“Shifting to a ‘we’ instead of a ‘me’ mindset” critical for the future, say some of those interviewed
A consulting firm hired by the county to help develop a vision for how Rappahannock shapes its fire and rescue system unveiled its first report Tuesday at a joint meeting of the Board of Supervisors and Public Safety Committee.
And, based on what the consultants learned through a series of interviews with county officials, fire and rescue officers and others in the community, the path forward has its share of thorny patches.
They range from the sensitivity of merging volunteer and paid emergency responders to the difficulty of recruiting young volunteers in an aging community, to the simple matter of resistance to change, according to Andrea Reyes, a senior consultant with The Clearing firm, based in Washington, D.C.
At the meeting, Reyes outlined the main observations gleaned from the conversations earlier this summer with 35 individuals familiar with fire and rescue operations in the county.
Many applauded the commitment and dedication of the volunteers who have long served the emergency needs of the community. They also praised how well the volunteer companies usually work together.
But, the interviewees also raised a number of challenges in the report, among them:
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“The current system is not sustainable.”
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“The system does not handle divergent views and different opinions well, hampering the ability to resolve issues, reach consensus and alignment…”
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“Pride and ego in some individuals inhibit problem-solving and consensus-building.”
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“Tension between volunteer and career staff has a negative impact on the system.”
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“There is tension between the authority of the individual companies and the authority of the county, as revealed by the Flint Hill lawsuit.” After the supervisors removed the former officers and implemented a new board of directors in January, a local attorney filed a lawsuit on behalf of the ousted leadership. A Circuit Court judge dismissed the suit in June.
Future success in mapping a long-term strategy, according to some of those interviewed, will depend on “shifting to a ‘we’ instead of a ‘me’ mindset, where the Rappahannock Fire and Rescue System sees itself as a single cohesive system instead of a loosely connected association of seven independent companies,” the report, submitted by The Clearing, concluded.
Several members of volunteer companies at the meeting were less than impressed with the consultant’s report, suggesting that it was too negative and not all that specific or revelatory.
Jackson Supervisor Ron Frazier was another critic. “There’s not a lot of depth here,” he said. He also asked Reyes if she had been instructed “to funnel us in a certain direction.”
Reyes responded that the firm had only been charged with reporting the opinions and perspectives of the individuals interviewed.
While some in the audience raised concerns about the ongoing strife at the Flint Hill Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company, and others criticized the “autocratic” attitude of former Emergency Services Coordinator Sean Polster, Hampton Supervisor Keir Whitson said the central issue facing the county is how it evolves into a hybrid volunteer/paid fire and rescue system.
But, said County Administrator Garrey Curry, it’s important to first “get the challenges out on the table.
“We need to figure out how we can work together,” Curry said. “We need to figure out where we want to go. Where do we want to be in five years?”
Another public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 21 when more concrete recommendations will be discussed.
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