FIRE ENGINEERING EDITORIAL CARTOON

I LOVE Fall!! I love everything about it, except for the allergies, of course – but even they’re tolerable with the incredible beauty of a Great Lakes Autumn!!

However, seeing multi-colored leaves carpeting the ground also brings to mind the ever increasing mounds of paperwork and documentation that accompany our jobs as firefighters – whether career or volunteer. This commentary came to me while out on a country run. I saw a couple raking their leaves and they were literally up to their waist in fallen foliage. It was comical – and made for a great metaphor (always looking for a great metaphor) about the ever-present pile of paper that weighs down the firehouse desks – especially chief, inspection, and training officers.

Enjoy Fall, everyone – it goes by too quickly!!