Ok so if you saw any of my Facebook posts yesterday then you probably know I was slightly pissed off. If you didn't see them let me tell you of why I was upset.
My city is now taking applications to hire fire cadets for the first time in almost 3 years. This is a great and much needed thing. My department is definitely short on firefighters and staff is getting reduced even more by every passing month. So again I must re-state that the city starting the hiring process is a good sign and a step in the right direction. Now here is where I get upset...
As the news began to spread of the city taking applications by word of mouth, emails, and the social networks there were comments made that opened my eyes once again. You had just about everyone telling everyone else of the application process and where to apply. Now I understand that this is one of the most sought after and respected professions in the world. I know first hand that this is absolutely the best profession in the world. I also understand that what makes this profession the best in the world is NOT the reasons I heard yesterday. Time off, a cool uniform, a great pick up line, and THINKING you now belong to some tradition now, getting rich, looking cool in the big red truck, are NOT reasons this profession is great! These are reasons to NOT apply for this profession. What makes this profession the best in the world and so respected and sought after is that not every person can do it. Even more then that is NOT every person is cut out to do it.
The profession requires the ability to come to work every shift and bust your ass protecting you neighbors (most you will not even know) and their property (most of which you will have never seen before) from fire and other hazards. This profession requires that you become better everyday then the day before by studying, training, and learning. The profession requires that you seek opportunities to help those in need, without passing judgement on those same people. This profession requires that you answer the tones quickly, efficiently, and professionally, every time they go off. No matter how many times they go off. If you can't meet those requirements and maintain those requirements throughout your career, please choose another profession. THIS ONE IS NOT FOR YOU!
You see this profession is for the elite of the elite. I have drawn comparisons between the fire service and elite military units such as SEALS, RANGERS, etc. I am sure I will catch a lot of heat for that statement but let me continue.
I have the honor and privilege of knowing several current and former members of these elite military units. In the time I have known them I have had the honor to train with some, study with some, and share a cold beverage with some as well. After knowing these men for some years now and having thousands of conversations with them one thing struck me hard. These men are the ultimate professionals, living by the words Commitment, Integrity, Loyalty, Dedication, Responsibility, and Ownership. They are very humble people and quick to make the point that they are part of a great team. How they stressed their training, fitness, studying as the most important part of their success. How their success depends strictly on those things. I realized that the fire service is (or should be) a mirror image of that.
There will be those that will say you can't compare the fire service to these elite military units. They will say that I just have a man crush on them. Maybe I do LOL..But here are the facts:
-Firefighters expend metabolic energy at the same rate as Navy SEALS and professional boxers.
-Firefighters operate in an environment where the UNKNOWN is always present.
-Firefighters operate in zero visibility environments with little to no knowledge of their surroundings, that engages our sympathetic nervous system and WE MUST PERFORM with clear thoughts.
Just like those elite soldiers, we in the fire service are human and we will have days where our commitment is tested. When the pressures of our lives hit us hard. But that is what our "BROTHERHOOD" is all about. When our focus strays, that is when our brothers and sisters kick us in the ass and tell us to get back on track. Sometimes this is done with a boot in the ass and sometimes this done with a helping hand.
If you are not ready or capable of handling all of these things now and in the future, then you are not cut out for this profession. The time has come to stop pretending this profession is safe and easy. It is not! The profession is hard and dangerous. If you are not committed to excelling in the most threatening and dangerous environments by training and studying, then you are putting your life, the lives of your crew, and the lives of the people we swore to protect in danger of being killed or injured.
The time has now come for each one of us (the applicant, cadet, probie, rookie, senior firefighter, captains, and chiefs) to own our responsibility to this profession and be the best we can be. Everyday we train, we improve our physical capability everyday, we learn our craft everyday. We must become better today then we were yesterday.
The fire service is not for Hero's or Cowboys, it is for men and women that can handle all that I described above with TRUE Honor, Commitment, Integrity, Loyalty, Responsibility, and Ownership. If you can then please join us.....
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