I have been commercialized...

 

 I ended last week's commentary by making reference to an old commercial about a cereal that said "Try it you'll like it". I then started to think of how we could apply some commercials to the fire service and thought that we could take a lighthearted look at that this week.

 

I love to use humor to teach because if this job stops being fun, I am going to give it up!

 

OK so the first one is about being a good fire officer and it comes from NIKE...."Just Do It" Sometimes we won't make a decision, Nike thinks we should!

 

Doing the right thing and helping others for the right reasons we all took this job comes from my friends at TOYOTA......"Oh, What a feeling" There is nothing that describes helping someone out who is in trouble and having a successful outcome.

 

Using PASS Devices and accountability tags come from American Express...."Never Leave Home Without them"

Enough Said.

 

From our friends in the dairy industry they also could apply to PASS Devices...."GOT PASS DEVICE?" instead of got milk.

 

And don't we all wish that our safety officers could be as slow as " The MAYTAG repairman" I wish they were all that lonely and never had to investigate accidents.

 

Don't you wish that Wilford Brimley was in charge of our SOPs and Rules and Regulations, because like QUAKER OATS CEREAL "it's the right thing to do"

 

If all of these commercial slogans were true than all firefighters would be eating WHEATIES "because it is the breakfast of champions". We have a very positive image let's us not do anything that will tarnish the image of champions.

 

Our stability and ability to act under pressure could come from CHEVROLET as in "Like a rock".

 

The brotherhood we all feel at all times when we are on duty is sort of like the OLIVE GARDEN because " When you are here you are like family"

 

Sometime when we complain in the firehouse and there really is no reason, I think of the commercial of an old woman years ago that used to ask "Where's the beef !".

 

Unfortunately the make up of the fire service does not allow for democracy like there is at BURGER KING and " You can't always have it your way!"

 

I won't even touch the SUBWAY commercial that uses Henry Clay as a role model, that is too much already!!!!

 

When your officer is speaking on the fireground it should really be like SPRINT " You can hear a pin drop".

 

The entire nature of the fire service is really like AT & T because we" Reach out and touch someone".

 

The symbol of our badge reminds me of a commercial that is very old for TEXACO that says you can trust your car to the man who wears a star" Our badge and profession allows us to be trusted.

 

The fact that a firefighter can go across the country and be welcome anywhere is like going to the show CHEERS because it is a place" Where everyone knows your name"

 

(OK, if the rest of these weren't outrageous enough...and they were !) having a transporting EMS service is like BOUNTY paper towels " We are the quicker picker upper!"

 

I am looking for any other good ones you might have.

 

OK OK you get the idea...now I saved the best for last....There is a three part commercial for VISA that says something A costs...Something B costs... and the last item described is priceless. I am asking you to use the form below and send in you best fire service analogy using this VISA deal. describe two things, their cost and the last one and it's cost as priceless. It must be original and fire service related.

The one judged most original will win a training CD sent to them free! All entries must be in by 12:00 Noon EST on March 16th. Only e-mail entries using the form below will be accepted. This contest will be only for the VISA one, but we will accept any others for posting.