What I've Learned...: Thoughts from a Fire Chief

By William C. Richmond

This book is a must read little gem for those now in organizational leadership or management positions or for those with aspirations to fill them. It is particularly relevant for individuals in the emergency operations field or those in military type organizations. Regardless of what discipline the reader may strive or practice in, there is something for all within these pages.

The author draws from his own personal experiences as well as from those he has worked for or with in capturing the quotes offered here. His twenty-eight years in the Philadelphia Fire Department, where he held progressively more responsible positions in both line and staff assignments, provided the framework and proving grounds for this effort. It is his hope that those who browse these pages will find an answer to a particular problem or problems perplexing them or at least a guideline to approaching a solution.

The book may be read straight through or absorbed and digested in much smaller bits, and the reader is invited to take whatever he or she finds here of value to them and put it to whatever use they see fit.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jan 11, 2008
• ISBN: 9780595912902

William C. Richmond

William C. Richmond spent twenty-eight years in the Philadelphia Fire Department where he held every rank rising from Fire Fighter Recruit to Fire Commissioner; head of that department. He served in both line and staff positions and as Commissioner commanded some of Philadelphia?s most noted fires including Harrison Court, the Second MOVE Confrontation, Chevron Refinery and the Coral Street Fire that resulted in ten fire deaths and led to residential smoke detector legislation. After retiring he worked thirteen years with a local law firm where he coordinated the investigation of major fire losses and other disasters. He is presently a Senior Management Consultant for TriData Corporation in Arlington, VA where he has participated in forty plus studies and/or evaluations of fire departments in twenty states, the District of Columbia and Canada. He has had published over sixty articles on fire service management, training and operations as well as contributing two articles to Firehouse Magazine on the ?Second MOVE Confrontation? and the ?Rising Sun Baptist Church Fire?. He has lectured at the graduate and under graduate levels at Saint Joseph?s University and Holy Family University on numerous occasions as well as at a number of fire related seminars. Mr. Richmond makes his home in the Philadelphia area and is now semi-retired.

Book preview

What I’ve learned…

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Thoughts from a Fire Chief

William C. Richmond

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What I’ve learned…

Thoughts from a Fire Chief

Copyright © 2007 William C. Richmond.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Credit for the file cover graphic goes to: Philadelphia Fire

Department—Visual Communications Unit

ISBN: 978-0-5954-7006-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-0-5959-1290-2 (e)

iUniverse rev. date: 04/17/2019

On June 25, 2018 Bill Richmond peacefully passed from this earthly world after a long battle with cancer. Bill was at home and surrounded by his family. I have no doubt the angels rejoiced and escorted him to paradise. It has been my pleasure to reprint his book with the minor corrections as he desired. While the effort was not large in scope, it was extremely emotional as many of the words and thoughts contained here were versions of the fundamentals and principles he instilled upon me throughout my childhood, early adult years and well into adulthood. Through this activity I was afforded a wonderfully rewarding opportunity to reflect, reminisce, laugh and cry with my Dad’s spirit close by my side. I am thankful beyond words for his unconditional love, wisdom, guidance and unwavering support.

Elephant Shoes Dad. I miss you.

Kelly O’Brien

To the two primary constants in my life: my wife, E. J., and my daughter, Kelly. They aren’t firefighters, but they know what it meant to me to be one. I love them both and I thank them for always being there for me ...

And to Philadelphia firefighters of the past, present, and future. They just don’t come any finer. Each of these groups has forged, or will forge, its own links of continued dedication and service into a chain of sterling performance and golden accomplishment that every Philadelphian has come to know, expect, rely on, and appreciate. This has been the case since March 15, 1871, and I’m sure it will continue to be so far into the future.

September 11, 2001, is long gone, but it will never be forgotten by those of us, however far removed, who share in the deep sorrow of that day. It is with profound and honored respect to the memory of the 343 New York City Firefighters who laid it all on the line that day I offer this special dedication.

Contents

Preface

Leadership

Management

Operations

Training

Fire Prevention

General

Ending Remarks

About the Author

Preface

It is a fair question to ask any writer the basis for his or her presumption that he or she is qualified to offer advice or guidance in a particular discipline. In the present case, a number of reasons could be offered in response to that query, but I will resort to only one. I served twenty-eight years in the Philadelphia Fire Department holding every rank from basic recruit to head of that department. I have responded to literally thousands of fires, ranging from grass along the highway to a building fire that went to twelve-and-a-half alarms. I have also experienced many fires where fatalities––one to eleven––have occurred. My credentials are that I have crawled the hallways, I have chipped ice off of my running gear, and I have cried