Even though the premier example of “heavy content” or hoarding fire dates back to the Collyer brothers’ mansion fire in Manhattan in1947, the problem has taken on a new urgency in today’s fire service over the last decade or so. With television programs displaying various interventions for people who may be suffering from a disorder, the public has no idea what it is like for members of the fire service to battle a blaze that breaks out in a structure where extreme clutter is the norm.
Our guest, Lt. Ryan Pennington, considered one of the country’s foremost firefighting experts in this topic, returns to the podcast to share with us additional information he gathers from speaking with firefighters both in the U.S. and Canada, who have come face-to-face with this serious problem. If there is one warning that Ryan emphasizes, it is that no firefighter can enter this type of structure fire, thinking that his/her general firefighting education and experience has prepared them for this type of incident. “It doesn’t even come close!”
This discussion also leads us down another path as we discuss firefighting “chatter” that we find on social media today. Unfortunately, the word, “chatter” is far too polite a term to use in many cases. Instead, we see personal attacks, diatribes and more, as firefighters across the country and even throughout the world, discuss many firefighting topics, but “tactics” is the most common one that often displays vitriolic language.
Ryan cautions all that we should always re-examine what our message is saying, before we push that “send” or “tweet” button and what the ramifications may be, should that message come back to bite us in the butt. And while there is noting wrong with a little bit of ego or as he calls it, “swagger,” remember that we are all here for one purpose and that is to safely protect the lives and property of the community we serve.
