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Respect
Respect. As I have wandered here and other places on the net, I have come across a variety of instances in which people are picking at one another for any of a variety of basically insignificant reasons. These have included women in the fire service, Christians in the fire service and others. I guess I would just like to chime in with my two cents. Warning, this is NOT a politically correct statement and it does NOT apply to those who volunteer as limited duty members of the hundreds of fine volunteer departments throughout the world.
One of the things that has always attracted me to the fire service is the absolute standard of the individuals that are my brothers and sisters. The fire service has always had tough standards that are directly tied to the performance of our work. From a personal perspective, I really don’t care if you are male or female (who can tell when you’re bunkered-up, wearing an SCBA anyway?), white, black, brown or purple, tall or short, fat or skinny. What I do care about is whether or not you can come and get my old fat ass if something goes wrong and I go down in a burning building. That ability takes three things: knowledge, physical ability (I’m 225 lbs without gear), and heart. The knowledge to understand what’s happening amidst the chaos that is a fire, the physical ability to extricate me while we’re both in full bunkers and SCBAs, and the courage to come in after me when your anal sphincter is so tight that you are walking like a duck. If you can do that, you are welcome in my firehouse any time and you have my respect.
To those who would not have such an individual in their company because they are female or of a specific color or some other irrelevant something, I say you have never been in a situation where you ass is on the line. You’re half of a firefighter and, as such, you aren’t welcome in my firehouse.
Conversely, if you are in my firehouse because some do-gooder decided that you should be because of some perceived transgression of somebody’s ancestors and you can’t do all of the above, get out. You don’t belong here and you are a danger to the brothers and sisters for whom I would give my life.
Brothers and sisters of the fire service, I have been around a long time and have seen a lot of BS floating under the bridge (to mix about 12 metaphors). I encourage you to treat one another with the respect you all deserve. When it comes down to the bottom line, no matter their inconsequential differences, the other person is a firefighter and that counts for more than almost anything else.
One of the things that has always attracted me to the fire service is the absolute standard of the individuals that are my brothers and sisters. The fire service has always had tough standards that are directly tied to the performance of our work. From a personal perspective, I really don’t care if you are male or female (who can tell when you’re bunkered-up, wearing an SCBA anyway?), white, black, brown or purple, tall or short, fat or skinny. What I do care about is whether or not you can come and get my old fat ass if something goes wrong and I go down in a burning building. That ability takes three things: knowledge, physical ability (I’m 225 lbs without gear), and heart. The knowledge to understand what’s happening amidst the chaos that is a fire, the physical ability to extricate me while we’re both in full bunkers and SCBAs, and the courage to come in after me when your anal sphincter is so tight that you are walking like a duck. If you can do that, you are welcome in my firehouse any time and you have my respect.
To those who would not have such an individual in their company because they are female or of a specific color or some other irrelevant something, I say you have never been in a situation where you ass is on the line. You’re half of a firefighter and, as such, you aren’t welcome in my firehouse.
Conversely, if you are in my firehouse because some do-gooder decided that you should be because of some perceived transgression of somebody’s ancestors and you can’t do all of the above, get out. You don’t belong here and you are a danger to the brothers and sisters for whom I would give my life.
Brothers and sisters of the fire service, I have been around a long time and have seen a lot of BS floating under the bridge (to mix about 12 metaphors). I encourage you to treat one another with the respect you all deserve. When it comes down to the bottom line, no matter their inconsequential differences, the other person is a firefighter and that counts for more than almost anything else.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John Rulli Jr. on
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Good point brother!!
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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
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Good points.
Let's talk about them.
Shortly after Dave started this site, a particular member was very active, posting several comments.
Then, one day on his profile page, it said that so and so had been killed in an early morning fire while attempting to rescue children.
Myself and several others, including Dave made several inquiries and could find no evidence that this fire or death occurred.
So, you tell me. When someone comes on this website and claim to be a firefighter, they should be instantly granted respect?
No thanks; I had to earn mine with 29 years in the service so far, countless discussions with peers, sitting on standing committees, testifying at hearings on fire service issues, proving myself on the fireground as a capable leader and writing and publishing numerous articles pertinent to our nation's fire service.
I refuse to give a whacker, wannabee or pretender even a scintilla of what so many of us work for and hold so dear.
And they are my brother and sister until they choose not to be.
TCCSS.
Art
P.S.
I'm 57. Does that make me an "old fireguy"?
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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Hey Art...Remember better to be over the hill than to be under it......And I agree...One earns respect...it is not a gift to be given out lightly... and No, I don't give a rats ass if you are white, green, yellow, black or red with polka dots either...you earn it ..you don't get it through "affirmative action"(hows that for blowing "political corrective")...I have seen people here that couldn't drag a hoseline for a Firefighter..do I respect them...? Hell no...do I entertain them...? Maybe a little...it is very easy to tell who they are...you can only blow just so much smoke up someones ass until they realize what is going on...Its easy....You want my respect....THEN EARN IT...!! I don't give it out easily...just as I had to prove myself when I started out...it was a good 2 years before I felt like a part of the grander sceme of things... Stay safe.....Paul and hey I am 53.....am I an "OLD FIREGUY" ??
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Permalink Reply by Old Fireguy on
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Excellent points Chief!
Absolutely respect is earned! My contention is that by the time a person has been through an academy, red carding, state exams, physical training and the scruitiny of peers, they have earned that respect. Some of us go on to the other, more aesoteric challenges associated with command and inter-agency policies and politics, some don't. We are all still firefighters.
As in any community that is outside the norm, there are "hangers-on" and wannabes. Our brothers and sisters in New York brought us onto the front pages and the problem became greater. The military (especially the Marine Corps) have the same issues. The wannabes are pathetic and deserving of our pity in that they have no accomplishments of their own and rely on others for meaning in their lives. I, in no way, meant to include them in my discussion. Poseurs were the furthest thing from my mind when I wrote this piece.
TCCSS?
Bart
PS: 57 is darn close to being an old fireguy . . .
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Permalink Reply by Tony P on
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Interesting thread. My view? I'll treat people with respect until they show me they don't deserve it. Treating with respect is not the same as respecting.
Oh, I refuse to be an 'old fireguy'. Older I will accept, but not 'old'! After all, being 'old' is all in the mind...
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