The Cost of Safety
We can easily get into endless and fruitless debates on defining what exactly Homeland Security is and the best strategy to achieve its objectives. Should we simply accept the Department of Homeland Security’s assertions that it’s missions are preventing and enhancing security, securing and managing our borders, enforcing and administering our immigration laws, safeguarding and securing cyberspace, and ensuring resilience to disasters?
These efforts without a doubt are a necessary components of America’s homeland security strategy but are they sufficient? What knowledge are we missing? Where are we failing to act upon with urgency? Are our personal, political, and professional vanities getting in the way of addressing other issues that could be flying under our radars? Are we flying blind?
I am definitely guilty of the all these shortcomings. Despite my experience in various civilian research institutions and the combination of twenty years of military and civil service experience, I am not as smart as I like to think I am. I, unfortunately, am part of the problem. Take for instance my very flawed understanding of fires and their broader policy implications. I used to simply view fire as a chemical reaction between oxygen, fuel, and heat. Fire follows the laws of chemistry; stop the chemical reaction and you kill the fire. On the surface, firefighting appears to be a relatively straightforward affair. Until recently, it had never occurred to me that firefighting and fire safety could be a significant public policy concern at the national level.
Thankfully, some of my acquaintances within the fire service have very quietly and professionally taught me the error of my ways. I have learned that structure fires have grown more dangerous over time.
Fires are now burning hotter and faster than ever due to the increasing use of synthetic materials for building construction, furniture, and household items. Additionally, new lightweight construction methods are making buildings more prone to collapse during fire conditions. We may think we have tamed fire, but this is, in a reality, an illusion we accept at our own peril.
Firefighters are responding to these challenges, but it is arguably coming at too high of a cost. The U.S. Fire Administration in its Fire Fighter Fatalities in the United States in 2014 estimated that from 2000 to 2013 there were between 2–5 firefighter fatalities for every 100,000 fires. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for firefighters to experience post traumatic stress disorder due to their constant training and response to tragic emergencies.
Finally, firefighters have higher rates of cancer than the average person due to their exposure to chemicals.
My firefighter friends and their colleagues are paying tremendous costs in order for us to live safely. Unfortunately, many of us are not fully aware of this sacrifice.
