Honesty is ALWAYS the Best Policy…Lesson Hopefully Learned by Chief Taylor in High Point, NC

High Point, NC Fire Department is in the local news. The Chief is answering questions about his chuckle and lack of action after an FEO told him about a mold problem at firehouse #12.

As I have observed during my tenure in the fire service Fire Chiefs are always under scrutiny. Due to that fact, it is very difficult to cover up lies and half truths. I have realized that honesty is the best policy and that you must be willing to pay the consequences for your words and actions.

All of that being said, we have a little bout of mis-communication within the High Point Fire Department. That mis-communication was unmistakably proved false via recording. Watch the video and follow the stories below:

HIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP) – High Point Fire Chief David Taylor is blaming miscommunication as why he did not act immediately when a firefighter told him there was a mold problem at one of the department’s stations.

Although Taylor says he didn’t learn that Station No. 12 had a mold problem, FOX8 News has obtained a recording of a staff meeting that informed the chief of the problem back in July.

“I’m sorry about the miscommunication, Taylor told FOX8 News. “When firefighters talk about an apple and I’m talking about an orange, it might take a little while to put that all together.

I highlighted the above for effect. What exactly does that mean? I think that they were very clear about the mold problem in the telephone meeting. But what the hell do I know.

It just seems to me that whether or not the Chief’s story is true, he would have come out smelling a lot better if he had just owned up to the mistake and gone on and fixed the problem.