OPINION — In regard to the recent St. George News article, “Firing firefighters creates new flames in dispute between Ivins and Santa Clara,” Fire Chief Andrew Parker is doing the right thing – plain and simple.
Though I respect and appreciate our volunteer firefighters, it’s time to step up and become current with the times. Our cities in Southern Utah are not what they were two – five – 10 – 15 years ago. I know we want to think we are a small hometown community, but the truth is we are growing at an unprecedented rate.
City leaders need to rethink their position and go to full-time firefighters, which can be augmented with volunteers in a limited capacity/role. Like doctors, full-time firefighters are held to higher standards of continuous education like anyone in the medical field. We must meet certain training standards and specific qualifications or run the risk of loss of life, property or environment.
I have all the respect for our city leaders. But I have a question to the council or anyone reading this: “If you needed heart surgery, would you go to a foot surgeon who works on feet four days a week and then performs ‘some’ heart surgeries on Fridays?” The answer is no. You would want to go to a heart surgeon who is 100% dedicated to being a heart specialist. I do not think I need to elaborate here more than that.
Additionally, firefighters are mandated by fire service institutions such as the National Fire Protection Association or OSHA and other state and federal mandates to protect our firefighters and communities served. An example is the association’s “two in – two out” rule.
This provision requires that at least two firefighters enter the “Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health” atmosphere and remain in visual or voice contact with each other at all times. It also requires that at least two employees be located outside the atmosphere, thus the term, “two in/two out.”
Failure to comply with these mandates can result in hefty fines, even more so if not in compliance and a firefighter or civilian gets injured or dies – lawsuits could cost millions. This is one example of many that fire service personnel must comply with. Don’t bend over dollars to pick up pennies.
Secondly, the world is changing daily – and not for the better. Firefighters are responding to more complex incidents that require mutual aid. One city provides assistance to another during large complex incidents. Conversely, when the city sends resources for mutual aid, the city in return will get mutual aid when (not a matter of if – but when) they need assistance. We see wildfires taking communities down multiple times each year.
We see multiple shooting incidents in some of this country’s smallest communities to large metropolitan cities. Extremists desire to kill and destroy our country. And every community is at risk. One out of 5 people is diagnosed with mental illness. Highly trained full-time firefighters are necessary to meet the dynamics changing in our world daily.
City leaders have two options.
- If you want to maintain a small-town, grass-roots feel, place a moratorium on development. You should be doing this anyway, as we are in the most severe drought ever. Does supply and demand resonate with you?
- If you want to grow these communities you need to provide the adequate public safety and infrastructure needed for these demands.
The cities in Southern Utah are growing. We need to either keep current with the growth and demands or stop growing – it’s that simple.
Submitted by SAM DiGIOVANNA, St. George.
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