WHY ARE WE FIREFIGHTERS...

This article is written for any and all firefighters out there. It does not matter if you are a Chief of a department or the probie that just got hired, this article is one that all of us should read. But more then just read actually think about it.......

Why did we get into this business? Why are we in this business? Have you actually made the commitment to this business?

Did you get into the fire service so that you could wear the really cool uniform? Did you get into the fire service so that maybe you can use it as a great pick up line? Did you get into the fire service because your options ran out and you just needed a job? Or did you get into the fire service because you really want to give yourself to one of the most noble and important professions there is today? This profession requires more then just the casual dedication that most people can get away with in other jobs.

Are you looking for a fraternity like you had in college, full of drinking buddies that leave each other passed out in all different places. Or maybe you are searching for a true brotherhood, full of men/women that will drop everything they have going on to give you a hand when you or your family needs one? The fire service is by no means a fraternity. No sir it is a brotherhood like no other found on this planet. Just go to any city in this great country and stop by a fire house and tell them you are fireman in your city. The hospitality and open arms you will receive is like no other.

The only person that can make the decision as to what you are looking for in the fire service is YOU. If you are looking for the pick up lines, fraternity drinking buddies, and cool uniforms fine. BUT do not bullsh*t others by saying you are in the fire service for anything else. The only person really you are lying to is yourself, because I guarantee the rest of us can see right through the bullsh*t.

So now that I may have pissed some people off by calling out their motives, let me make my next point. This job, this profession is too important to not dedicate yourself fully to it. There are too many different things that require we fully dedicate ourselves to this great profession. Too many "OLD SMOKIES" and "SMOKE EATERS" busted their asses, even gave their lives for us not to dedicate ourselves to this profession fully.

You owe it to yourself and your family to dedicate yourself to this profession fully. The areas that we perform our jobs in whether it be the fireground, an auto accident scene, a haz-mat call, or even an ems call can be very dangerous places. Even for those of you that hang way in the back and try not to get involved in these scenes. You owe it to yourself and your loved ones that care so much about you to know what the hell you are doing out there. It is this debt to yourself and to the ones that care about you to keep up with any new techniques or trends or new information. You owe it to your loved ones as well as yourself to seek out and find solid training that keeps your skills at a highly proficient level.

I know we see this scene in the movies alot and think that it is mostly fictional, but it isn't.

The knock at the door of your residence, as your spouse and children come to answer door. Standing there is one of the Chief officers, ready to explain to them that while making a make shift "burn tower" out out pallets and excelsior, you doused it in diesel fuel and threw the fuse into it. This resulted in you being severely burned and admitted to the burn unit fighting for your life. Now I know that most of you that just read that are saying "yea right we don't do that" or "that doesn't happen here". Well stop that way of thinking right now. It does happen, it just hasn't happen yet. Why is that you ask? Because dedicated professionals do not do those kinds of things. Smart, dedicated and highly trained firefighters do not do those things.

There are others that you owe being dedicated to as well. You owe it to those that you work with. These people depend on you with their life. Their families depend on you with their loved ones life. Would you be able to live with yourself if your actions or mis-actions resulted in the injury of death of one of your brothers or sisters? I couldn't. Just for a moment imagine their family and all the grief they would endure because of your mistake.

There are many firefighters in just about every department who lack basic skills and training as well as the motivation to gain these skills and training. These firefighters have the attitude that being weak in areas doesn't matter, that it doesn't have any consequences. Their way of thinking is that there will always be others to pick up their slack. This isn't fair to the other men/women around and will eventually cause the death of one of our brothers/sisters. This is bullsh*t. DON'T BE THAT FIREFIGHTER.

Lastly, but just as important is that you owe your full dedication to this job to every John and Jane that you have sworn to protect with your life. John and Jane represent every citizen that counts on us to know what to do and have the ability to help them on the worst day of their life. John and Jane do not care if we get paid this Friday. They do not care if you are a union member or not. John and Jane do not care that your fire station only responds to 6 calls a month. John and Jane do not care if your unit is on its 28th call of the night. John and Jane expect the same level of service whether their home is 900 square feet in the middle of the worst neighborhood in town, or a 12,000 square foot home with a water front view in the most upscale part of the city. All of these people we swore to protect to the best of capabilities and we owe it to them, all of them, to be at our best.

I have notice a very disturbing trend in the last few years. It is that John and Jane just don't matter as much anymore. It has turned into we matter more the he or she does. It seems that we matter more than the oath we all took when we started this career. These statements of this is too dangerous or lets just hit it from the outside have taken hold of the fire service and almost made it not ok to go in. These statements have almost made it ok to write off John and Jane and their property as soon as we pull up on scene. Ok to not really make a true effort to stop life and property loss. There is a part of the fireman's prayer that says "TO GUARD MY EVERY NEIGHBOR AND PROTECT HIS PROPERTY."

Let's be clear here, I am in no way advocating just throwing our lives away or to put us in unsafe (not un-dangerous there is a difference) situations. I do believe in doing our job fully, effectively and safely. The fire service is a dangerous profession, there is no way to remove the danger. That must be understood.

In a time when our service is under attack from politicians and citizens, we must perform our duties better then they expect. And the only way to do that is to dedicate yourself to this service fully.

So, did you get into this job to actually DO the job? Did you join this profession to risk your life so that someone else might survive and live? Or did you just apply hoping to get on and have your picture taken? Did you join this profession to give back to your community, or did you just want to ride on the fire truck in the parade? Did you join this profession because you actually believe in the oath we took and the prayer we all know, or did you join because you just liked the time off?

WELL IT IS TIME TO DECIDE.....

Hopefully some of you will read this article and actually think about it. Hopefully this article sparks some change in those that need it. Hopefully this article reminds those of us that are fully dedicated to this profession exactly why we do what we do. If nothing else hopefully this article sparks alittle conversation around the fire house as to why we are all here......