Although nothing discussed in the story is confirmed, the headline itself was enough to infuriate me! (That is good news writing.)
Department may target �unregulated� bravery that is part of firefighters� culture
(read whole article)
Let�s assume that the talks that are underway do actually result in stricter rules about heroism. Is that actually a good idea?
According to the article, 343 firemen died at the World Trade Center on September 11th of last year. To the best of my knowledge, that number is accurate. If a stricter policy had been enforced at that time, and the firefighters had heeded it in the face of such a mind-blowing catastrophe (which was right in front of them), it is likely that few(er) of them would have died. Conversely, it is possible that they would have been ordered into the building (by their superiors) after more time had elapsed, and even more of them would have been inside when the buildings collapsed. I am going to focus on the former theory.
Assume, if you will, that the firefighters had arrived on the scene and held back, waiting for orders.
-There would have been hundreds fewer people assisting those still in the buildings.
- More civilians would be likely to have still been inside when the buildings collapsed.
- In the end, there would have been fewer FD casualties, but quite possibly thousands more civilian deaths.
In short: What a waste.
But, since I don�t mean waste of life (solely), and am anyway incapable of summing anything up to my own satisfaction in three words, allow me to elaborate and even to touch on the dreaded p-word: Patriotism.
There has been an outbreak of widespread patriotism in the last 10 months. I�ve always been rather apolitical, but I cannot say that I disapprove of loyalty to one�s country, particularly in the wake of something as terrifying as terrorist attacks and body counts in the thousands.
I do not own or display an American flag, and I never recite the pledge of allegiance (or, at least, I�ve always skipped the �under god�) but I cried tears of outright joy, and pride, when I saw the Olympic torch carried through Chicago last winter. I want the �brains� behind attacks of terrorism, in my country or any other, obliterated as much as the next guy does.
But I digress, if only slightly.
One of the foundations of patriotism is heroism. If there were no heroes, the idea of �doing for your country� would go right out the window. If no one else is willing to die, then neither am I.
Sure, we have the military. I�m not knocking them! Hell, I might even join if I weren�t a short-winded sissy.
But firemen are an enigma. Really think about the stigma of a firefighter. �Fireman� is still one of the most common replies to the absurd question, � What do you want to be when you grow up?� � at least among those under seven. Is it because of the stupid hats? It could be, children are wonderfully strange. But I think it�s more than the hats, more even than the nifty trucks and the sirens.
What children�s story doesn�t have a Hero?
And if we take away the heroism of our firemen, what is left? Who can we look up to or aspire to be? I know for a fact that there is a severe shortage of Princes, and no matter how many children may want to be president, only one is elected every four years.
We should encourage our children to be heroes, of whatever kind they choose. And firemen are America�s �Hero Template.� Don�t take that away.
No matter how important chain-of-command may be, no one should ever go against their instinct to do good; to save someone�s life. Firemen know that they put their own at risk every day. Please. Let them.
**For the sake of simplicity, I have used the masculine throughout � �Fireman,� �Hero,� etc.**
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