The fire service is a dynamic and ever-changing industry. In the law, there are laws that provide consistencies and guidelines describing the proper conduct accepted by societal norms. Break the law, and suffer the penalties. The fire service is bound by these laws and constitutional protections, yet we sometimes violate the legal protections related to our employees, our communities, or society as a whole. The reasons may be related to leaders’ ignorance of the law or permissive behaviors of leaders and firefighters. This workshop addresses the consequences of bad behavior. Many emerging issues affecting the fire service have a basis in law, especially in the areas of new technology, personnel protection, personnel issues, substance abuse, and mental health. Knowing the law and having a set of well-crafted policies for your department are important to prevent litigation and manage the risk for your organization. The cornerstone of a well-organized and managed department is understanding the means and methods for preventing and mitigating an adverse legal process, which many times originates internally. This workshop reviews the emerging issues affecting the fire service and presents methods for managing and avoiding risk, explains the professional and personal accountabilities and the supervisory responsibilities of the department, and offers recommendations for implementing well-written policies. Emphasis is on the responsibility to create a safe place for firefighters on the emergency scene and in the fire station.
