Earlier this year, I was sitting in “balmy” St. Cloud, Minn., (-33 degrees F; now I know why those old men were so grumpy) eating dinner with a few firefighter friends of mine. As the night wore on, we each shared our fire service equivalent of a Minnesota fisherman’s fishing story—cold, longwinded and filled with exaggeration. At some point, one of the instructors spoke of his experience teaching recruits and the reward he felt when they eventually achieved success in the fire service.

His comment reminded me of a similar experience I had with a recruit in his mid- to late-30s, who happened to be in a class of much younger recruits. Having had a few years of life experience, he had some unique qualities that set him apart from his younger classmates, but he also had some physical fitness “experience” that could prevent him from achieving his goal of becoming a firefighter.

During the first week of the 14-week academy, he and his fellow classmates were jogging back to the training academy after completing some off-site PT rotations. As I drove past the formation, this particular recruit broke formation and approached my vehicle. I rolled down my window and he leaned against my vehicle, sweating profusely. “Chief,” he said, “I don’t think I’m cut out for this; I’m too old and too out of shape.”

Knowing he had an older brother on the job who had developed into an excellent firefighter and potentially a future officer for the organization, I understood this recruit’s potential. He was a skilled carpenter with a strong work ethic and a comfortable lifestyle, but he continued to dream of being a firefighter, despite always seeming to come up short.

With this in mind, I listened as he forcefully attempted to convince me that he should quit. He eventually paused for a second to catch his breath, at which point I exited the vehicle and proceeded to “calmly” deliver my gold-plated, Vince Lombardi-esque motivational speech, using only the kindest of multiple-syllable words (all of which were politically correct, of course!) to emphasize the importance of pursuing one’s personal dreams, to never give up and to never accept failure as an option.

Eventually, the recruit fell back in line and completed the day’s PT session. Throughout the rest of the academy, I ran side-by-side with him, offering encouragement during the difficult times he was experiencing. After 14 weeks of physical and mental exhaustion, a smiling, physically fit young man stood proudly as his older brother pinned his coveted badge onto his uniform at graduation.

A few months ago, I was recovering from a knee injury following a game of “felony volleyball”—no blood, no foul, if you know what I mean. Per doctor’s orders, I decided to go to the local track to run a few laps. As I reached down to secure my knee brace, I heard a familiar voice behind me say, “Hey Chief!” I turned around, and much to my surprise, I saw the smiling face of that same recruit, now a seasoned firefighter.

I was even more surprised when I found out why he was there: His younger brother wanted to be a firefighter too, and he was out running with his brother, offering encouragement and motivation to fight through the pain in preparation for the physical ability test.

I share this story not to illustrate the glory of personal accomplishment or the secret to motivational speeches, but rather to emphasize the importance of demanding the highest personal commitment in academic and physical performance of those who choose to join our profession. It’s about finding the right people. They may require encouragement and support on the front end, but ultimately their internal drive and passion for success will lead them to their goals.

In these trying times, fire departments throughout the country, both paid and volunteer, are seeking to find the best candidates to join their departments. As difficulty-recruiting volunteers increases, or as departments feel pressure to pass recruits because of the time and money invested in their training, some will vie for a reduction in the standards to open the field to a broader pool. And while on the surface this might seem logical, the net result can quickly become a recipe for reduced performance standards, poor morale and professional liability.

Many candidates dream of being part of this elite family, but only a select few have the internal drive and determination to be the very best. If fire departments raise the bar and maintain the highest professional standards, the cream will ultimately rise to the top.

And like that “physically experienced” recruit who initially had such trouble but ended up influencing his brother to follow in his footsteps, the best firefighters multiply in value, as they become not just followers, but leaders themselves.

Timothy E. Sendelbach is a 23 – year student and educator of the fire & emergency services currently serving as Editor-in-Chief for FireRescue Magazine and President of TES² Training & Education Services. Tim is also the immediate past president of the International Society of Fire Services Instructors. (ISFSI)