Understanding the Unique Discourse of the American Fire Department By: Nathan Breton Professor: Dr. Andrus

Introduction This research project will seek to decipher the unique Discourse of the Fire Department and question its value to society. Throughout my career at the University of Cincinnati it was required to find a mentor who is an active firefighter. I have worked closely with firefighter John Donahue of the Delaware, OH Fire Department. I interviewed him regarding this subject and analyzed some related online articles.

WEEK 7 ONLINE BENNETT "It is important to have a universal language in the fire service because many large-scale incidents will require the implementation of the Incident Command System. This is an organized way for different communities can come together through mutual aid agreements, and help each other in a time of need. Depending on the scale of the emergency, aid may come from as far as on the other side of the country, or there may even be international aid. This means that people from different 'discourses' will be coming together who may use different terms and procedures. What the ICS is train emergency services personnel to use the same terminology and procedures so that when there is a large scale emergency, members from different communities can come together and communicate effectively and battle the emergency more efficiently, ensuring property and life loss is minimal." Why Do You Think it's Important to Have a Universal Language for Fire Departments Across the Country?

Is it Important to Separate Your Home Primary Discourse and Your Professional Discourse? "Lawsuits have reached epidemic status in government departments, including the Fire Service. I believe much of these lawsuits stems from members of the Fire Service forgetting that when on the job, they are supposed to be leaders in the community and set an example of equality, humility, and professionalism for the rest of the community. Firefighters forget this, and behave like they might with their friends or family when on the job. And due to the fact that fire departments no longer consist of "several generations of white men" (PBS Web Site) and are becoming more diverse, sometimes jokes and misbehavior can lead to lawsuits involving sexual harassment and racism. These lawsuits cost the community millions in tax dollars and are inhibiting the development and success of a 'Community Literacy'.

Why is it Important to Include the Scientific Method in All Fire Incident Reports? "Many Fire Incident reports will become evidence in courtroom trials and lawsuits. In order to accept evidence as expert testimony, it must be presented in a scientific presentation. This is why all Fire Investigation reports must include the Scientific Method. This consists of seven parts: Recognizing the Need, Defining the Problem, Collecting Data, Analyzing the Data, Developing a Hypothesis, Testing the Hypothesis, and Selecting the Final Hypothesis." Once again, it is clear that conforming to a defined Discourse enables the Fire Service to work more effectively and communicate more efficiently with other professionals.

Why is it Important for your Fire Department to Develop SOG's and SOP's? "It is important to develop effective Standard Operating Procedures and Standard Operating Guidelines so that every member of the Fire Department (Community Discourse), understand the goals of the Fire Department and how to attain them. These guidelines ensure that every member is on the same page when performing their duties. Also, it aids in lawsuits, due to the fact there is a law that states firefighters can't be filed a lawsuit against if they were performing the duties to the best of their capabilities. Firefighters need to simply produce evidence that they were following the SOG's or SOP's and they will be safe from being sued and fired."

Final Thoughts In closing, it is ultra-apparent that sometimes it is important to have separate, exclusive Discourse in society. Sometimes, Discourses should only allow certified and properly educated individuals entrance, in order to abide by the law and ensure civil rights. The Fire Service requires a special language in order to efficiently operate in accordance to laws and enable aid to come from different regions, cultures, and even other countries. And it is important to separate the Discourse from its member's personal discourse in order to ensure equality and civil rights in every Fire Department.

Bibliography FEMA Web Site. Fire Protection Engineering Magazine Web Site. PBS Web Site. Diversity in the Fire Service. United States Fire Administration Web Site. Guide to Developing Effective Standard Operating Procedures for Fire and EMS Departments.