Professional actor, professional doctor, professional lawyer, professional athlete, professional firefighter. We all have seen many occupations that have the label of professional tied to them, including our own. But just what is being a professional?

It is defined in the dictionary in two ways. First, as a person having great skill or experience in a particular field or activity, and second, as a person who receives pay for performing activities.

I believe being a professional has more to do with a person’s mental attitude and their dedication to their profession. As an example, think of some of the worst teams in any sport. Although they win few games there always seems to be one or two athletes who play as hard for this losing team as they would for a winning team. Regardless of what is occurring, they still have that pride and determination of a professional to be the very best player they can be.

The professional firefighter has to constantly remind themselves of the serious nature of the profession and to not let the day-to-day frustrations have an effect on the job they are expected to perform. Professionals do not allow themselves to become close-minded and stagnant. They realize that their level of competence in the firefighting profession not only affects the level of the pubic, also may mean life or death to their fellow firefighters.

The professional firefighter knows that learning to use the tools of the job is an acquired skill. Much in the same manner as a carpenter learns to use the hammer, a firefighter must practice to keep skills sharp, be it operating a pumper, swinging an axe, or wearing SCBA and searching a room.

Professionals actually like the “T” word (training). They like to practice their skills, attend outside training classes and read just about any fire service trade journal they can lay their hands on. The city of Harrisburg is lucky to have firefighters who fall under the title of professional but we all should step back from time to time to do a little self-evaluation and see which definition of professional we fall under.

Many things have changed in the fire service since I wrote the small article above for the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighter Magazine in the spring of 1991, but one thing that has not changed is the dedication and commitment required of today’s firefighter. Career or volunteer, the public expects a professional to show up at their fire or emergency. While many layers have been added to “the job” over the years, it is not an excuse for not knowing your job. Understanding that we all have different levels of abilities, we all need to work and seek to improve our knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Preparation is also an important part of our job. When you walk into your station, career or volunteer, EXPECT to go to a fire today. Get your PPE out of your locker and onto the apparatus floor. Do not rely on the shift before you to check the apparatus and equipment. Check your SCBA first and insure it is ready for use. If the supply line is not racked correctly, fix it. If your attack lines are not racked correctly, fix it. Saw needs fuel, fill it. Tools need cleaned, clean them. There is no excuse for not being prepared for “today’s” fire.

I was very lucky that I had outstanding mentors, both career and volunteer, early in my fire service life. They taught me “the job”. One of my early mentors was Chief James Cutchall of the Fayetteville Volunteer Fire Department. His quote hangs in my home to this day:

To Make An Error Is Human

To Worry About Those Errors Is Compassion

To Do Something About Those Errors Is Professionalism