SFT-Review - Flipbook - Page 12
PERSPECTIVES CONT.
BALANCING READINESS AND REALISM
Chief Prague on Balancing Readiness and Realism in the Fire Service
By Chief David Sprague
Berkeley Fire Department
The American fire service stands at a pivotal moment.
Our profession has always evolved to meet the needs
of the communities we serve, and in doing so, we
have built a proud reputation as society’s all-hazard
problem solvers. When someone dials 911 and
law enforcement is not the appropriate responder,
the responsibility almost always falls to the fire
department. That reality has defined our identity as
one of capability, ingenuity, and public trust.
Firefighters today are called upon not only to
ANNUAL REPORT 2025
extinguish fires, but also to deliver emergency medical
care, mitigate hazardous materials, conduct technical
rescues, respond to natural disasters, manage
hazardous energy incidents, and now, increasingly,
confront the consequences of emerging technologies.
The strength of the fire service lies in this adaptability,
our ability to encounter novel, complex, and often
dangerous situations and find solutions under
pressure. But this strength also exposes a vulnerability.
The sheer breadth of our responsibilities brings
an almost insurmountable training and education
challenge: how to remain proficient across an everexpanding set of disciplines.
