Khan: Don't be a victim of your distractions

In the shifting sands of our current fiscal environment the economy is playing out on a number of levels. In public safety we need to be attentive to local and national trends and adjust our ability to respond, making sure we are providing the highest level of service to this community. Just because the markets are down does not mean that fires decrease or that there are fewer car wrecks. In fact, the opposite is true. Our challenges grow in new and sometimes disturbing ways.

We have seen all kinds of things, including foreclosures and vacated properties that have been vandalized and set on fire. These fires are being investigated, which can mean anything from simple vandalism to something more sinister. This increased activity reflects an additional burden on our fire companies, which are responding to more than 145,000 calls a year.

It only makes sense that as society adjusts to this new environment, public safety will be involved, whether it is crimes for money or people acting out in frustration to the loss of income or even possibly the loss of their homes. My observation is simple. It happens over a period of time, and it seems to have a more aggressive posture as the environment worsens. Just an opinion, but with a sense of panic and loss of focus, our attention to detail becomes lost - all the things we talk about in staying safe seem to be more difficult when you are worried about making ends meet. It is essential that we continue to make good decisions, watch our kids and report suspicious activities in our neighborhoods and business community.

Typically, our fire codes are centered on commercial occupancies. There has always been a challenge with nomadic enterprises that move from warehouse to warehouse. Our current concern is that these may be headed to our neighborhoods and that there is a need to be vigilant. This concern is based on things we have seen in the field. The most interesting recent event was a biodiesel warehouse in a residential garage. This, my friends, was a commercial operation with 55-gallon drums of different chemicals that included methanol, various oils and heating devices. What's worse was that it was in a family neighborhood. The potential for catastrophic explosions threatened the lives of innocent people. In fact, there is reason to believe that this "manufacturing plant" was not an isolated case. We are in the process of establishing a citywide task force to look at this issue, which, when it runs its course, will provide a response to this new challenge.

We continue to juggle our emergency response, working toward a fleet of all paramedic engines to avoid duplicate responses so that in the end we may reduce response times and help with the growing number of medical emergencies we have. Sadly, with stress comes more cardiac issues, more impatient drivers in car wrecks and more people running out of the house leaving food on the stove.

I would surmise the best thing we can do is slow down, take a deep breath, pay attention to what is going on around us in our neighborhoods and keep an eye out for those drivers who are distracted. Speeding really doesn't get you there any quicker, and rushing off to a meeting with food on the stove only means you'll have to return to visit with a bunch of firefighters about your kitchen fire.

Remember, this too shall pass. Just don't become a victim of your own distractions. Stay focused on what's important - your health and safety. Take time for the family. Be safe.

Bob Khan is chief of the Phoenix Fire Department.