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Tradition? Honor? This is for the "new" guys!
My name is Kevin O'Brien and will not hide behind anything or anyone about being a Firefighter!
Where has it gone? Our spirit, tradition and honor! Too many young kids on the job forget what is important. Is it beacuse our lives are too busy? Perhaps!
I worked in the FDNY from 1981 and retired 2002. I have seen so many things. It made me strong in many ways and also made me weak. I learned from the past by paying attention to the "senior" members and so should you! Our history is your guidline to your future. Pay attention!
The days leading up to 9-11-2001 taught me many things. Being a Firefighter is not a job, it's a vocation, a calling if you don't mind. It is a LIFE. We marry , have chrildren but being a Firefighter is almost as important. BROTHERHOOD!
Being a Firefighter from whatever city or whatever town does NOT stop you from being involved. I say this now because so many have forgotten. Not only 9-11, but the firefighters who die each year..every year! This is our job to peserve the memory and honor of these people. OUR CALLING!
I run a golf outing in Myrtle Beach for the memory of NOT those who have died but the spirit of the Firefighters who stood up and came to our side. They helped our families, went to funerals and stood at our memorials! They were/are the key of our being. Come see how a group of people can stand as one. May 16 - 20, 2010 Look at fdnygolf.com for all the info.
Even if you can not attend. Remember one thing! TRADITION
NEVER FORGET............ANYONE!
KOB
Where has it gone? Our spirit, tradition and honor! Too many young kids on the job forget what is important. Is it beacuse our lives are too busy? Perhaps!
I worked in the FDNY from 1981 and retired 2002. I have seen so many things. It made me strong in many ways and also made me weak. I learned from the past by paying attention to the "senior" members and so should you! Our history is your guidline to your future. Pay attention!
The days leading up to 9-11-2001 taught me many things. Being a Firefighter is not a job, it's a vocation, a calling if you don't mind. It is a LIFE. We marry , have chrildren but being a Firefighter is almost as important. BROTHERHOOD!
Being a Firefighter from whatever city or whatever town does NOT stop you from being involved. I say this now because so many have forgotten. Not only 9-11, but the firefighters who die each year..every year! This is our job to peserve the memory and honor of these people. OUR CALLING!
I run a golf outing in Myrtle Beach for the memory of NOT those who have died but the spirit of the Firefighters who stood up and came to our side. They helped our families, went to funerals and stood at our memorials! They were/are the key of our being. Come see how a group of people can stand as one. May 16 - 20, 2010 Look at fdnygolf.com for all the info.
Even if you can not attend. Remember one thing! TRADITION
NEVER FORGET............ANYONE!
KOB
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on
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Kevin,
I think today too many either see firefighting as just a job or are too wrapped up in 'being' a firefighter (the tee shirt, the 'status', to get dates, to wear the superhero cape) that they lack any concept of what the brotherhood means. Maybe it's the years of playing video games or having ear buds stuck in their ears.
Instant gratification and 'me first' don't play out well when you're working in the brotherhood. It's about the other people around you and the traditions that define who we all are and why we do what we do. Or should be doing.
But to share the blame, if the lack of 'brotherhood' persists it does so, in part because it's allowed to. A crappy car is not the car's fault but the mechanic's. Leaders that fail to instill, preach and live the brotherhood are failing at fixing the problem. But then, a person that comes in that knows it all, deserves it all and wants it all is one crappy car that just can't be fixed. Better to just junk it.
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Permalink Reply by Marvin Hawk on
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Kevin,
I think that the Fire Service is starting to see what some of us in Law Enforcement have seen for the last few years. There is a new breed of cat out there, we refer to them as IKE's and I don't mean Eisenhower. It stands for I Know Everything. They think that once they have graduated from the Academy or school there is nothing to be learned. Gone are the days of eyes and ears open mouth shut, you might learn something. That why I am a firm believer in the Under 18 programs that some of us are running. These tend to be highly motivated kids who still want to be part of a great tradition.
