What This Job is All About...
This week has been a little bit more than challenging for me to say the least but it certainly
has given me some pause to think about a lot of folks and the "job" of firefighter. I use the
term job to apply to the fire service regardless of paid, on call, or volunteer, it doesn't
matter.
I was involved in the funeral preparations and services of a longtime volunteer firefighter. A man who served for many years in a small community. I took a long time to stop and think and that concept for a minute. For over 40 years he served in many roles, including supervision, social, organizational and response. I am sure in some 40 years he made his share of friends and enemies alike. I am sure some folks may have even called him a dinosaur because of some traditional thinking.
Of all of the things that affected me during these funeral services, was the stamina and dedication to service. In my title this week I am talking about what this job really means....dedication and service. This is something that should be taught, stressed, and even forced upon our newer members.
I am reminded of a scene in the movie backdraft where the fire investigator is squirting lighter fluid on a doorcasing and he is explaining to a new member...This is what this job is all about. He is meaning the fire, study of fire, and fire suppression.
I also had a couple negative experiences this week which demonstrated how out of touch some people are with their public safety profession. I happen to be teaching out of state and actually had a student sprawled out on a desktop asleep for two days. (Now anybody who has been to any of my classes, can understand this students boredom, but really now!) What do you think I now think of that person's agency and their professionalism. I was only slightly mortified by this and then I became horrified when I later found out that this students supervisor was in the room and did nothing about the blatant disrespect shown for me and the other students. They don't even know why they are there any more, and what is worse than that is the complete and total lack of caring.
I use this example above to ask the members to take a corrective action this week. As many of you know the purpose of this commentary is to expound upon a particular thought and try to motivate the readers to some positive actions. As a commentary writer I am smart enough to know that nobody really cares about MY opinion and I should try to use it only to motivate others.
This week, take a moment and look around your own department. If there are members who are there for the wrong reasons or who just do not get it, please take a minute and try to do your best to explain it to them. Do not be confrontational and "in their face" but let them know that their substandard behaviors affect all of you that wear the same patch and badge and insignia.
This becomes really difficult in the paid sector because you may have members that have been "hiding" from their real duties. You know what is worse than that....Is the fact that YOU might have even been an enabler who was letting them hide. When we put up the "red line of silence" and protect and hide substandard members, remember that while you are protecting one,m you very well may be endangering many others including yourself.
In closing, if there are members on your job that are there for the wrong reasons, encourage them, train them and mentor them to correction, or get them to leave. In our business we cannot predict or bet on when there will be a serious incident. The public and our brother and sister members expect and deserve more.
Make sure you are there for the right reasons and examine your own performance and see if you deserve the title of firefighter or are you just a member of the"club" or association that happens to fight fires occasionally.
Check your equipment, be physically and mentally ready to go to work, be proud, look and act professionally.
Let's all take care of ourselves and the little things, and the big things will take care of themselves.
See you next week.
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