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December 09, 2006
Remembering the Chief
“He was the best Chief in the department’s history,” an L.A. Firefighter said, shaking his head as he stared into his cup of coffee. I was sitting in the office at an L.A. fire station and we were talking about the importance of learning from the past - about applying things we’ve learned to new situations and how often people fail in that regard. “The L.A. Times said he (the Chief) was an innovator one week, then talked about all of the problems when he resigned,” another firefighter said.
A Difficult City to Protect
The City of Los Angeles is one of the most difficult environments to protect from a fire and emergency services point of view. The combination of a huge harbor, airport, high rise buildings, brush, traffic, and congested living areas, not to mention the overall sprawl of the place are unique. The L.A. Fire Department has always had to deal with rapid growth, and being the chief of the department is not a job most people would aspire to. “It’s not a job for anyone who doesn’t have thick skin,” my firefighter friend at the table said.
Media Coverage
There have been plenty of newspaper accounts about the Chief and his time in office, one reporting, “In a decade under him the department has multiplied in personnel and equipment and grown in effectiveness as a fire-fighting and fire-prevention force, until it takes rank with the best in the land. The chief never has been satisfied with merely putting out fires when they have started; he has worked even harder to drill his force in the art of preventing fires, and teaching that art to citizens.”
Power of Politcs
Yet, politics in Los Angeles is a powerful animal. The city commands tremendous attention and has for more than 100 years. City leaders have often gone on to other powerful positions in business or politics and the media in L.A. has been unrelenting in its competitive reporting and editorial.
“So, it was no surprise that politics played a role in the chief resigning?” I asked my firefighter friends. “Of course not,” they both replied. I found it compelling that the job involves so much more than firefighting and the prevention of fire. “Even after serving the city for 30 plus years, at the end, a single incident created enough of a political and media scandal that he had no choice, did he?” I said. We all sat there for a moment, letting that reality sink in.
The Chief's Own Words
I thought back to a printed quote from the Chief that I’d read some time back and I looked it up in my laptop computer (as I’m producing a documentary on the department, there’s a reason to keep such things). I smiled a bit when reading it: "The whole system starts with the California State Constitution and then comes down to our own Los Angeles City Charter. Next comes the mayor, who has jurisdiction over the entire department. Under him is the fire commission, composed of members appointed by the mayor and composed of (individuals) whose duty it is to supervise the department activities.
"Next in the line is the chief engineer, or fire chief, the position I occupy. My duties are administrative as I serve as a sort of general manager for the entire department.” The Chief’s words were powerful. Department policy is managed by the Chief, but is implemented and determined by a greater circle of authority. And making changes isn’t always an easy task, although this Chief made more changes and got more programs through the political process than perhaps any other.
And then, there are the Chief’s own words, which echo through the streets, the corridors of every important building and even City Hall. “There is nothing especially heroic about fighting fires,” he said. “Of course, it is not a game for a fellow who holds back when danger lurks. If you don't go into a blazing building, even needlessly, the public is critical, and, sometimes, if you do go in, you're a damn fool.
“Both my (firefighters) and myself consider traffic hazards in getting to fires greater than those that develop at the conflagration. You have no idea of the sinking feeling you get when being driven down a street at 60 miles an hour and some motorist ignores the law and drives out in front of you.
“I've been around gasoline-filled railroad tank cars that were about to burst from heat--just to mention one form of danger.Well, it is the department's duty to do something--and quickly. We don't get paid for running away, letting the explosion occur, and possibly kill 200 or 300 people. Men who fail to realize this responsibility as a part of their job don't last long in the department.
“It is my sincere hope that my successor will be a man of great capabilities, and one in whom the public and department personnel have the utmost confidence.”
I read the words aloud and another firefighter stopped and asked, “Chief Bamattre said that?” I smiled and said, “Did you think we were talking about Chief Bamattre? Not at all,” and we all laughed. “We’ve been talking about Chief Ralph J. Scott, who retired on April 1st, 1940.”
History does have a way of repeating itself.
ED NOTE: This article is not intended to create an impression (positive or negative) about current command structure or positions. It is a real-world account of a dialog and the history of a past Chief Engineer of the LAFD. The message that we might take from this article is that history will repeat itself, if we do not take steps to learn from and remember the past.
Posted by dbarrett at December 9, 2006 10:50 AM
Comments
Wow. You really had me hook, line, and sinker. What a great story. I'm glad the museum has published this story. It should be a valuable lesson for all of us.
Posted by: Marci Goldman at December 9, 2006 05:05 PM
David,
Thanks for the truly thought provoking article.
I've taken the liberty of linking to it from the LAFD News & Information blog.
It is my hope that those with a genuine interest in Los Angeles (and Fire Service) history will take time to visit the LAFD Museum and Memorial and related facilities.
