Fire Service Ethical Issues

The fire service is a noble profession with a long distinguished history of life-saving rescues and acts of heroism. However, there is a gloomy side of the fire service that contains ethics or moral violations that undermine the peerless life-saving acts and the public trust. Fire and emergency medical services respond to calls for help, entering private homes and businesses to assess patients or mitigate an emergency. Rarely is there an instance where trust or ethics are ever questioned, and personnel is allowed to open wallets, purses or move through the building to search for pertinent information. Additionally, personnel is allowed to medically treat patients who require the palpation and examination of various parts of the body. According to Lewis and Gilman (1997), public service is held to infallible ethical standards, highlighting the importance of professionalism and ethics in the fire service.

Four of the most prominent issues identified

What can seem to be innocent practical jokes can quickly cross the line and become demeaning and unethical. Cases are reported across the country where hazing has been taken too far, resulting in unethical behavior such as sexually oriented jokes, physical violence, threatening and intimidating work environments. This behavior frequently has long-lasting effects on the victim, fire department personnel, the fire department’s public image and budget when lawsuits settlements. Similar to sexual misconduct, this behavior may stem from psychological egoists looking out for their pleasure as they act in their self-interest. Hazing is morally degrading and makes individual(s) the object of amusement, ridicule, and or intimidation. Depending on the act, moral absolutism may be in violation. From an ethical egoist position, the normative claim is everyone ought to act in a certain manner which would be by department policies and