Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse Fire
All of the stories I collected in my study contained elements of flow. However, the one that had 100 percent of all the characteristics of flow was the story of the Worcester, Massachusetts Cold Storage Warehouse fire that occurred on December 3, 1999. It is also a perfect example of flow-based leadership. Retired District Fire Chief Michael O. McNamee related this story to me while I was sitting at his kitchen table in Worcester in 2010.
About the Worcester Fire Department
Worcester is the second largest city in New England. The Worcester Fire Department is the second largest fire department in New England. The Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse was an enormous building. The two main sections of the warehouse were built in 1908 and 1912. Another section, which created an L-wing off the rear of the building, was built decades later. The warehouse had six floors and no windows. The walls were 18 inches thick. There were only three stairwells...