In the meanwhile, I'd encourage your blog visitors to read more about Chief Scott, a man poorly understood by his contemporaries but now widely recognized as one of the greatest Fire Chiefs in American history.
Respectfully Yours in Safety and Service,
Brian Humphrey
Firefighter/Specialist
Public Service Officer
Los Angeles Fire Department
Posted by: Brian Humphrey at December 10, 2006 06:32 PM
Great story. It just goes to show that people often make judgments based on limited information. This story really puts the issues of being chief of any major department into perspective.
Posted by: Bob Norris at December 10, 2006 09:44 PM
It just goes to show that city politics don't change all that much. It also means we're very lucky to have the professionalism of the LAFD to assist us. I have not been to the museum, but because of this story, I will visit it now. I want to learn more about the LA fire department.
Posted by: Roberto Romerez at December 10, 2006 09:46 PM
What was the political issue that led to Chief Scott leaving office?
Posted by: Mark Synder at December 10, 2006 11:33 PM
Great article, David. I think I knew who you were writing about before it became clear.
And to Mark Synder, as I recall, it was the same issue(s) with which both Chief Donald Manning and Chief Bamattre tried to reckon.
Posted by: Dean Cathey at December 11, 2006 12:29 AM
With regard to Chief Scott, the turmoil that created such drama for the chief and the department related to a "pay for promotion" scandal that tore through the department and city government. For a fee, promotion prospects could have their test results altered to help secure their promotions.
Many people believed the scam was organized by Joe Shaw, on behalf of the political aspirations of then Mayor Frank Shaw. At the height of the political drama, many firefighters and citizens couldn't understand why Chief Scott didn't, "attack the problem head-on." It was thought that he would be out of office and the department's name forever tainted.
In reality, Chief Scott did take action. He did not, however, tell the Mayor or the media as he wanted to find the individuals responsible and did not trust the office of the mayor. Many culprits admitted their involvement when interviewed by the Chief and the result was a recall election.
Mayor Shaw was voted out of office on September 26, 1938. He was replaced by Superior Court Judge Fletcher Bowron, who committed to taxpayers that he'd get to the bottom of the scandal.
It is believed that Chief Scott turned over his entire investigation to the new mayor, and shortly thereafter, Shaw's brother Joe and another civil service employee were charged with 66 counts of altering public documents. They were convicted, but the jury's decision was overturned and they went free. The mayor was never charged.
Chief Scott never got over the incident and it was directly related to his decision to retire. During the heat of the political firestorm, the public and media called for the Chief's head and forgot all of his remarkable contributions to the city and its citizens. Once the smoke cleared, it became clear he was not the bad manager the papers made him out to be, and his reputation, over the course of a few years, was restored. Fireboat 2 was renamed the Ralph J. Scott in his honor on Fire Service Day in 1965.
Of some note was the extensive newspaper coverage of the incident around the country. LA was known for clean politics and a drama-free fire department. It's a reputation that for the most part, has continued for many years.
Posted by: David Barrett at December 11, 2006 01:14 AM
A single incident did not bring Fire Chief Bamattre down. Read the two audits, the complaints in the growing number of lawsuits that name him personally, UFLAC's criticisms, the outcry from the rank and file at the two public hearings, etc., etc. Good try.
Posted by: Jack Schneider at December 11, 2006 03:19 AM
Just for the record: The article is not about Chief Bamattre per se. It's about a previous LA Fire Chief and the issues any Chief faces.
The issues related to Chief Bamattre are not topics the LAFD Museum or this website will cover - at least not until there is some distance and his time in command becomes of historical note. Remarks related to Chief Bamattre and policy within the LAFD can be communicated directly to the department.
Posted by: David Barrett at December 11, 2006 04:09 AM
Whhhaaaaaaaaattt?
D. Cathey said .......LA was known for clean politics and a drama-free fire department. It's a reputation that continues to this day.......
You're kidding, right?
Posted by: Sean Cullen at December 13, 2006 01:33 AM
Sean -
We try to keep things in this website in a historical perspective - so current politics is something we will try to avoid. However, you bring up a good point in your message above. The quickest answer is that politics by definition isn't "clean" and civil service organizations, again by practical definition, aren't "drama free."
Having written that, the "reputation" of the LA Fire Department, when compared to other major departments, has been highly regarded (historically). No joke. And, there is a difference between reputation and reality as well!
Historically, the LAFD has faced numerous dramas, and the article on Chief Scott is representative of exactly that type of political fracas. In fact, there have been many dramas, ranging from race relations to pay-for-promotion and other issues. Yet, throughout these events, the LAFD has maintained the highest level of professionalism relative to the public it serves.
It's easy to sit at a keyboard and pound out an opinion. As stated previously, we will try to remain focused on historical issues that are of interest to our members and the public at large.
Posted by: David Barrett at December 13, 2006 02:24 AM