6 WINTER • 2012
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Carolina Fire Rescue EMS Journal
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The art of politics By Joe Palmer As a state association director, I am fortunate enough to be a participant in a number of issues involving political decisions at the local, state, and federal level. My involvement, more frequently than any contribution, is to listen, learn, and affect communication. This role has afforded me the unique ability to observe qualities of political strivings that my brothers and sisters within the fire service must necessarily and frequently exercise. It is from these observations that I would wish to offer my profession a few of those notes as we prepare ourselves in these
economically and socially challenging times to grasp the art of politics. The fire service must become engaged in the art of politics. More specifically, the fire service must become adept at functioning within the realm of a socio-political world that begins at the local level and trends to the federal. Comfortable ability must accompany the front line firefighter and the chief officer with fluency at the level at which one has expertise and experience. Fundamentally, every one of our folks must be able to convey a message — our message — to the
body politic. We must empower the entire department and fire service to be able to communicate with any politician at the level at which they may be encountered.To accomplish this feat, we need a few basic skills training reminders.
Always Tell the Truth I steal this, as I am so oft likely to do, from my friend Carter Jones. Carter speaks frequently about the need for honesty and purity in our message. As a bastion of trust and confidence, our occupation cannot stand irreverence or manipulation in the pure core and heart of our
messages. Firefighters, when talking to elected officials, simply need to say the truth, however painful it may superficially seem. Politicians are not blind to the stretched story, although anecdotally they may purportedly be proficient in its use. Speak only the truth or speak not at all. A tainted message will destroy the whole effort. It is better to say,“I don’t know” or “I’ll have to find that out for you,” than to offer something in conjecture when providing your perspective.You may not always have the most money in a fight, but you can have the truth for free.
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EMERGENCY LIGHTS ON THE SIDE SLIDING DOOR FOR CONSTANT HIGH VISIBILITY EVEN WHEN IT’S OPENED! EIGHT LED INTERIOR LIGHTS; MAXIMUM LIGHTING WITH VERY LOW ENERGY CONSUMPTION HIGH EFFICIENCY FUEL FIRED HEATING SYSTEM DELIVERS 100% OF ITS HEAT IN 2 MINUTES. SEPARATE A/C SYSTEM
INDUSTRY UNIQUE AERODYNAMIC FRONT CAB RISER AND REAR SPOILER WITH INCORPORATED LED WARNING LIGHTS DEMERS ELECTRONIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: MULTIPLEX LOCATED UNDER PASSENGER SEAT BASE FOR EASY ACCESS. ADDITIONAL SPACE IN THE REAR COMPARTMENT FOR EXTRA MOUNTING LOCATIONS ROUNDED INTERIOR CORNERS THROUGHOUT THE UNIT INDUSTRY UNIQUE HEADS-UP CONSOLE (HUC) INCORPORATED IN THE DASHBOARD
VERTICAL ERGONOMIC STOWAGE SPACE FOR TWO 18” BACKBOARDS AND ONE SCOOP STRETCHER; EASY REACH, EASY ACCESS
HIGH VISIBILITY YELLOW HEAD PROTECTORS AND GRAB BARS
MULTIPLE GLOVE BOX STORAGE OVER SQUAD BENCH
FLIP-UP ATTENDANT SEAT WITH THREE-POINT SEAT BELT
REAR VERTICAL STOWAGE SPACE FOR MAIN OXYGEN BOTTLE; EASY REACH, EASY ACCESS
GVWR 8,550 LBS (3,878 KG) WITH 2,091 LBS (948.5 KG) RESIDUAL PAYLOAD
ELECTRONIC LOW PRESSURE WARNING SYSTEM FOR THE MAIN OXYGEN CYLINDER
TYPE II DIESEL SPRINTER CAB CHASSIS FROM MERCEDES-BENZ WARRANTY: 5 years/96,000 MILES ENGINE (160,000 KM) AND 5 years/60,000 MILES POWERTRAIN (100,000 KM)
27 ½” REAR LOADING HEIGHT (74.44 CM) 2-PLACE SQUAD BENCH + CURB SIDE LOCATION FOR THE CARDIAC MONITOR MERCEDES EXCELLENT CRASH CHARACTERISTICS: HIGH STRESS-RESISTANT SYSTEM OF BEAMS AND HIGH-STRENGTH PASSENGER SAFETY CELL
ERGONOMIC STOWAGE LOCATION OF THE STAIR CHAIR; EASY REACH, EASY ACCESS
MERCEDES ADAPTIVE ESP; FIRST DRIVING DYNAMICS REGULATORY SYSTEM TAKING VEHICLE LOAD INTO ACCOUNT
POWERFUL NEW MERCEDES 3.0 LITER V6 TURBO DIESEL ENGINE. 188 HP @ 3,800 RPM 325 LBS FT OF TORQUE AT 1,400 - 2,400 RPM
DETAIL-DRIVEN SINCE 1960. Introducing the 2010 Mirage EX Sprinter, the new kid on the road that you’ll be hearing a lot about. For 50 years, Demers has been quietly, obsessively engineering ambulances with the kind of innovations that are changing the way we think about safety. Things like Demers-exclusive high-strength aluminum extrusion construction, the first heads-up console, and the Mirage EX Sprinter aerodynamic front cab riser and rear spoiler with incorporated LED warning lights, unique in the industry. Detail by detail, Demers has been raising the bar, in an industry where every detail matters. For more information contact: James
Olson at Affordable Ambulance, LLC Phone: 678-787-1900 Email: j.olson@earthlink.net Call 1-800-363-7591 or go to www.demers-ambulances.com
Sugar and Salt I believe strongly in my late granny’s adage that you get more with sugar than you do with salt. Insults, threats, and innuendos will get results very quickly but usually not the results you desire. Don’t offer stories of fatalities and tragedy. Only the weak minded are distracted, or attracted if that’s what you are after, by misfortune and coercive propaganda. Numbers and data coated in a layer of praline and presented on a platter of usefulness is my favorite. “Mr. or Mrs. Elected Official, here is what I have, where I got it, why I believe it, how you can use it, and the results it will bring.” We are a passionate lot. Our profession dictates the activities of our daily lives and often overrides our vision of our place within the community. All good attributes, but only to an extent. Emotions are important for motivation and drive but must be tempered with a larger social perspective for greater political impact and gain.
Speak the Home Language You are a voter and you are from somewhere.That somewhere has people and most likely an elected official.Tell the politician where you are from. Make a home front connection. Connect on a local level. Don’t be afraid to bring humanism and a local connection in to the conversation (if it’s real). Again, you are speaking to socially conscience persons who got where they are due to connectivity. Don’t snow them or they will snow ball you! You and your department/staff/family are a real part of Somewhere, USA.
Be Yourself Politicians see special interest groups all day long and obtain, purposefully or not, a demeanor to handle certain approaches from an individual or group. Don’t build up a wall with an unreasonable air or appearance. Be sincere, be yourself.You don’t have to come across as anything more than you are. God gave you your skill set, now use that set wisely.
Voting If you are not registered and you don’t participate, stay home. I need not say more. P.S. — this applies to your whole department. See POLITICS page 9