Literally, Get Ready!
The very first preparation for fighting fires is the proper mental model because, like the stripes of a tiger, each fire is different. Some are subtle and swiftly die out with no external factor, such as a fireman, intervening, yet some fires are started by firemen (Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451). So the obvious question is what's my mental model as I seek to resolve a conflict? There are a few factors that affect my mental model, so I have to seek out certain truths about the situation. I need to understand the situation itself before I have a mental model of it. What's driving up the thermometer? Is it a person or a group of people? Is it me? Is it a certain current event or the reminiscence of a historical event? What's at the core of this fire? It may even be an actual fire... now what?
To better illustrate this, I must take a journey through time and space all the way back to August 5, 1949. This date marks the death of 13 young men; the only survivors of the blaze were foreman Wagner Dodge and two other fellow firemen. The events of that day can teach a lot about dealing with conflicts and the conflicts that arise when the situation itself is unclear. What happened on August 5th was fairly complex:
Around 4 P.M., 15 smoke jumpers - trained fire-fighters but new to one another as a group - parachuted into Mann Gulch to join a forest ranger who was already fighting the blaze which at the time was a basic 'ten o'clock fire' which meant that the jumpers could have the fire under control by 10 next morning. Dodge was supposed to be the 'team leader,' but the group of smoke jumpers were often separated from each other, and there radios had been crushed in the landing as their chute didn't open. These brave men had no clear leader, no connection to the outside world, and no idea that this fire would consume most of them. At the time, the concept of an escape fire was a novel idea; it was unheard of to fight fire with fire, but that's exactly how Dodge managed to survive. The fire had jumped to both sides of the canyon and was chasing the group. Fifteen of the sixteen people ran for their lives. Dodge urged them to use his escape fire, but the crew wouldn't listen. Only two of those 15 men managed to find a crevice in the canyon; the rest perished!
A Graphical View
I can just imagine how Dodge must've felt through it all. As a matter of fact, I am Dodge in certain situations, trying desperately to help. Things might've gone differently if I was Dodge. Imagine if it were me down there in Mann Gulch instead of Dodge...
Time- 3:50 P. M.
"Sharma, there's a fire spreading in Mann Gulch. There's a forest ranger trying to do something about it himself. Get your new crew ready for action! Show this ranger how the pros do it," says the in-charge fireman at the station to me. "I'll get right to it, sir... alright men, let's get moving. You all heard the man. There's a blaze going wild over at Mann Gulch, but we're going to rain down on this 'ten o'clock' fire." The crew readies, and we're out just like that. Fifteen strangers on a mission to stop a fire.
Time-3:58 P.M.
"Everybody on board!" I bellow at the crew and count their heads. The pilot has informed me that we'll be jumping from 2000 feet today instead of the usual 1200; it's a little nerve-wrecking to jump out of a plane from any height, but duty calls! The radio crate's parachute malfunctioned, so the radio's were pulverized upon landing! "Alright men, grab something to eat; I'm gonna find this ranger who's supposed to be around here. Hellman! You're in charge 'till I get back." Sure enough, I find this Ranger Harrison about 250 meters out! He had been here for hours and tells me, "You're Sharma right? Yeah, you're him alright. There's a really thick forest close to the fire; I'd have your men move up from the Canyon. You know, keep your options open in case something goes wrong." I had noticed this myself, but was surprised that the ranger had thought it up himself. So, I let him feel good about himself for a few minutes, but his approach did seem like a great one. I got back to the crew and told Hellman to take the crew from the north side of the gulch, away from the fire. "You got it Cowboy! Alright everyone, let's roll out," yells Hellman; he's such a character! I am beginning to feel the hunger, so the ranger, Harrison, and I grab a quick meal before heading into the gulch.
Time- 5:15 P.M.
