1. There was supposed to be change at Fairfax County Fire and Rescue
Investigations, reports and training programs were supposed to change and improve the culture at the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department after the suicide death of FF/Paramedic Nicole Mittendorff. Instead a Female battalion chief in charge of gender issues resigns in protest.
Chief Kathleen Stanley was appointed Women’s Program Officer by Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department Chief Richard Bowers, a position that was to help women succeed in the department without harassment.
Chief Stanley said she has been unable to do her job because of the department’s stance on harassment, and outlined the issues in her resignation letter.
“Fairfax County Fire and Rescue tolerates, and often defends, sexual harassment, retaliation and a hostile work environment: ‘zero tolerance’ is a hollow term thrown about with false commitment,” Chief Stanley said.
Read more:
- Stanley’s full resignation letter to Chief Bowers.
- Washington Post Perspective | After a female firefighter’s suicide, the ugly sexual harassment was supposed to end. It hasn’t.
- Chief Robert Avsec (Ret.) | Continuing Leadership Problems in a Fire Department
2. Leadership can and must be learned
The problems in Fairfax County are just one example of the ongoing leadership crisis in public safety, business and politics.
We all have opportunities to lead and being a student of leadership is critical to your success as a leader. Read, listen, discuss and self-evaluate.
I’ve been listening to episodes of the “How I Built This Podcast.” Famous business leaders like Ben and Jerry, Michael Dell and Reid Hoffman, discuss their paths to success, how they built and led teams and the choices they made about the type of company they wanted to lead and how they wanted to lead their employees and in their industry.
How are you studying leadership?
3. Airline says ‘No go’ to Emotional Support Peacock
In a victory for common sense United Airlines said no to a passenger who wanted to fly with her peacock.
Have you recently reviewed your EMS agency policy for transporting patients with a service dog? How will you respond if a patient asks to bring their emotional support rabbit, peacock, miniature pony or pot belly pig?
