It’s been said that half the battle of overcoming an obstacle is first recognizing that you have a problem.
After literally years of denying that there were issues within the Washington DC EMS system, the chief of the department is finally taking the hint that he needs to do something to turn things around.
The apology he gave to victims of the system’s failures is a first step — a small one, to be certain, since words are cheap, but a step nevertheless.
To be fair the chief did not create this problem. Like many of his predecessors, he inherited the problem from the previous administration.
Yet that is not an excuse to not take a leadership position and take the proactive steps to recast the system into an effective delivery model befitting the citizens of the nation’s capital city. To be Nero playing the fiddle while Rome burned down is not befitting the leadership of the very troubled department.
Let’s go beyond the position though. Clearly the political system has much to be blamed for this.
When the parade of top administration were moving in — and out — of the department, it seemed that city council and mayor provided very little oversight and vision for how the department should function.
One could blame a poor economy for some of the issues, but that would be too easy. Most city governments figured out how to maximize the meager resources they were given, using innovative and collaborative processes that engaged the public, line personnel and officials alike.
DC stakeholders could make that happen, if there is the will and desire on all parties to do so.
So far, that doesn’t appear to be happening.
