Grand Island’s firefighters work hard educating the public about fire safety. It’s an important part of their job, and it makes them examples and role models to children and young people throughout the city.
Part of that education is warning people about smoking and its potential for starting fires.
In fact, the U.S. Fire Administration lists smoking as the No. 1 cause of preventable home fire deaths. ...
Because firefighters are role models, Grand Island’s new fire chief, Troy Hughes, is implementing a policy banning smoking by on-duty firefighters. ...
Hughes is right to implement the no-smoking policy. It sets the right example, and as a side benefit, will also improve the health of firefighters. ...
The new policy also won’t take effect until June 1, giving those who smoke time to take smoking-cessation classes or take other steps. ...
While Hughes’ plan for a no-smoking policy while firefighters are on duty is a good idea, there are doubts about whether the policy could be extended much further than that. Hughes said he would like new hires to take a no-smoking pledge. ...
It’s questionable whether the department could ban employees from doing a legal activity while they are off the job.
But while on duty during a 24-hour shift, a smoking ban is a perfectly acceptable policy.
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