Being retired from Cal-Fire (the agency in California largely responsible for preventing and suppressing wildland fires. Though we also have a great number of 'City' fire departments as well). I get a weekly 'Retired Members' update. Mostly obituaries of retirees who have passed. But it also contains other items of interest to life long firefighters and first responders in general. Here is an analogy that came in the latest edition which I feel worth repeating.
Analogy from a retired wildland firefighter regarding the Coronavirus
As a retired battalion chief from California who fought wildland fires for 34 years, I have some experience in rapidly escalating emergencies, and I would like to share an analogy with everyone that may help put things in perspective for those who are resisting or ignoring social distancing recommendations.
I think it would help to look at the Corona Virus as an invisible wildfire. Each and every one of us represent the fuel that this wildfire could potentially consume. This wildfire will not discriminate based on age, race, religion, social-economic status, sexuality, your sexual identity or political affiliation.
When an incident commander arrives on a fast moving wildfire and realizes it’s advancing faster than the initial response can handle, they order an incident management team. These are highly trained people, expert in specific areas of addressing an overwhelming emergency, { that would be the CDC in this analogy } . The first thing the team does is transition from initial attack mode, to planning on a much larger scale. The team will start looking at where the fire will be tomorrow, where will it be 2 days from now, 2 weeks from now, { or in this case, months from now }. By looking days or weeks ahead, they attempt to get ahead of the fire, not forced to simply react to what it is doing now. This, many times, means implementing a plan that removes fuel from the path of the fire. A fire, starved for fuel, is much easier to contain. Remember, WE, you and I, are the fuel in this wildfire analogy.
Social distancing is an effective way of removing the fuel from this advancing fire {virus}. Most people would not put themselves in front of an advancing wildfire. Nor, hopfully, would they ignore the advice of a trained professional trying to help them. Yet, some people still seem resistant to the idea of social distancing recommendations from the CDC. Reasons vary, and can include financial concerns, simply not liking to be told what to do, and some my not have accepted the potential severity of the fire {virus}. But if you and I do not work together and realize that we are the fuel in the path of this wildfire. We may well be adding to the problem rather than being a part of the solution.
I can tell you that as good as our emergency response teams are. They cannot do the job alone. They are not simply generating edicts from their high tower. They are on the ground with men and women, putting their lives on the line to make a difference. It takes, sometimes, thousands of firefighters, cooperating government and civilian organizations, and a public citizenry that is willing to work within the plan, to subdue some very difficult and sometimes deadly wildland fires. It is my hope that we all start listening to the CDC guidelines. The CDC is not perfect. And there are many unknowns, just as in a wildland fire. But together, we can beat this.
The numbers of Corona virus cases are growing daily, as well as the deaths from this 'wildfire'. We can't save those already lost. But we can go a long way towards protecting those who are not yet affected. We all need to step up and do the right thing. I know that we can.
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