Note: The response by Daphne Fire Department to three house fires that occurred on Aug. 21, all within one hour, has drawn criticism from some in the community.

Since the days before the bucket brigades in New Amsterdam, firefighters have faced scrutiny in the public eye. “You weren’t here fast enough,”or “You should have done more,” have become longlasting statements that we all hear too often and must deal with even though we do our best.

Firefighting is a profession. There should be no boundary between a volunteer and a paid firefighter. We share the same objectives, and firefighters make every effort to provide the most successful outcome.

As time progresses, calls increase, the economy takes a downward spin, communities grow, firefighting standards increase, and the need for added services increases, volunteering becomes more difficult. This is especially true in areas like Daphne, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, where citizens are provided frontline advanced life support aside from the fire departments that provide basic life support and/or first response in addition to more technical services provided by our great county.

Firefighters do not just fight fire. They run medical calls and help your loved ones off the floor when they fall. They try to comfort you in a time of crisis. They ensure your child is safe in your vehicle. We teach you how to help save a life, and show you how to keep your homes safe. Your firefighters are here for you. 

On Sunday Aug. 21, three families were affected by dangerous storms that moved through Daphne. Two homes sustained significant damage, and one was lost. Almost instantly, after the story of these fires was first published, the negative comments began coming in.

The Daphne Fire Department was cited as going to the wrong location and not doing enough. It is difficult to prevent this problem when a caller cannot give a correct address or is calling from a cell phone. It is not taken into account that there are agencies coming in to Daphne that are not familiar with our streets. It is not taken in to account that communications becomes difficult when you have multiple calls with multiple agencies with multiple communications channels.

There have been comments that Daphne needs to “wake up.” There have been many comments that demonstrate a sense of urgency to belittle the intestinal fortitude demonstrated by all of the firefighters that responded Sunday. Still, we hold our heads high because we know we did everything within our means to try to help the unfortunate families. The emphasis should be placed in the fact that these families needed help. Rather than blasting the fire departments, we should come together as communities and see what we can do to help.

Ironically, one gentleman who lost everything came up and asked what he could do to thank us. It grips your heart when someone who just lost everything comes up to you and tries to thank you and ask what they can do for you. The response given to him was “you are safe, that is all the thanks we need.”

We do not do this with expectation for accolade. We do it because we indisputably care about you, even though we do not know you.

Daphne Fire Department runs three shifts, staffed by 12 firefighters at full staffing levels. On Sunday, there were only 10, which is common. The first structure fire that was dispatched was handled by Daphne firefighters. Fairhope Volunteer Fire Department was also responding as part of an automatic mutual aid agreement.

Once the second fire was dispatched, Fairhope was requested to respond to that fire. Additional fire departments were requested to respond as well to standby in Daphne for additional calls. Within a couple minutes of the second structure fire, a third was dispatched. Again, the responding mutual aid was diverted to that fire and calls went further out to additional fire departments to move in to Daphne to provide our citizens coverage. This triggered a ripple effect for several additional departments.

With the chaos of three structure fires being dispatched and the potential for more, the situation was handled as well as possible. Yet, Daphne is still scrutinized about what we could have done better, by those not directly involved. The issue lies with the fact that we had a complex situation and limited personnel in the beginning stages of this event. When we ask for help, we get it, and we got much support on Sunday.

Unfortunately, firefighters across the nation are taking hits left and right. Budgets are being cut, firefighters are being laid off, and volunteer services are losing membership. We are in soggy economic times but public safety should always remain at the forefront of any community service.

After the events of 9/11, firefighters were put on a pedestal; firefighters were commended for what they do. People opened their eyes and realized how every firefighter puts their own life at risk to save yours every time the bell goes off. Well, the candle quickly burned out. We went back in time and became a nuisance to budgets again; fire departments became an amenity rather than a necessity. Firefighters were, again, asked to do more with less.

I can only have hope that rather than throwing darts at your local firefighters, you can stop and consider all possible factors involved and give them the benefit of the doubt. They are doing everything they can with what they have.

I would like to thank all of the fire departments that assisted us and our neighboring departments by responding to our scenes Sunday, protecting our citizens, or moving in to your neighboring jurisdiction to help cover their citizens: Spanish Fort, Stapleton, Fairhope, Belforest, Barnwell, Loxley and Magnolia Springs Volunteer Fire Departments. We could have easily lost a life Sunday, but your teamwork and assistance provided the means to make sure everyone went home.

Joseph Holasz

Battalion Chief

Daphne Fire

Department