Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com
Just today I was talking with some folks and in the course of conversation the topic of how well various public safety members get along was brought up. There was a belief put forth that police officers and deputies don't tend to get along with firefighters all that well, and that firefighters don't tend to get along so well with EMS Responders. I took issue with that.
While I've seen situations wherein firefighters didn't get along with one another - such as disputes between firehouses that got out of hand - I can't recall ever seeing a situation wherein firefighters and cops got into it. Sure, we all disagree about something, but to actually start throwing fists? Think about it: that would be an ugly fight: firemen with axes, haligan tools, sledge hammers... cops with nightsticks, OC Spray, TASERs,
GUNS... Have you ever seen a fight like that? Who would respond to that call for service? and how?
I've done, except for my time as a Military Policeman, all of my police work in Maryland. Here, the fire service is mostly volunteer and the same people who ride the firetrucks also ride the rescue squads and the ambulances. There is no division or line between them. Obviously there can be no dispute between two groups when it's really only one group. As to the police or deputies? Yeah, we're a different group of people, but I've always extended professional courtesy to firefighters. Why? Purely selfish reasons: When I'm laying in the street with a bullet hole somewhere in my body, I want them to be motivated by professionalism AND friendship to save my life. I don't want them to be emotionally detached.
Maybe I'm wrong for feeling that way. But to me, we all wear a uniform. We all do public safety work. The days of separated groups, each serving a specific need, are past. I think September 10th, 2001 was the last day that type of thinking was acceptable - if even up until then.
Public safety is a mission that requires more than JUST cops or JUST firemen or JUST EMS responders. It requires all of those, and more, working cohesively together to provide seamless service in a professional fashion.
Don't you think?
