17 that works in a community hospital where resources are limited. Too often we sit in an ivory tower making decisions that affect those out in the field. It sounds great and the theory behind seems like it will work, but there are two significant issues that cause the theory to fail and the work to go on the shelf to collect dust. First, personnel need to know about it. So often these wonderful new programs or tools are created with lots of great ideas, yet if personnel are not aware of them, they do not work. I have always said you can have the best mousetrap in the world, but if people do not know about it, it will never catch a mouse. So often we create some great products in the fire service, yet personnel have no clue about it. This goes from the top down. The top being the creator of the product. Our mission should be to spread the word. Train personnel. Time and time again I sit through great classes, attend wonderful workshops, and feel very blessed I get to learn some great ideas. Yet, time and time again I don’t see this information being passed on to those on the street. Those who are out doing the job. Knowledge may be power, but knowledge not passed on is death and there is no power. Second, the information needs to be practical. What we view as a procedure that could save lives, may actually have opposite effects. We need to test our product in the streets. Over ten years ago, I did reviews on products for a well-known EMS journal. I would get the product and give it to our personnel to try out on the street. I clearly remember one product that I received and gave to the EMS Chief to try out. He took the product and tested it first. The first try instead of getting the needle in the dummy it went into him. Straight in his hand. He came to my office and said something went wrong. It sure did. Luckily it missed all critical components of his hand and it was a benign stick, but it could have caused significant problems. We determined after looking at the device it was not clearly identified as to which way was up! I wrote to the manufacturer and they changed the device to identify which way was up. What could have been an even worse disaster ended up with positive feedback from the field of how to improve the device. Imagine using this device at 3 a.m. in an emergency setting what could have happened. Testing the product needs to be done by the least senior on the crew at the most inopportune moment. Then you will know if it works. Oh, and the journal still wanted me to publish something positive about the device because you can’t lose those advertising dollars. Shortly thereafter I quit doing the columns. Money should never supersede safety. Don’t get me wrong, those sitting in these workgroups have invaluable experience and knowledge. What we tend to forget is how well the product created will work in the real environment. We see this when students come out of the classroom and into the job. So many say forget about what you learned in the classroom, you are in the real world now and we do it different. Why do we do it different? Why should a student even go to class if they are to forget everything? The class needs to be the foundation based upon the real world. The real world should be the test. Together we can improve the fire and EMS service. It is time we learn from each other and improve our service. Tradition is tradition, but there is a time and place for tradition. It is time we take in the whole picture. Meetings should be designed to create the starting of an improved system. Safety is everyone’s business from the newest on the department to the most experienced. Keep up to date and get the information out to all. Hopefully the work we did at the meeting in Washington D.C. will get filtered to those in the field and a difference may be made. Jeffrey T. Lindsey • U niversity of Florida •