Once Upon a Time - there were no vested interests!

Once Upon a Time............ In a world without fire, Prometheus arrived.

Ignis est servus non dominus - Fire is the servant not the master. Or is it?

Is the world of fire and its contingent aspects of firefighting, fire industry and government response tinged with elements of 'unconscious vested interests'. I think so!

Unfortunately, I cannot attend this year's AFAC conference (Australasian Fire and Emergency Authority Council), one of the best in the world of fire conferences. Unfortunate also because the subjects, speakers and content look terrific. also unfortunately, these all seem to fit within the context of the unconscious vested interested I will speak more about at the FPANZ (Fire Protection Association of New Zealand) Conference in NZ in October this year. For the sake of repetitiveness following is the article from one year ago.

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September 2023.

Transforming Tragedy into Triumph: A Global Call to Eradicate Uncontrolled Fires.

Uncontrolled fires have long been a scourge, causing immeasurable loss of life and devastation. The Latin phrase "Memento mori" serves as a somber reminder that death is an inevitable part of life. However, it is within our power to shape the circumstances of our passing, and the preference for a peaceful departure underscores our innate yearning for a dignified end.

As wildfires continue to ravage regions across the globe – from Hawaii to Europe, Canada, the US, and Australia – the senseless loss of life leaves an indelible mark on our collective conscience. These preventable tragedies call for a moral reckoning and compel us to embrace philosopher Peter Singer's principle: "if it is in our power to prevent something bad from happening, we ought, morally, to do it."

The Moral Imperative: The ongoing toll of preventable fire-related deaths challenges our ethical compass and blurs the line between neglect and evil. Every life lost in a preventable fire is a stark reminder of our shared responsibility to safeguard one another.

Inspired by Singer's philosophy (at least on this issue), I believe that we possess both the obligation and the capability to mitigate these losses through concerted international collaboration. By uniting science, industry, and agencies, we can rally around a transformative goal: "eradicate, by the end of this decade, the impacts of uncontrolled fire."

A Vision for Change: Realising this audacious goal requires bold action through four strategic projects:

1.????Project Collaborate: Harnessing the collective wisdom of international scientists across diverse fields to delve into the depths of fire including quantum mechanics. The quest is to uncover the elusive switch that tames this elemental force, unlocking unprecedented control.

2.????Project Innovate 2 Extinguish: Fostering innovation to develop novel fire-extinguishing methods and products. Collaborative efforts between scientific minds and industry leaders creating solutions that rewrite the rules of fire suppression, including rewriting the chemistry and quantum mechanic of H2O as a firefighting source.

3.????Project Attack: Adapting military tools, techniques, and machinery to confront uncontrolled fire. By treating fire as an enemy combatant, we can apply strategic thinking and military know-how to preempt and neutralise its impact.

4.????Project Connect: Integrating all cutting-edge technology to gather information, including predictive artificial intelligence, to detect and suppress fires within one hour, irrespective of geographical location, limiting their size to a manageable scale (projects Collaborate, Innovate and Attack). Human forces will then engage in mop-up operations, ensuring victory.

A Roadmap for Progress: Science Week has just finished serving as a timely reminder of our capacity to transform problems into opportunities. This month in Australia, it is also Fire Prevention Month, yet again another reminder. The solution to the crisis of uncontrolled fires also extends beyond preserving lives; it carries the promise of economic growth and technological innovation.

The recently held 2023 International Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC) conference in Brisbane, Australia, presented a pivotal moment. As global fire, disaster, and emergency leaders convened to rally for an international consensus on our shared goal. Together, we can champion eradicating uncontrolled fires by the close of this decade, leaving behind a legacy of safety, resilience, and unity. But only if we can create the political will. (Writer update 2024 - Unconscious Vested Interests (UVIs) are still an impediment to immediate, collective action, needed now, not next year, now! Let's recognise, accept, correct and respond to these UVIs so we can end these tragedies)

Conclusion: We can forge a path from tragedy to triumph, turning the dark legacy of uncontrolled fires raging around the world today into a rallying cry of hope for the future. By enacting our vision and leveraging our collective resources, we can ensure that "Memento mori" is a call to action, reminding us that we can make a difference.

(My thoughts and words - ChatGPt reworded)