When a firefighter dies while trying to save another life, while tragic and unfortunate, is one thing. It calls for a thorough evaluation of tactics and department S.O.G.’s.
When 9 firefighters die for the preservation of a few pieces of furniture,there is no excuse. If Chief Thomas cannot determine when it is permissible to risk a firefighter’s life, he has no business being Chief.

If Mayor Riley cannot see this, I hope the voters can.

If the chief can’t run a safe fire scene how will he respond to natural disasters? His command and control unexceptable and if he does not step down others will be lost. Preplanning, ICS NIMS training, and tatics strategies would have saved these good men. I cannot believe he can function knowing that he is the boss and bears full responsibility that he cannot delegate. I also cannot believe that the men and women would continue to follow this guy. My department would not. We would make that loud and clear.

Be safe, remain professional regardless of department size paid or volunteer

The mayor will take care of his own. Else they might go down together. I wonder at what point he will consider Rusty a liability.

Mayor Riley, of course, has a long history of blind allegiance to Fire Chief Rusty Thomas, and it’s likely that the verbose mayor will simply say the city and Chief Thomas are doing the right thing, drilling down to address the training and safety needs of the department…blah, blah, blah. You’ve heard it all before.

In truth, the department’s major shortcomings in just about every important function (command, equipment, training, safety procedures) are a direct reflection on Thomas’s failed leadership and ignorance of current standards and his unflinching belief that he knows best.

Oh, and isn’t Riley running for re-election?