Just Train, No Matter What
I want to apologize for my absence here for several weeks. There were many factors which affected my decision not to write for a bit. Thanks to all of you who wrote questioned, asked , cajoled and generally taunted me.
Thanks to all who attended the seminar last weekend. I feel there was some great interaction and I was very pleased with how it went along, so there will be another seminar next January 2004. Pay attention for information that will be coming out. If you have any information or classes you would like to see please contact me.
So, what about this title....Just Train?
While in preparation and advertising for my seminar it came to my attention that there were some folks that were attempting to influence people and discourage people not to attend. Now this really struck me as odd in some ways as I knew some of these people were instructors themselves. Why would a fire instructor....any fire instructor, whose primary mission is to train firefighters attempt to stop people from attending a training?
Well it seems it matters to some people, who is doing the training. I need to tell you in as loud a voice and as firm and convincing as I can that you should attend every training you choose to, no matter who is teaching. I really do not care if anyone comes to mine and only goes to others but for God's sake get the training. I believe that my role as an instructor is to encourage training at all costs and to have as many varied and diversified trainers present topics as possible.
If some firefighter can learn a technique or garner some information that could save his life or someone else's then what do I care who taught him that information.
Train within your department, train outside of your department, train with experienced personnel and train with new book smart trainers, and you sort out what information you might need.
Train with city fire department instructors and rural suburban fire department instructors and make your self a better well rounded firefighter.
Oh yeah, and one other piece of advice...even a doctor will tell you to get a second opinion, I would be very wary of a professional fire instructor who tried to stop you from hearing a different point of view, but hey.... that is just me.