"You know Harrison, I already knew about that thick forest next to the fire." He wouldn't believe me; I chuckled on the inside as we begin walking towards the north side of the gulch. I picked up my pace in a second. I want to get back to my crew; who knows what Hellman's been putting through on their ears. I chuckled again, but I hardly know these men, and I need for them to listen to me. They don't know me either, but I've got a few tricks up my sleeve. I chuckled again; I cared for my crew and felt crafty with my tricks. I didn't know these particular men, but I don't even know half the people I help by putting out fires, so these guys that help me are definitely worth getting to know. Maybe we could take a vacation together one of these days. I chuckled yet again. Harrison who was a little annoyed spotted the crew, and we raced toward them. They were walking in a line, so I just stepped in front and naturally began leading the way. As I turned the corner, I spotted the flame... Two-hundred yards away. "This is it boys!" I yelled at them. There was a slight excitement in the air. We were all going through the normal wear and tear, but right then, we were rejuvenated! "This is what we came here to do," I yelled again; "No," they replied, "this is what we were born to do." I chuckled for the hundredth time, and this time, I even gave the crew a heart-warming smile, but when I faced the blaze again, I was in shock! I was the only one who had turned the corner, so nobody else could see it, but the fire had jumped to the our side of the gulch and was now speeding towards us at 660 ft per second. I yelled to the crew, "RUN! Run! Let's go men! Move, move, MOVE! You too ranger, hustle up!" We were running through the slippery grass, running for our lives.
Time-5:50 P.M.
There was no escape near by, and our rate, we were doomed to perish. "Men! Drop your tools right now! We're not going to make it," I yelled, but they didn't listen. It's as if I asked them to go find Big Foot or something; they must've felt as if I, a stranger, was taking away their birth-right! They ran with their gear; I dropped mine and ran faster. I ran a good distance in front of the crew and made an escape fire. "Are you insane!" That was Hellman; little did he know, but this fire would save our lives! "No," I replied, "this is gonna save our lives. Now, get to it!" Hellman didn't trust me and said, "To hell with this!" The crew apparently failed to see the point of it either as well and followed Hellman, their new leader. How do I get them to realize that this will save their lives? How? "Ranger! You get here with me now!" He just ran by and said, "Man, you ARE insane!" I had lost the battle to the flames. Their fury had now caught up with me. I lied flat, face-down and was able to stand up later, untouched by the fire. I was sweating, and all I heard was the screams of my men. I realized that I was breathing the smoke of my men. I coughed and held my breadth. Damn it! Hellman took them all straight to hell! I should've known just from his name... Maybe if I had skipped my lunch, this wouldn't have happened, or maybe if the radios hadn't been crushed, someone could've told us about the fire spreading to the north side of the gulch. Maybe... There's a long list of things that might have impacted the outcome, but all I can say is, "What if..."
Time-5:56 P.M.
Five-Fifty-Six P.M. This is just about when 12 of my men died, along with Harrison. The hands in Harrison's watch had melted into place! I am left wondering now, what if...
Had I, in Dodge's stead, really been at Mann Gulch that day... I wouldn't have made any real difference. Maybe some of the talk would indeed change a little, but the outcome of the day remains unchanged. There was too much conflict over at Mann Gulch. Information had ceased to flow, and the blaze got the best of 13 young men! This is similar to what happens in a conflict... Nobody listens, everybody just runs from the fire, or some follow Dodge and run into the fire, head first! People always do one or the other...
A Tribute to the Mann Gulch Incident
A conflict could be as intense as it was that day in Mann Gulch, or it can be more subtle; for instance, when I decide whether or not to tip the waiter after he recommends a dish that's too hot (spicy) for me to handle... I am always torn, limb for limb, on what to do. So, I'll leave a tip for my readers- be careful when you're fighting a fire, evaluate and assess the situation, and act by the most self-less means- because no matter what you do, the fire consumes the environment, so do like I have done and step into somebody else's shoes and see how the perspective changes. No matter what anyone does in the face of the blaze, the fire consumes everything!
Word Count: 1954
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