Going Defensive Doesn't Mean Defeat
Over the last couple of months, two area fire chiefs made the decision to go "defensive" while attacking two large fires. Back in May in Eveleth, Eveleth Fire Chief Steve Sklors decided that the fire going through the roof structure of a beer and liquor warehouse no longer warranted an aggressive interior attack and an exterior defensive position was far better and safer. And in June, Duluth Assistant Fire Chief Mitch Peterson made the decision that a defensive attack was necessary as fire raced through a wood products building.
To some of those in the public, going to a defensive course of action means defeat. It means that the fire department "lost" the fire and is now retreating. To them, it is a sign of giving up. Those of us in the fire service know differently. It means that we have evaluated the situation, weighed the options and put public and firefighter safety up in front, where they belong. Life safety comes first, the rest is all secondary.
There are likely some out there who will criticize the actions of the two fire chiefs. But, here's an interesting and sometimes overlooked fact from both fires. All of the firefighters went home to their families when the fires were out. No one was killed. No one was injured. End of story!