Speak Up: Chief Harvey Eisner, RIP

The following letter was sent to Harvey Eisner’s family and forwarded to Firehouse^® for publication:

On behalf of my fellow co-chairmen of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, I extend my deepest sympathies to you and your family following the loss of Harvey.

Harvey leaves behind an incredible legacy within the fire service. He was widely respected for his commitment and dedication to firefighter health and safety. It was reflected in his work as editor of Firehouse^® Magazine and as the conference director at the Firehouse shows. He was the consummate educator, always providing invaluable lessons to firefighters – including those he commanded on the fireground, and those who read his articles, attended his seminars or had the opportunity to engage in personal conversation. Fire service leaders across the nation mourn his loss and his absence will be felt for years to come.

In Washington, DC, Harvey had a profound impact by encouraging fire service leaders to become more involved in lobbying Congress for support of federal fire programs. He did so in a way that reminded us all how we should engage in the legislative process – with civility and respect for other people’s opinions. He was a pensive man who was always willing to share his thoughts and ideas on how the federal government can better serve our nation’s firefighters.

On behalf of my fellow fire caucus co-chairman, I would like to present you with a United States flag. It was flown over the U.S. Capitol in memory of a true fire service leader, Chief Harvey Eisner. May it always remind you of his service to our great nation and to the men and women of our fire and emergency services.

Bill Pascrell Jr.

Member of Congress

9th District, New Jersey

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Harvey and I became friends in the early 1970s, when he “buffed” multiple-alarm fires in Jersey City during the war years. I was a firefighter and later a lieutenant on busy ladder companies, and it seemed that we’d see each other once or twice a week. He took remarkable pictures – this was long before his tenure at Firehouse^®. In later years, true to his firefighter sense of humor, Harvey would always pick on me by saying that he knew me “…when his hair was dark and he used to do real work.”

Harvey was always seeking the next challenge; something bigger and better than he’d done in the past. Like the impeller in a fire pump, Harvey was always pushing – sometimes volume, sometimes pressure – but always in the action, always moving.

Instead of water, Harvey pushed new knowledge, great operations, lessons learned and bad experiences into our profession at different speeds and places accomplishing all sorts of miracles. He continually reinforced the core values of the fire service – courage and compassion – that remain steadfast despite all the changes we sustain. Through emotive prose and vivid, graphic images, Harvey Eisner pushed, pulled, demonstrated, instigated, led and inspired America’s fire and emergency services in ways few can ever comprehend, appreciate or duplicate.

Harvey left us too soon, way too early in my view; but to those of us who knew him, he will always be with us. He is with us when you see a picture and you say to yourself, “Harvey would have done this better.” He is with us when a rookie is tempted to take an unsafe shortcut, but decides against it because he listened to a Harvey lecture. He is with us when a lieutenant remembers a safety article and changed a tactic. He is with us when a chief officer makes the right (and safe!) strategy call so that everyone goes home.

Another of our friends, FDNY Chief John Salka, wrote a moving tribute to Harvey titled, “What Would Harvey Do?” We would all do well to keep that question in our mind – “What Would Harvey Do?” If you ask yourself that question before you make a decision, it’s hard to believe that you’ll ever go wrong.

Dr. Denis Onieal

Superintendent

National Fire Academy

Emmitsburg, MD

We welcome feedback, views, reactions and observations. Please send letters to Speak Up, Firehouse Magazine, 3 Huntington Quadrangle, Suite 301N, Melville, NY 11747; fax them to 631-845-2741; or e-mail them to [email protected]. Letters may be edited for space and clarity. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the undersigned and do not represent endorsement by Firehouse^® Magazine.