By Billy Hayes

AP Photo/M. Spencer Green Firefighters from area at the scene of a five-alarm fire that raged through a Lockport, Ill., hotel, April 1, 2008.

As I recently concluded my tenure as chief to move on to the next chapter of my fire service career, I sat down to discuss an important issue with my crews to ask them one simple question: "Do you have enough people to be safe?"

I wasn't surprised that 99 percent of the responses were "NO!"

I offered to them that I didn't agree. I feel that they do have enough to be safe — as long as they operate within the limitations of their resources. This means maintaining good situational awareness of the incident, early recognition to the need of more resources, and not tasking personnel beyond their physical limitations.

When we operate outside of these three areas, things can and will go wrong. It's always safest when we can be in control of the environment and not let the environment be in control of us.

But in reality, departments around our country work outside these parameters every day and often just plain get lucky that something doesn't go wrong. Too many times I've seen it happen in my own department and I thanked God that it wasn't my time as the chief to go visit one of my firefighter's families with devastating news.

In teaching the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation's Courage to Be Safe curriculum in various parts of the country, I've heard some horrifying stories from the students. A company officer once told me he did not have time to do size-up because he wasn’t sure when the next engine was coming. Simply put, he had to "get in there."

I had another crew tell me it was common to bust red lights and stop signs because if they were beaten into their own territory by another company, the battalion chief would write them up. Finally, I heard a comment that firefighters didn't want physicals because if something wrong was found, they may lose their job. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that these stories are not isolated to these three instances.

As we focus on the 2008 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week, the fire service must accept that a change in the current culture is needed. This year's theme of Committed to Long Term Results specifically is focused on culture.

Recognizing our safety should be first is fundamental in changing the culture. The public doesn't wake up in the morning and expect a firefighter to be injured or die in the line of duty, why should we?

Billy D. Hayes served as Chief of Fire Services for the City of Riverdale, Ga., for the past eight years, before leaving the post this month for a new position at the D.C. Fire Department. Previously he served with the Georgia Insurance & Safety Fire Commissioners Office and with the City of Morrow Fire Department. In addition, he serves as the Region IV Advocate for the Everyone Goes Home® campaign through the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and President of the Metro Atlanta Fire Chiefs Association. He is a graduate of Georgia Military College and the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program. Chief Hayes frequently writes and speaks on the topics of firefighter safety and fire prevention. He can be contacted via email at BillyDHayes@aol.com.