Welcome to Heroic Economy. This blog is devoted to building a 21st century fire service. We'll do that using economics to blow up old myths about firefighters and their profession in order to give us room to grow.
Why bother, you might ask? Isn't the job getting done well enough, as is -- and why pick on a hero?
Actually, no the job isn't getting done very well. The US is near the bottom of industrialized countries in fire rate, property loss, and deaths & injuries. As for that heroic firefighter, we kill more of his kind every year than any other country too, so if you really care about him, you should care enough to investigate the reasons why, and the courage to face some hard facts.
The work behind this blog began in 2003, and I've sat on my results for some years now. With 16 years in the fire service, it's time to publish. I figure the price of credibility is having a job to lose with a pension not yet secure. I also figure its likely to cost me other career opportunities, but that's how I put my money where my mouth is. With hundreds of live and billions of dollars at risk, I also have moral obligation to speak out. I didn't set out to challenge the conventional wisdom and senior leadership of my profession. I just set out to answer a simple question. If I can do it, so can you. This blog isn't for the lazy or the timid. It isn't for tradition-minded, criticism-averse pussies either. But if you're serious about reducing fire service casualties, it may be what you need to hear.
Next up: why I'm doing this and how I can do it as both a good union member and an HR professional. Essays on the need for change follow.
