Charleston Fire Department Command Staff In Need Of Overhaul

A little more than a month from now the second anniversary of the Sofa Super Store Fire will be observed. Since the fateful day in June of 2007 a new President has been elected changing the way American's look at leadership. In Charleston, however, the change is hardly felt.

Though firefighters began to change the way the department ran there have been clear indications Charleston's leadership issues still exist. From questionable promotions to actions on the fireground that reveal a command level ignorance the change at the top is measured in millimeters.

It's not just poor decision making in uniform but some of the same actions existing prior to June 18, 2007 that are once again the norm rather than the exception. Questionable decisions by Tom Carr's command staff have eroded firefighters faith in his ability to actually run the department any differently than his predecessor.

We will discuss this further in today's podcast.

Comments

[Chuckie]

If you thought it was bad under Rusty try getting anything done now.The whole department is run by two people and both of them are idiots.Ask about the last fire we had cause there should be some interesting video out there.have a cold one for me.

[FireCap]

Things are changing and there'll be a new sheriff in town soon.

[FDCHIEF]

Its a new era with the same good ole boy system.

[uk-fb-buff]

Firecap, I've written a lot recently about
Chief Tom Carr and his personnel selections.

The "New Sherriff", John Tippett from what I've heard may be the one to shake things up.

Here's a "Head's Up" for everyone to keep in mind.

Over the past three weeks I've spent a lot of time attending FF Near Miss/ LODD After Action Reviews.

Two Items that stick out are:

A. An incomplete 360 walk around was not completed or feedback from another Engine/FF able to view the "C" side was not undertaken.

A lot of the fires started outside of the structure, and burned in to it.

i. Vallarta Market, LA, Calif.
ii. Southwestern Market, Phoenix, Ariz.
iii. Loudon Co., Va.
iv. Prince William Co. Va.
v. SSS Fire in Charleston, SC.

In some instances "Wind Events" may have played a part of the Incident in it's final outcome.

B. A Mayday is usually called within in the First Six Minutes of the Incident.

Stay Alert and Act Decisively on what the Smoke and Fire are telling you.

[GLB]

Well that'll be great if Tippett comes in and cleans up some things because lately Chiefs seem to take more advice from SOME of these brown nose kiss a#! captains instead of using there own intellect. (Wait a minute...its the blind leading the blind still...enough said) Every one supposively thinks they know how to do this job so well, but you still end up looking like s%@! because every one has there own way of doing things...Good ole boys never die...Yeeee hawwww!!!