Read the material on the problem for this assignment in the Assignment and in Lesson Four and write a 5 page paper on how you would handle this problem and what groups you would enlist to assist you. (This problem is adapted from an actual situation that occurred in Long Island, New York, New York.)

For the past week the local regional newspaper has been running a series of articles attacking all the fire departments in the county commenting on their extravagant practices and wasteful use of public funds.  Comparing the departments to the Metro department to the west of the county all sorts of strange comparisons have been made by the reporter.  Looking at the comments on your department, one of them is that you have a “million dollar beer and jacket fund,” and another is that you as Chief have installed a “the Cadillac of workout gyms,” neither of which is trues, you realize that this series will impact the community’s impressions of the department as you realize that the department has been drifting away from the community during your tenure.  In a discussion with other Chief Officers impacted by the article you find out that the article series was approved by the paper due to the comments made by a fire chief after an incident at the paper when a staff member died because the request for an ambulance was delayed to respond to the injury and the reporter who volunteered for the article series was jilted by a local volunteer firefighter who said she would settle the score.  You do have a gym but it is part of the department’s physical fitness program and meets all standards, and there is no million dollar fund for anything.  With all of this knowledge what do you do to rebuild the community trust and insure that the truth gets out?