I bet you thought this going to be about trashing this picture but this blog is going to be about why we do what we do. Not only operationally, but as people. By nature, everything and everyone is different. So why do we constantly have problems with differences and why do we have to be so negative about it? Everyone knows the saying "The two things firefighters hate most are change and the way things are". It's a very true statement.

I saw the assemblies pictured above recently and felt the need to get a picture because I didn't like it. Working in engineering and being a firefighter, I was not a fan of the installation. My reaction was to post the pic and give the setup a failing grade.

As I thought about what I was going to write, I started questioning why I felt the need to bash. At the end of the day, does it really matter? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, it's not worth the negativity. And why do I care if it doesn't impact me? I wouldn't expect a rural fire department to use the a major city's SOP's. They wouldn't apply to an area where there's a limited water supply and the tallest buildings are barns. Why would either side trash the way the other does things? It's all perspective

Personally, I would not design this arrangement or approve it's construction but someone did. Maybe they were happy with it or maybe they were directed to show it that way. I don't know so I shouldn't judge. And if it was a poor design, maybe someone learned from it so it didn't get repeated on future projects and the lesson was passed along to younger designers.

As a firefighter, I'm not a fan of this either but, again, that's my opinion. For all I know the local fire department wanted it this way and/or is OK with it. Who am I to judge? If they don't like it, hopefully someone understands why it could be a problem and made sure it didn't get repeated on the next building that was constructed. If they do their job and pre-plan like they should, they've already recognized the issue and have a game plan so they are prepared to deal with it. Problem solved.

I guess the bottom line is that there's enough negativity in the world, so why add to it? Ignorantly, you can just say something like this isn't your problem so who cares. Positively, you can look at it as a learning opportunity and a way to grow. In the end, my opinion doesn't really matter. I could offer some positive suggestions to improve and be polite without being negative. We get so much information from social media. There's a lot of good out there, but there's also a lot of bad. Don't add to the cesspool. Do something positive!

Be Smart - Stay Safe!