BY MIKE STALEY
Though the horror of the past weeks is still unthinkable, now is the time for firefighters to accept responsibility for the call to action placed on us by the sacrifice of our brothers and sisters from the New York City area. No longer can we just talk the talk; we must walk the walk to improve our lives, our family’s lives, and the communities we serve.
Because of the focused sacrifice in New York City, the fire service has been receiving special attention nationwide. Do we deserve all this attention? Maybe, but what I realize is how much internal improvement is needed. Now is the time to make the internal changes that will improve our organization.
Yes, I’ve been exposed to those silly shift wars when peanut butter and cake mixes seem more important than world peace, when delinquent dues in coffee funds seem more important than the national debt.
It’s all about respect. We ask people to respect our work and our need to provide a life-saving service. This is the time to commit to caring for our community and ourselves. We must not lose sight of the sacrifice of our FDNY family if we truly want to make positive changes for our service to America.
Respect for ourselves. As individuals, it’s no secret the majority of our deaths are health-related. We need to physically be in better shape. We die in motor vehicle accidents, and people still do not wear their seatbelts while on the apparatus and in private vehicles.
Respect for each other on the job. No longer can we bicker about petty differences and “the other shifts.” All conversations must be positive; as individuals, we need to respect each other and be strong enough to stop the negative by speaking up instead of sitting back and allowing people to run their mouths and demean others.
Greet each other every day, and stand up to shake hands with everyone. Stand up when an officer enters your station. Shine your shoes. Wear your uniform with pride. It’s time to stand tall and be proud of what we do every day.
We ask the world to vote for us, and it is embarrassing how many firefighters and their family members are not registered to vote. Become involved with community issues by making sure your department is represented at all events. This is not the job of just the chief, the public information officer, or the public education specialist; it’s all of our jobs.
Check daily your personal equipment and apparatus. This is the failsafe way to ensure our life safety. Again, if change is needed in your organization, become the positive voice delivering positive solutions.
“Information today saves lives tomorrow.” We all know what needs to be done to improve our communities, even though promoting sprinkler systems in all buildings, fire inspections, and public education are not the most exciting or glamorous aspects of our job. This needs to change. The more we prevent, the more we can save ourselves.
Air horns blasting, sirens screaming, and lights flashing on apparatus are not the signs of success; they are the signs of failure.
Together let’s stand tall to be firefighters. Every time we get on our apparatus or in our private vehicles, wear a baseball cap or T-shirt that announces our professionalism. Let’s show every American our new commitment in making our America a better place to live.
Mike Staley is retired from Port Orange (FL) Fire Rescue. He is the author of Igniting The Leader Within (Fire Engineering, 1998), a keynote speaker, and an attitude consultant. Staley is a member of DMAT FL-6.
