Firehouse Expo 2019 Keynote: 'We Need to be Aggressive'

When it comes to fire call tactics, Curt Isakson will tell you that being aggressive isn't an approach that should be overlooked or even frowned upon. 

"When smoke detectors fail, we cannot fail, we shall show up, we must be aggressive," the Escambia County, FL, Fire Rescue battalion chief said during his keynote address for Firehouse Expo 2019 in Nashville, TN. "And aggressive, too, should not be a debatable term. It should not be a controversial term."

A 30-year fire service veteran and second-generation firefighter, Isakson emphasized the obligation firefighters have to the civilians and property they protect. And that means putting themselves at risk when tackling dangerous incidents.

"It's worth the risk is what we're founded on. It's what people expect," he said.

Calls involving risk shouldn't involve risky behavior that needlessly endangers firefighter lives, however. That's what makes training so essential, according to Isakson.

"We manage that risk through dedication and training," he said.

Isakson stressed the importance of remembering firefighting basics when responding to calls. Those tactics form the foundation of a good firefighter's ability to navigate incidents, while the incidents themselves can provide firefighters with life-saving knowledge.    

"Experience matters," Isakson said. "The only person who is going to tell you that experience doesn't matter is the one who doesn't have it."

And experience is something a firefighter shares, whether it's at the scene of a fire or with colleagues at the station. In fact, Isakson looks at sharing what he's learned—and motivating others to do the same—as a responsibility he has to his fallen colleagues. During his presentation, he mentioned two friends and fellow firefighters who had lost their lives; one died battling a house fire, and the other took his own life.

"Passing on the knowledge," Isakson said. "As it grows that foundation is stronger."

"I think the greatest fire service is yet to come. I think the greatest fire service is tomorrow, not yesterday," he added.

Isakson has worked at Escambia County Fire Rescue for 19 years. Before that, he was a member of the Pensacola Fire Department and Gulf Breeze's Midway Fire Protection District.