Transcript of Fire Engineering Editor in Chief Bobby Halton’s Opening Address at FDIC 2010

After a stirring opening ceremony that included the Presentation of Colors by the Pike Township (IN) Fire Department Color Guard, playing from the Indianapolis Firefighters Emerald Society Bagpipe Band, and the invocation from Father Edward Byrne, FDIC Education Director and Fire Engineering Editor In Chief Bobby Halton opened FDIC 2010 with an impassioned speech to some of the 30,000 firefighters expected at the conference.

“It is not hard for us who have come here year after year to understand why men and women are so willing to step up and donate their time, their thoughts, and their talent to FDIC.”

Halton continued, “We are here today to represent the fourth generation to be participating in this event, we are mentoring now the next generation of fire service leadership…the men and women of the fifth generation at FDIC.”

Leaving the podium to make use of the entire stage and allow his words to be seen as well as heard, Halton spoke to the current generation of firefighters now charged with preparing the next generation for the inherited challenges they will face in the future. “They will inherit the battle to make residential sprinkler legislation a reality. They will inherit both shrinking budgets and dwindling recruitment. The next generation will find obstacles around every bend, dangers that we cannot even now imagine.”

Halton also spoke of the “one in 100” that each firefighter at the conference represents with regards to the entirety of the North American fire service, and how that number has never changed since the conference’s inception 82 years ago, a testament to FDIC’s importance and relevance. He confirmed this fact with a famous quote from Greek philosopher Heraclitus: “You are the one in 100. You are the warrior against ignorance, against apathy, and against the status quo.”

With that inspiring statement of purpose, FDIC 2010 began.