What Do We Do Now, Coach?

With all that has happened to America and to the fire service, we are all still sitting somewhat disoriented by this sucker punch we were thrown.

 

No matter how strong, smart, rich or poor, the feeling is all the same.

 

My title is from an old statement that we look to the high school coach for guidance when things got difficult.

 

The President has asked us all to return to normalcy as best as we can. I agree with that and I feel that is the correct action, but I am also not naive enough to believe that the statement is very easy to implement!

 

So what do we as fire service professionals and good Americans do? I am not sure I have any magic answers to this but I will generate some random thoughts below.

 

* Simple things now matter more. Wear your uniform all day, and wear it with pride. Shine those shoes, iron the creases back in, and know that you truly are on the front line and are a first responder in the country's time of need. Help and encourage your people to feel this pride and join you.

 

* Train as hard and as effectively as you can. Make sure you are ready for the challenges that might face us next. Sure I know there is supposed to be 2 hours of shift training a day or some other such thing you write in the log that you have done, but really motivate yourself and force yourself to insure readiness.

 

* Be tough in your convictions and spirit and inspire your crew to be the same. Much has been said about the heroic actions of FDNY and all responders during the last several weeks. Now a lot of that has to do with training, but some of it, in fact much of it has to do with intestinal fortitude, bravery and other very personal traits. Running into the buring building is easy, continuing to search for your brothers after your own personal devastation is something entirely different. When everyone is bailing off the pile because of a potential adjacent building collapse, and you are a member of a FEMA team in a void space, is something altogether different. When you or your members are "giving up" on an issue, help them to be strong and face whatever fear they might have.

 

* Don't abuse sick leave and sick time. Get up and keep the promise you made to be on duty so your apparatus does not run short today, or someone else is called in to face a danger that you won't be at, because you just didn't feel like going in.

 

*Share yourself with others and your family. Make everyday a little bit more special with the others around you and your loved ones.

 

* Complain a little bit less. I know you think the chief doesn't care, or the captain doesn't care (and maybe they don't) but use your time wisely and creatively to think of the positives in your life. Some 6000 Americans are not here today to even complain about their co-workers, or what the "other shift or group" did or did not do. The day to day problems I currently face are different from the ones I faced the day before September 11.

 

*Do something you have wanted to do and not done yet. Write a letter or call a friend or relative today. You will be a better emergency service worker if you take care of you!

You can do a better job if you are feeling good on a physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental level. Take care of yourself.

 

* Control your anger. While you are feeling as helpless as anyone else, control your anger and feelings of anger. Others will see it and react to it.

 

* Laugh again. While none of us have wanted to laugh and there certainly has not been much to laugh about, laughter can be healing and make you feel good. It is OK to laugh, it is not un-American, it is very American and shows our ability to recover and bounce back.

Return to some of those silly firehouse pranks. (Safely and within reason of course!) (Did I just say safely and within reason, and firehouse pranks in the same sentence....What the hell was I thinking! <grin>)

 

We will survive and in fact we are becoming just a little bit stronger everyday.

 

OK, so I am not the President or even a very famous person, but there's my two cents!