What the Hell has Happened to us?
"Us" is the fire service in general.
Lately I have become very disturbed about the state of affairs that the fire service is in. Yes the fire service that has been my career and that I truly am dedicated to.
Our bad attitudes are affecting us negatively and nobody even listens to what they say or
how we might be portrayed.
These are random thoughts and are in no particular order or range but I think it gives you a snapshot of what led me to this conclusion.
There was a serious apparatus accident in Massachusetts during the past month. The driver was injured but not killed and many agree that if he was not wearing a seatbelt it would be likely that he could have been more seriously injured or killed. I was mentioning that I had heard about that incident to a Captain in a large city fire department, and he acknowledged that it was fortunate that the member had a seatbelt on but he could never enforce that in his company or his department because the SOP they have has no teeth. It was just dismissed as I cannot do my job. I have to say that I would never expect that the captain rewrite an SOP for the entire department but he sure as hell can be responsible for the personal safety of the other members of his crew riding on his pump. I guess in some ways I too lacked intestinal fortitude because I did not want to hear the answer of whether he used his seatbelt. I did not ask but I think I know the answer.
The fire service has now become a good second job with benefits. members do not care about the job it's traditions or honor or why we are even there any more. These young members may not care because we do not have the courage strength and stamina to make them care like we do. Do not tolerate or accept this, but continue to strive for the right things and the right purposes. As a senior member or officer that cares, don't give up. It is very easy to do that.
In many states firefighters are exempt from CDL license requirements. Is that really because we are afraid of the drug testing that comes with it. We believe or know that our members are coming to work under the influence? God I hope that is not true, but I know that it is.
Conversation with a municipal fire officer who stated that he chose to exercise in the afternoon while the other members of his company were upstairs in the recliner sleeping. I admire him for his interest in staying in shape but isn't there some responsibility to make sure his men are combat ready and trained. I guess it is OK to let them do what they want as long as they do not give me any grief.
I had numerous conversations about how city government was screwing the local fire department. There doesn't seem do be any realization that later in these conversations someone always made a statement like fires are down and screw that EMS crap and all of that. Gee I wonder why city government has kicked us....did we have anything to do with this.
There used to be an old folk song called "Look what they have done to my song"....
Folks let's look around at we have done to our own song.
Have personal discipline and try to do the right thing as difficult as it might be. If this job was easy we would have taken another profession.
Comment by email if you wish.