Following an emotional opening ceremony at FDIC 2014, Wednesday classroom sessions opened up to students, highlighted by Erie County (NY) Department of Emergency Services Deputy Fire Coordinator Tiger Schmittendorf’s class ” From the Xbox to the Box Alarm: Understanding and Engaging Today’s Firefighters.” Addressing a nearly packed room, Schmittendorf looked to motivate today’s recruits to leave the “Xbox long enough to answer the box alarm.”
“The reality is that there is no alternative generation hanging out in a parallel universe waiting to swoop down and save the fire service,” Schmittendorf said. “The greatest expectation of today’s generation…is to be given clear expectations.”
Here, Schmittendorf talks about the potential struggles of the volunteer fire service:
“Our survival and success relies on our ability to create more opportunities for more people to volunteer LESS time.”
“In training, education, and advancement, today’s firefighters need a path that gives them direction and documentation to follow with clear expectations, benchmarks, and benefits,” he said.
Schmittendorf concluded, “My goal for this class is to take you away from the perception that today’s firefighters are unmotivated slackers to the reality that what most of them are are young people tyuly starved for strong, effective leadership.”
“Unfortunately, many of them were never exposed to that style of leadership at home, in school, or in the workplace yet.”
