would be durability. Besides the need to work in occasional difficult environments and daily transport, there is the “firefighter” factor, where some in this business have been known to be tough on tools.
Looking at some of the advances, one would have to question, how much of a difference do they make and is the cost for both the product and training worth it? Much of this would depend on the size and complexity of the department. Tracking fewer people, whether on the emergency scene or for human resources purposes, is obviously much simpler with fewer people. I have worked in organizations with limited staffing. It was not too difficult to keep track of everyone. At times, you must consider if you gain any operational or administrative benefit or if you are just trying to keep up with the Joneses. Do you need a nail gun if you only have four nails to drive in? It would probably take longer to set up the gun and get things working as opposed to the old-fashioned way of using a hammer.
On occasion, you may not have a choice. Technology has replaced manual operations and you are unable to find the older methods when replacements are needed. In these situations, you will still have work to do. You probably will have options and need to evaluate these options to determine what is most applicable for you, your organization, and the situation. It could be a simpler, less expensive technology that would work just fine. There is a benefit to this for not only cost but training and ongoing maintenance.
Is technology always the answer? Certainly, advances have helped departments progress and improve. But there may be cases where technological developments are not always the best answer for individual departments and specific circumstances. Know the difference and make wise choices. Avoid automatically defaulting to the latest and newest without proper evaluation. Consider needs, costs, time, training, and maintenance. These are part of the process you should develop so you make good decisions.
RICHARD MARINUCCI is the executive director of the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) and chief (ret.) of the White Lake Township (MI) Fire Department. He retired as chief of the Farmington Hills (MI) Fire Department in 2008, a position he had held since 1984. He is a Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment and Fire Engineering Editorial Advisory Board member, a past president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), and past chairman of the Commission on Chief Fire Officer Designation. In 1999, he served as acting chief operating officer of the U.S. Fire Administration for seven months. He has a master’s degree and three bachelor’s degrees in fire science and administration and has taught extensively.
