Hey friends! Its been forever since I put some thought into action with a true post. As some of you are aware of, my fire service career took a major hit last week, and it is something I was expecting, so the impact wasn't so terrible. The theoretical justification of not accepting orders from an high ranking officer with no professional training, because with the risks involved with the flames we tame, adding the risk of bad leadership runs the liability of getting hurt or killed. After taking some time to go through everything that transpired, I see some light at the end of the tunnel, hense this post. There are a lot of untrained firefighters out there, be it schedule, lack of desire, or learning disability. Making them our officers based on the friendship network is bad news. There are also a lot of trained professionals out there that make decisions that can impair or kill firefighters. The fires we fight are not easy on the body. They are both physically and mentally punishing on us. Our families suffer the loss of time with us, and are the ones to pick us up when we are down for losing a victim. We all need to take the PROPER steps to ensure that we are as thoroughly trained as we can be because there will be a time and a place where you have a split second to make a decision that could save your life, and that training will most likely save your ass. There is always something new to learn, and always great to refresh your knowledge on everything you can. Remember by the time you master something, its time to learn a new standard because the standard you have trained on for 20 years is no longer applicable.

Cherish everyday. Kiss your wife and kids, and let them know you love them, you never know when your ass will be in a sling, or even worst, in the morgue. Do your part to ensure your own safety, and help your fellow firefighters on scene with your training in the execution of your duties.

Be Well and Stay safe, its a cruel and harsh world we live in.