Judgement calls

[Sandy Eggo]

This firefighter made a judgement call, in the field, that in his opinion was necessary to save this woman's life. He didn't follow safety protocol, but should that lead to formal discipline?

A Philadelphia firefighter who rescued a woman during a warehouse fire will reportedly be investigated for giving her his breathing mask as they fled the blaze.

Fran Cheney said he was criticized for his actions by a top fire department official for the rescue of Mary Jackson from a warehouse in the city's Kensington section on Wednesday. After locating Jackson in a nearby second-floor bedroom, where she was gasping for breath in a smoke-choked room, Cheney gave the woman his mask.

"I take a quick breath, rip my helmet off, give her the mask – it's on positive pressure, which means it just blows smoke away from her – and I just say, 'Let's go,'" Cheney told the website.

Cheney carried the woman to safety, risking his own life in the process.

"If I was worried about that, I wouldn't be here, and neither would any of these guys that I work with," Cheney said. "That's what we do. That's who we are."

Later, during a bedside visit at an area hospital, a top fire department official told Cheney his actions were not "very smart," he said.

Cheney, who also gave Jackson $500 in his overtime pay to get her back on her feet, said he'd do the same thing again.

"You know, at that time I'm not worrying about directives," he told the website. "I'm not worrying about paperwork. I'm worrying about this woman and a family worrying about her, whether she's alive in that house right now."

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/07/06/philadelphia-firefighter-reportedly-catches-heat-for-rescue-efforts/?cmpid=GoogleNewsEditorsPicks&google_editors_picks=true#ixzz2047D9XOv

There was another seemingly similar situation in south Florida about a week ago, with a lifeguard who was fired because he rescued someone outside his zone. I believe he has since been reinstated.

What do you guys think?

[The Troll]

  That's the problem we have here in America.  Authoritarians who are in high places that are just plain asshole.   Just take the man aside quietly and say, you got to watch out for yourself and be careful.  Then just leave it alone.   

[Palehorse]

IMHO it is his life to risk on behalf of another human being. Yes, procedures are in place for reasons, but procedures rarely take into account the human factors; and they certainly are not intended to be "all encompassing" in the average person's point of view.

Instead of being praised for his act of human compassion and fortitude, he is threatened with punishment and reprimand. Nice. . .

[Sandy Eggo]

I pretty much agree with you guys. Even in my field, where human life is not a factor, I can see how the supervisory chain has become "out of touch" with the actual day-to-day processes needed to get things done. I don't think they're idiots, but their problems have changed and so has their focus, so when they ask us for something, they have NO idea what it requires "in the field".

Perhaps this is the case in both of these situations. Those making the policies have become more focused on the legal aspect and have lost touch with field decisions that may need to be made to save a life. Although even as I type that, my mind is saying "BS" because it's clear which was more important here.

I was thinking maybe someone who has worked in a first responder type environment might be able to shed some light that might convince me that management in both cases isn't a bunch of numbskulls.

[The Troll]

IMHO it is his life to risk on behalf of another human being. Yes, procedures are in place for reasons, but procedures rarely take into account the human factors; and they certainly are not intended to be "all encompassing" in the average person's point of view.

Instead of being praised for his act of human compassion and fortitude, he is threatened with punishment and reprimand. Nice. . .

  This problem of always looking for some way to punish someone.  At Ford Motor Co., we had a man lose his forearm and hand in a machine he was repairing.  The foreman who was his boss wanted to write him up for unsafe work pratices.

  Wasn't losing his arm enough punishment.   

[me]

IMHO it is his life to risk on behalf of another human being. Yes, procedures are in place for reasons, but procedures rarely take into account the human factors; and they certainly are not intended to be "all encompassing" in the average person's point of view.

Instead of being praised for his act of human compassion and fortitude, he is threatened with punishment and reprimand. Nice. . .

I very much agree with this.  Very well said PH.