Why would some want to be a part of your organization? Is there cache like being a Clydesdale pulling the Budweiser Wagon? Or is it something else? We recently brought on several new firefighters and we threw out the conventional wisdom and asked them, what made them chose emergency services.

We got the help community, excitement, and feel good stuff, but when we drilled down we found out that all of them had seen us out at schools, parades, and of course calls and we were always happy, always together, and they wanted to be a part of that. We rarely consider how our comportment and camaraderie separate us from the local Rotarians or Lions. We all do good work, but being continually in the public eye has its advantages.

We will build on this reminder of the kind of good impression that we can make by wearing our station shirts more often and finding ways to be seen in a group in our dress uniforms. But we will cement that impression by continuing to do the little things that make us a community, a group, an extended family. We will announce to scanner land that we are coming down for flag detail at 0600 on President’s Day. We will do blood pressures in conjunction with healthy heart month. We will promote civic mindedness. AND we will drive with due regard for ourselves and our community by wearing seatbelts and confirming that we have the right of way. Maybe we'll even have a Dalmation seated next to us...

Yeah, it’s going to be a good year, isn’t it?