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Permalink Reply by Kevin OBrien on
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Great idea, this takes personal time, dedication and EXACTLY what I was talking about! With people like you we can fix anything
good job
KOB
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Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on
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It is indeed up to us to instill pride of service, brotherhood and dedication into those who will some day take our places. I have seen what your discussing here Kevin for about the last 10 years. How this is changed is entirely up to the attitudes and hearts of you and I. We can just bitch and be critical or work to be part of the solution and make it better. Thats my job! Many are called but few are chosen......
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Permalink Reply by ALAN BARBEAU on
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I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU BROTHERS HAVE SAID HERE I LEFT THE DEPT IN 89 BECAUSE THE DEPT BECAME ABOUT NOTHING BUT POLITICS AND WHO HAD WHAT STATUS IT WASNT ABOUT BROTHERHOOD OR SAVING LIFE AND PROPERTY.ALTHOUGH BEING AWAY FOR SO LONG I NEVER FORGOT ABOUT MY FIREFIGHTING FAMILY.NOW IM BACK IN WITH MY 15YR OLD SON AND A 13 YR OLD SON THAT WILL JOIN IN APRIL THE DEPT IM ON REALY SEEMS LIKE A BROTHERHOOD THEY DO THINGS TOGETHER LIKE A FAMILY I HAVNT BEEN ON BUT 2 MONTHS AND IM ALREADY FEELING AT HOME AND I FEEL THAT WHEN OUR PEOPLE SAY THEY HAVE YOUR BACK THEY ARE THERE RIGHT BEHIND NO MATTER WHAT .I KNOW I WONT FORGET WHAT ITS ABOUT AND HOPEFULLY MY BOYS WONT EITHER.....
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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thanks penrhyn for the new acronym... now I have something to describe my kids... :D lol CBz
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Brother Kevin, My first thought here is questioning why any of us, and especially someone with your pedigree's, e.g. you worked for NYFD for over 20 years which means that you have had and will forever have to deal with the aftermath of 9-1-1 and living your life without some of our brothers who perished. That alone makes you very special, being one of the guys who survived that day. So, to make my point here, none of us should even think that it would be necessary to hide anything about our chosen profession. Having you take your time to share the core values of being a firefighter, namely, tradition and honor, needs to be identified here as an honor and privilege for those young readers with the goals of becoming a firefighter or new on the job. As one of the senior members, damn I hate admitting this... working through the ranks, learning the job, learning the trade, and going through the stages of both personal and career milestones, one thing remains constant. The need to follow our hearts, continue to help those less fortunate or those in trouble, be the "can-do" type of person, not the Eor character in Winnie the Poo... to bring to work each morning a sense of humor, a good work ethic, a willingness to not complain about problems, but instead come up with solutions and most importantly remembering my favorite saying. "It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice." I am honored to have you as a friend. Stay safe, god bless and yes, NEVER FORGET, EVER!
CBz
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Permalink Reply by FETC on
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In my opinion society has changed and this is causing some of the lack of brotherhood. In today's busy life (which pretty much all have two income earners) many fulltime firefighters of today who attempt to live beyond the means of the low pay firefighters recieve... end up with two or three jobs to live the life chosen. Many of which are arriving to work tired or straight from another gig. Therefore when the guys say lets go get a beer, hang out tonight, or lets get the families together (like the brotherhood of the past) those traditions have changed dramatically due mostly to fiscal responsibilities.
We usually hear, "I can't because I need to go to my other job or I am working." Society has changed, and the busy lives or stressors, have crept into the firehouse. Traditionally brothers of the past lived very simple lives because they understood the calling paid squat. But today, society has allowed some to have multiple incomes each. So concerns about paying the bills, or making enough money, spouses, and children are at hand. Back when I was a kid we played with the other neighborhood kids to pass time, now it is Xbox, Wii, or playing multiple sports, all of the which cost lots of money..
Give you an example... backdraft had the brothers driving crap cars or old pickup trucks. Drive by some of the paid departments and look at what the brothers are driving. 40K SUV's, Pickups, Lexus or Escalades... I even heard a city manager once say to me during negotiations, don't tell me you are underpaid, I see what you are driving to work. Problem is most of that is on credit, and with the recession driving tight times no wonder brothers are working on the edge.
