Thanks for your professional insights on this. After my initial outrage
subsided, and I realized I may have been overly jacked up on adrenaline (day
after), yeah I tried to begin giving the benefit of the doubt, and I hope
that it was reflected in my letter and in my conversation yesterday (the
initial email to the NANFA list was pure emotion).
I think that the Asst Chief wanted to tie up any loose ends if the public
perception was that they were exhibiting carelessness, and he did so in a
professional manner. I'm not sure what "suppression" means, but maybe
that's a tactic practiced to keep "cowboys" (like I may have appeared at the
time) calmed down.
But if they are as a department, concerned with public perception (and maybe
they're not, and that's their entitlement)... When I returned from my van,
they were all hanging on the rail of the bridge, hackin' loogies off into
the stream... I wouldn't exactly call that "back in service" :)
In any case, I feel confident if anything needs to be addressed in the
department, it will be. So enough about all that.... My only concern now is
how to prevent it in the future. And it may take citizen action to get the
ball rolling, which is what the Asst Chief seemed to imply with his own
concerns about the dam.
We'll see how we can handle this appropriately and effectively now that they
know who I am :)
Todd
----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Rego" <mummichog_at_naisp.net>
To: <nanfa_at_aquaria.net>
Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2003 9:55 AM
Subject: Re: NANFA-- The whole dam affair... Update
> Hi Todd,
>
> I am a firefighter and water/ice rescue diver for the fire department
in
> my community. I am glad you were in contact with the Asst. Chief in
regards
> to your incident. It's always best to get the scoop from those involved.
> My department carries blanket on all it's apparatus...whether it's an
> engine a ladder or a brush breaker. You never know when you'll need one.
> We also carry what you referred to as an element barrier, which typically
is
> a foil-like barrier intended to contain heat...great for swaddling newborn
> babies pre-hospital.
> Toledo is a much bigger department than mine. The "status qou"
> situation is commonplace in every department. Once we realize (whether
> en-route or on-arrival) that the scene has been stabilized or the incident
> no longer exists, we immediately go back into service (to be available for
> the next run). It's possible that Toledo was experiencing a busy day in
the
> city, and getting back into service was the main concern (after rescue,
> suppression, etc.). Some days it's busy w/back-to-back-to-back runs,
others
> not.
>
> Rick Rego
> MA.New England NANFA Rep.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Crail, Todd" <todd.crail_at_learnshare.com>
> To: <nanfa_at_aquaria.net>
> Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2003 9:37 AM
> Subject: NANFA-- The whole dam affair... Update
>
>
> > Greetings NANFAns,
> >
> > My follow up with the city et al concerning the near drowning at the
South
> > Ave dam has made it's way through some (most probably all) of the ranks.
> An
> > Assistant Chief of the Toledo Fire Department contacted me yesterday to
> hear
> > my side of the story and shed light on what his men's side of the story
> was.
> > I feel that it was handled very well, I am very greatful they made the
> > efforts that they did in such a timely manner, and plan to follow up in
> > another letter emphasizing my gratitude.
> >
> > I think Mr Binkley had it dead on in his response on the list... They
got
> > there and I'd already done what they were prepared to do, so yeah, they
> > _could_ relax. The Assistant Chief said that sure, it would have been
> nice
> > if they would have offered _something_ of a creature comfort... But that
> it
> > wasn't on their minds. For the last five minutes they had it in their
> minds
> > that they were going to be getting in the stream and pulling a child out
> of
> > it. When they saw this situation has dispersed, it was back to status
> > quo... And they're rescuers... Not nurturing care givers :)
> >
> > He also noted that they didn't have a blanket, as what I was thinking of
a
> > "blanket". They only carry thin plastic "element barriers" on the
> trucks..
> > Again, they could have offered a coat or something, but that wasn't what
> > they were there to do. They were there to pull a kid and the crazy
> fishguy
> > out of the water. ;)
> >
> > I was very satisfied with his explaination, paired with his emphasis
that
> > the force is very aware of this site, that he is in fact the fast water
> > rescue "guru" of the force, and that this may be a good opportunity to
go
> > over the site again with the surrounding stations.
> >
> > I hope that I emphasized enough that my outstanding concern in the whole
> > matter was that they weren't familiar with the dangers surrounding this
> > location, and not that I thought they were rude and not doing their job.
> > The primary concern has been reasonably waylaid by our conversation. I
> will
> > emphasize this in my return letter of thanks.
> >
> > The Assitant Chief has also offered to bear witness to the danger that
is
> in
> > Highland Park, to give credibility to any action I attempt to seek out
for
> > securing the site. It's apparently up to the Metroparks to do anything
> > about the site... He's offered to serve as a reference. I was very
> pleased
> > with his offer, and hope to at least get a fence in place around the
> > portions of the structure that could put anyone in danger.
> >
> > So we'll see if we can't get some definate positives to roll out of this
> > situation.
> >
> > I thought I should update you all.
> >
> > Todd
> --
> > /"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily
> > / reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes
> > / Association"
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> http://www.nanfa.org
-- > /"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily > / reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes > / Association" > / This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association > / nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word > / subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to > / nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to > / nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead. > / For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org /----------------------------------------------------------------------------- /"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily / reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes / Association" / This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association / nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word / subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to / nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to / nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead. / For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org