Friendly Fire: How Master's of Public Health Use Fire to Our Advantage

Fire has long fascinated humanity. One of the first stories we’re told in grade school is how man’s discovery of fire allowed our species to survive and become the exceptionally advanced group we are today. But this love affair with fire has flickered out some in the modern age, with the destructive aspects of the element blazing past any hidden positive benefits from harnessing its power properly.

To control this element properly, those holding the power need to have an arsenal of comprehensive management skills and knowledge of the effects of unleashing fire onto certain areas. Those harnessing said power are generally found to have bolstered their ability to do so with an M.P.H. degree, or a Master of Public Health.

The environment, though it should be protected at all costs, sometimes needs a little bit of destruction to secure future protection. When fire is introduced into areas to manage ecosystems, those crafting the plans need to be expertly trained to ensure no errors arise and the fire becomes out of control.

That’s where the M.P.H. comes in, and online programs -- like at Concordia University, Nebraska -- have developed the all-encompassing education necessary to be at the forefront of commanding one of our most powerful elements. Understanding issues in health, logistics, ethics, and the law surrounding these decisions is vital to any team’s actions, and with an M.P.H., fire engineering becomes a safe endeavor.

There are irreplaceable qualities to fire as a natural corrector: it recycles and aids in the production of nutrients, while also reducing the buildup of used fuel and creating ideal conditions for species who need fire’s effects to thrive. Without a knowledgeable leader directing these initiatives, however, chaos could reign, and the M.P.H. acts as another stop between tamed and untamed elements. Tapering the wanton smoke coming from the fires is one of the major public health risks possibly posed, and the delicate relationship between fire and air quality is seldom more important than in these situations.

Adhering to local and federal laws and remaining in concert with the progressive turn toward saving the environment gives the job an added challenge, but one that the M.P.H. will be well prepared and, possibly, even ecstatic to take on. Fire can be friendly, but only if we know how to snuff out its destructive impacts on the world.

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My other posts:

• Fire Engineering: Do You Like The Sound of That?
• Chaos Projected, Survivors Needed