IMO: That all adds up to what some have seen or identified the lack of brotherhood, the change in the working firefighters attitude and some who see it as "Just a job".
It is our job to keep the past traditions, the good traditions somehow alive.....
Best of luck
FETC
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Permalink Reply by Wade Seely on
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Being newer to the fire service, and a younger adult, I find it hard sometimes to see the light that my generation is often cast. I am not saying that a large amount of my fellow genteration doesn't deserve this view; however, I do feel that there are a lot of us out here that do understand the traditions and honor that the vets and those before have instilled in this service.
I also feel that society has had an impact on the priorities of young people today. IMHO kids are not giving enough responsiblity and have to much spoon fed to them to truly understand the value of show up get to work and get the job done properly. I grew up in a very rural community and have been workig since I was eight years old; I don't mean to take anything away from youth growing up in cities, but I feel that they are truly missing out later in life do to the fact that the majority of them don't have any real responsiblity until high school or later.
I take pride in being a firefighter and doing my part to help the people who liive and work in my community even if it's not doing the heroic or macho thing. I've learned that every detail helps with that final outcome, from rolling hose to keeping the station clean and organized. I appreciate everything that the more experienced firefighters are willing to share with me, and I always try to take it to heart.
Society may be having a detramental effect on those just coming to the fire service, but I believe that they can rise above that with the right mentors who are willing to take the time.
Thank you all for your service and the knowledge that you pass down
TCSS
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Permalink Reply by Reg Mathis on
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I usually refer to them as Alligators. All mouth and no ears!
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Wade, that makes you a glaring exception, bright enough that you will stand out from and outshine those of lesser ability and drive.
IMHO, society has nothing to do with how a kid turns out or how responsible he or she becomes, it always comes down to two things, the parents, and the child. Even more simpler, it's about responsibility. You can take it, pass it or blame it but you can't avoid it.
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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I disagree that such things as "tradition, honor, etc" is for "new" guys. For me, I have seen many of the old guys who need a reminder of things too. Not just the "I did it as a probie, now it is your turn" type of attitude, but I have seen to many use their place as a way to get under someone's skin and egg them on. Where is the honor in that?
When I got hired as a FT FF where I'm at it was during some economic hardtimes, as now, and the common thing coming from many of the "old guys" "hope you like the job kid, you won't be here too long". There has been threats of layoffs the few groups hired before me, through the ones being hired now. While layoffs is a reality and seen across the country, is this something to be made light of? Seriously, how would one look up to someone like this, where is the honor and tradition? You come in and told you probably won't have a job, does that make you want to work hard? Does that make you want to strive for something? Instead a real brotherhood was where those who did do their time and while could hang on, moved on so a new guy kept a job, or even concede in a contract to keep guys on.
While traditions are important, there are many that don't need to be around and many have left. The days of sitting around and playing cards all day has gone away. Some things are done just because of tradition.....does it matter if floors were cleaned every Saturday during horse drawn days, that the floor has to be cleaned every Saturday now? Well, you get people coming in and questioning "why?" with the standard response, that is the way we always did it. Some traditions are important and should be maintained, but "this is the way it has always been done" should be looked at.
I also don't really agree with the mouth shut concept for many new guys. No, I don't care for some new guy saying he went to college and shouldn't clean the bathroom, or mop floors etc, nor even the know it all attitude, or the this is how we did it on xx dept, but probies should talk and give input. There can be new techniques learned, a different outlook, questions asked, etc where everyone can learn.
To me, it is easy to point to the new guys coming on and question things such as honor and traditions, but it also helps to take a look in the mirror. What are you as an older senior guy doing to help promote the honor and tradition? Are you one to sit in the recliner because you "earned your time" or are you one to take the new guy around and teach? Are you one to complain about every new idea or way of doing things, or are you one to step up and learn? Are you one to tell the probie to know where everything is on the rig, but don't know for sure yourself? Are you one to take advantage of training or one to just sit back and watch? Is the message you are sending today and the example you portray today the one you would be proud of others to learn from? To me, to ensure honor and tradition starts with me and the example I lead today.
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