HARRY R. CARTER, Ph.D., MIFireE
Every once in awhile, the crush of a deadline, coupled with a story that
catches my eye, provokes an attack of absentmindedness in my life. Such a
scenario occurred when I was creating my May 11, 2001 commentary. Entitled, Hearing
the Voice of the Fire Service; I certainly did hear a voice calling.
I received an email from Chief Charles W. Jackson today, regarding the
very situation in Harvey, Illinois that I wrote about a few short weeks ago.
As it turns out, I let my emotions, and the pressure of a deadline, make me
do something I should not have done. I failed to fully research my source of
information. According to Mr. Phil Rockrohr of the Indianapolis Star,
in an article he wrote, he stated that the Fire Chief in that community had
thrown the union out of the fire stations in that city.
I reviewed the article, as written by Mr. Phil Rockrohr of the Indianapolis
Star and then went on to write a rather scathing condemnation of the Fire
Chief in that lovely, Illinois community. As a long-time union member, I was
incensed at his actions. Apparently, there were a number of other issues
involved, which were not mentioned in Mr. Rockrohr’s article in the Indianapolis
Star.
Folks, I did not do a complete job of research into this matter. I failed to
call Chief Jackson and check both sides of the story. Apparently, there is a
great deal of internal strife that has gone against Chief Charles W. Jackson of
Harvey, Illinois.
In a recent email message to Firehouse.com; Mr. Harold Schaitberger, General
President of the International Association of Firefighters; and yours truly, he
listed a number of pertinent points that he would like me to mention. Far from
Cro Magnon, it would appear that his educational credentials are top-notch.
In his message to me Chief Jackson stated that, " … I have risen
through the ranks at the Harvey Fire Department via competitive tests and highly
rated performance. Starting as a firefighter, I have been a Lieutenant, an
Acting Captain, a Deputy Chief, an Acting Chief and, now, Chief. Along the way I
have become qualified as an EMT-P and an Arson Investigator, and have earned
State certification as Firefighter I-II & III, Fire Officer I & II, a
Fire Science Certificate, an Associates Degree in Fire Science, a Bachelor’s
Degree in Psychology and a Masters Degree in Public Administration.
Unfortunately, this did not mean all other department members accepted
me. In our department, nearly all the firefighters are White, including all
Union officers, and I am African-American.
Had you investigated the allegations you leveled against me you would have
learned that the City and Fire Department administrators believe that some
firefighters are abusing the privileges and contract benefits provided to them.
For example, you would have learned that the City took away the privilege of
holding Union meetings on the City’s property only after a meeting got out of
hand with the result that two African-American City Aldermen were insulted and
placed in physical danger at one such meeting to which they had been invited.
You would have learned that an employee was denied sick leave because our
Union contract provides pay for absences only when a firefighter, himself, is
ill and not when the absence is due to the illness of a family member. An
arbitrator upheld the City’s position in that case.
And, you would have learned that the City denied paid leave for death in the
family because the deceased did not fit within the contractual definition of
immediate family member. Obviously, Mr. Carter, anyone can file a grievance or
write an article, and the mere existence of either does not mean that everything
contained within them are true."
Ladies and gentlemen, as a well respected and reasonable journalist, I must
admit to hamartia as charged. A failure to fully research any topic is one of
the most egregious sins that a journalist can commit.
Twice, earlier today I spoke with Chief Jackson on the phone. During our
telephone conversations, I offered my apologies to Chief Jackson and he
graciously accepted. I would like to formally offer my apologies to Chief
Jackson in this public venue for not having done my job as a journalist. I am
looking forward to having dinner with Chief Jackson at the coming International
Association of Fire Chiefs Conference.
Related:
The commentary in this column does not necessarily reflect those of Firehouse.Com, Firehouse
Magazine, their employees or parent company Cygnus Business Media.
Harry R. Carter, Ph.D., MIFireE, is an internationally known municipal
fire protection consultant and contributing editor to Firehouse Magazine. He recently retired as a Battalion Commander with the Newark, New Jersey Fire Department.
His commentary appears regularly on Firehouse.Com. For more commentary and information,
visit Carter's web site at www.harrycarter.com
Harry has published several books available for online ordering, including
Firefighting Strategy and Tactics
and Management in the Fire Service
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