HOW WHITE IS YOUR HELMET?

摘要

I wrote this editorial almost 10 years ago: "Are you a fire chief with the fire under control or a portfolio under your arm? Is your salty turnout coat as easily within reach as your briefcase? "How white is your helmet? When was the last time you responded to a fire? Are you a leader of firefighters or a vassal to those who beat the political drums? "In recent history, the fire service has, out of necessity, refashioned its image of the successful fire chief—one that emphasizes the chief as an extension of city hall rather than an extension of the crew making the long, hot hallway. This change has its advantages for the chief required to swim in shark-infested waters. But there are drawbacks, too—most notably, the deemphasis on firefighting tradition at a time when the fire service can least afford it.