Chief’s Corner Articles

By Chief Sam DiGiovanna These are certainly challenging times. Stress and depression with most people is on the rise not just nationally, but globally. We all experience varying degrees of depression. Bringing and sharing awareness is key to controlling it before it...

By Chief Sam DiGiovanna Here’s a quick little exercise: Go out to the engine or the truck. Look at the equipment and power tools on them—the Jaws of Life, the hydraulic spreaders, the generators, the chainsaws. Those power tools help us save the lives of others while...

Being one degree off course can lead to potentially disastrous outcomes On the morning of May 20, 1927, Lt. Charles Lindbergh took off in his custom-built Spirit of St. Louis aircraft from an airfield near Mineola, New York, and pointed the plane’s nose eastward. Over...

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna It’s been said that if you put 100 black ants and 100 red ants into a jar and leave them alone, nothing will happen. But if you shake the jar violently with the ants inside, they will immediately start attacking each other. According to...

Understanding trauma and alcohol misuse By Sam DiGiovanna As a first responder, you’re exposed to traumatic events on a regular basis, with symptoms that may linger for long periods of time. While these events and memories pile up, it can become difficult to keep the...

By Chief Sam DiGiovanna I wanted to share this story from Dr. Charles Stanley. It’s about jealousy. We often see it within our own department. Promotions, positions, cars, boats, you name it – it resides under our own roofs. It’s difficult to be the target of jealousy...

By Chief Sam DiGiovanna As the flames subside, the fingers rise and start to point blame. This was a very difficult fire to fight, in so many ways. Last week, we all watched in shock and horror as a deadly fire ripped through the town of Lahaina on the Hawaiian island...

By Chief Sam DiGiovanna Hard to believe many school districts have already started back to school. For many kids going back to school brings a lot of emotions which include distractions. Throw in this heat we’re experiencing and everyone, including parents, becomes...

By Chief Sam DiGiovanna Creating a Culture of Well-Being Agencies with a robust culture of well-being know that it’s about more than offering a meditation app or an onsite fitness center. A true well-being culture includes support for multiple aspects of employees’...