Historical Tidbits
by DONN BROOKS
There will be a nauseating post-mortem seeking to attach blame on the Bastrop fires. In the military, we call the procedure Lessons Learned. Surely we have learned a few lessons, but unless somebody comes up with a way to make it rain, the principal preventive weapon will be unavailable.
The Bastrop fire offers all the proof we need that public service is no proper venue for the settlement of grudges and massaging of egos.
It has not been long since the Austin Fire Department, following orders and policy, nearly let Pflugerville burn to the ground. It has been nearly 50 years ago, but Hays County and the City of San Marcos had a stupid brouhaha that resulted in an increase of fire exposure for all concerned.
I have joined in the complaints of lavish fire stations. If I were really pushed on the matter I would stick to my guns on these towers that seem to be totally useless. Still, we need to put fire apparatus somewhere, the firemen need a place to sleep and to eat, and by the time we crank in repair and training venues we will have large buildings.
We didn’t need those living quarters in the past. Until recent years service on volunteer fire departments was considered de rigueur for young men as they paid back to their communities.
But, firefighting is far more complicated these days, and volunteer firefighters have been supplanted by full-time firemen. These guys are trained to the nth degree and fire departments have evolved to fire and rescue agencies. Today’s firemen and women do far more than spread water. They are, at times, the first to show up in medical emergencies, brining in their blood-pressure apparatus and other medical gear.
We see firemen at virtually all traffic accidents, helping direct traffic and making sure that there is no spread of toxic materials. This is a good investment for public agencies, since the firefighters are already on the clock. The flashing lights on the fire apparatus serves to warn motorists of the accident. If you have not been a police officer investigating an accident and dodging cars you may not appreciate what I am saying.
Firefighting equipment is horrifically expensive, and there is not a city on the planet that can afford enough equipment to deal with a fire as large as Bastrop’s. We need to recognize that when one department takes personnel and equipment out of their bailiwick their own area of responsibility is left somewhat defenseless. This is not a case for profligate spending, but in the sort of event experienced by Bastrop there is no place for a consciousness of the budget. Job One must be putting out the fire. When the fire is over, the bills will remain and many localities simply cannot underwrite the expenses of an event of this magnitude.
Bastrop County and Bastrop Independent School District now have a diminished tax base due to the destruction of so much property, yet the expenses to government remain the same. How those governmental entities are going to pay their bills remains a question.
We need to have a serious ongoing discussion about fire issues, a dialogue that stays objective and forgets ego matters. It will prove to be a big chore.
