Why Did You Become A Fireman?

I asked this same question to a coworker of mine whose son recently started his career fire academy class. He replied that his son had previously worked in construction, and that he wanted a stable job that he could work at for 25 years, while working his side construction job, and then retire with city benefits.

This answer was one that I figured I would get. Nothing against my coworker's son, or others who may have given this same answer, but I implore you to think deeply about why you signed the dotted line on that application.

Career or volunteer, we all signed the line on our application to be a fireman. We stood in front of our family and our peers, swearing to protect the citizens of the community in which we serve. We vowed to put their needs in front of our own.

Sure, that means missed dinners, lack of sleep, and horrible memories of the tragedies we see on calls. Even though we might not have fully known what that fully entails at the time, no one twisted our arm to make us become firemen.

Let me pause here and ask you this: if you signed up for this job with the attitude that you're only in it for 25 years and retirement benefits, how do you cope with these stresses?

That was an easy question compared to this next one: if your loved one is trapped in a house that has fire blowing out a couple windows, do you want the firefighters that show up to have the '25 and out' attitude?

Or do you want the firemen that show up to have a desire to serve, a desire to place their life in danger to rescue someone in need?

If you think that these can be combined in a single mindset, you're dead wrong! I won't apologize if you think otherwise.

Think, what would motivate you to go through that window that's pushing thick angry smoke when you have a mindset that you have to make it to 25 years and retirement?

That mindset could freeze you right where you stand; that mindset puts your safety and well being in front of the one that needs the help, that mindset is dangerous, maybe not to you, but deadly to those helplessly laying inside!

As firemen, we must have the desire to serve. Career and volunteer alike, no more excuses. We need to be filled with the passion for learning, and the eagerness to attend trainings and be around others with the same goal as we have: to hone our craft and be better prepared to protect those who need us.

The only way to be good at what you do is to practice. Riding the recliner will do nothing but harm your community, because when that bell sounds, they expect you to be at the top of your game- willing to lay it all on the line for them.

This isn't a job for the selfish, it is a job for the selfless.

Which one are you?