Yeah, there's definitely an element of self-preservation, which is only reasonable in my view. Admittedly I'm slightly biased in defending her because I've been in a similar position when I was in the military. I had written several memorandums for record with encrypted digital timestamps anytime I expressed my disagreement with orders I was given if I felt they were morally bankrupt, even though they were technically lawful.
If you don't have direct control and folks don't listen, all you can do is document, document, document. You make the most with what you have been given and try to minimize the damage when what you fear will happen comes to pass. It really sucks when you're right. When morally bankrupt leaders come face to face with their poor decisions as things go wrong, they will always look for ways to throw their subordinates under the bus to protect their worthless hides.
The fire chief sounded the alarm bells for three straight years by an administration that ignored her. You can see the frustration in her expressions during the interview. When the fires finally stop and the dust settles, I truly hope she gets the resources she asked for and voters begin cleaning house.
