When Firefighting Becomes a Quota
Paul Cardinal describes one of the most absurd hypothetical goals imaginable: “Put out 100 fires by year end.” And while this might seem satirical at first glance, the deeper implications are alarmingly real.
A goal like this satisfies every SMART requirement:
- Specific: 100 fires.
- Measurable: Easy to count.
- Achievable: Possibly—if there are enough fires.
- Resource-Driven: Needs crews and trucks.
- Time-Based: By the end of the year.
But what happens when there aren’t enough fires? Do firefighters start rooting for disasters? Might the unthinkable—like arson—become a twisted means to achieve the metric?
That’s the danger with blindly applied goals: they can lead to perverse incentives. Worse, firefighters might delay responding to real emergencies if it conflicts with other scheduled goals like vehicle inspections or training times.
“Do you ignore a 9:50 AM alarm because you have a truck inspection goal at 10:00?”
The point: Goals that ignore context lead to absurdity—and potentially tragedy.
