Firefighters teach media, others, all aspects of job

From left, firefighter Mike Riggs, TV 24 reporter Rebecca Yancy and firefighter Wesley Dodgen remove rirefighter Kevin Duke from a simulated severe car accident on a gurney at Birmingham Fire Station 20 on Friday. The event was held by the Professional Fire Fighters of Alabama and the Alabama Fire College to help members of the media and others learn more about what firefighters do for a living.

John Davidson | Gadsden Times
Published: Friday, April 19, 2013 at 5:20 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, April 19, 2013 at 6:12 p.m.

BIRMINGHAM — Members of the media throughout East Alabama, a Homewood City Council member and others on Friday learned more about what firefighters do for a living.

The event took place at Birmingham Fire Station 20 in Ensley and was put on by the Professional Fire Fighters of Alabama and the Alabama Fire College. The goal was to foster better communication and understanding between the fire departments in the state and the public through the media.

The firefighters ran reporters and officials through three scenarios. First, they showed them how they pull a person from a badly damaged car using tools such as the Jaws of Life. Second, they had everyone don full firefighting gear and walk through the Fire College's burn trailer, turning up the heat to about 500 degrees. Finally, the medics interrupted lunch with a call for an unresponsive person, then walked the reporters from CPR on the scene to the back of the ambulance.

Alabama Fire College Director Allen Rice said he knew something needed to be done after a fatal accident on the interstate a short while ago. At that time, it was his fire department's policy to keep reporters at bay and offer them no comment on any situation.

His department's handling of the situation came back to bite them. The public was unaware the passenger in one of the vehicles was injured beyond saving, so bystanders believed they saw firefighters letting a man die.

Since the firefighters gave no comment, the reporters spoke to the observers and wrote their story based on their accounts of the situation, causing an unnecessary black eye for his department. After this, he knew policies had to change.

“We want to help the media and therefore the public better understand what it is we do,” Rice said. “That story became something other than it should have been.”

Events like these are not just to help the media understand, but also to teach elected officials as well. Homewood City Council member Vance Moody said getting a feel for what the firefighters do on a daily basis is very important, especially when it comes to budgets and the requirements for what firefighters need.

Gadsden Firefighter David Putman said he has spoken with Chief Stephen Carroll about having an event like this in Gadsden for elected officials. He said it's important because a lot of people don't understand why firefighters do what they do.

For example, Putman referenced a story by Professional Fire Fighters of Alabama President Steve Pegues where five firefighters were maintaining and painting hydrants. Since only two people are needed to paint, the other three stood by and waited. Pegues said people would stop and make derisive comments about what a waste of money it is having five men to do a two-man job.

Putman said that what those who drove by and made snide comments didn't understand was that the other three were there in case they received a more important call. Then they could all travel together and respond to the situation as quickly as possible.

He said he would love to do this for local officials so they could see why the department needs the funding it does, because they would be able to see how hard it is when things are at their worst.

“There's always a barrier, because I'm the local union president, and it's my job to ask for things or tell them not to take things away,” Putman said. “But if we're training together, we're working together.”


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