“Letter from the Director” Excerpt
MFSI remains extremely busy with positive programs moving forward and even more being planned for the future. I want to share a little passion with you, so bear with me, this is about vision, dreams, and reality. As Director, I have set many goals for MFSI and for the Maine Fire Service. We’ve made real progress in several areas, but sometimes it feels like building a sandcastle, what we build is strong, but the tide is always pushing against us. We all know MFSI can’t do everything we’d like, but our goals remain ambitious, and we want much more to come to fruition.
Here’s the truth: there’s a process and a system to how things get done, and it’s not as simple as calling our office and saying, “We need this, make it happen.” Anyone who has run a pump at a working fire knows the reality. When you’re already feeding three attack lines and an exposure line, running below 20 PSI residual, and command asks for another 1¾ to Side D, you have to say, “No sir, not without pumping the hydrant or bringing in another supply line. I’m tapped out.” The system only provides so much until reinforcements arrive.
That’s where MFSI stands today. We cannot deliver more until additional resources, in the form of personnel, are provided. Maine’s fire service leadership understands this, and we are working to move the needle. I ask you to trust us and trust the system. If you want to play a part, educate yourself, get involved with your stakeholder group, and join the fight for professional improvement. Work for the greater good, not just individual gain. [Read More in the October Issue]
Director Graves & Staff