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We Need to Stop The "Hero" Crap.
I am tired of seeing the "self-anointed accolades". We are giving people joining the fire service a lofty target to hit.
We are giving people in our communities a reason to resent us when WE refer to the honorable and courageous things that we do. In other words, they don't like US patting ourselves on the back.
People joining want to rise to hero status; some faster than others.
I read the Sunday paper and it sickened me when I came across this AP story from the New York Daily News: http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Caleb+Lacey
Caleb Lacey, 19, a Long Island volunteer firefighter doused an apartment staircase with gasoline and set the building ablaze-killing four-in a "twisted attempt to become a hero", prosecutors charged Saturday.
This has given the term "hero" and "volunteer firefighter" connotations that any right thinking person would not want to be associated with.
Stop selling the idea that we are "heroes" and what we do is "heroic".
We do what we do to HELP others. Period.
Anyone who believes that they will make a heroic effort someday; GET OUT NOW.
There are other "Caleb Laceys" in our fire service just waiting for their chance.
You should know them. You voted them onto your fire departments.
And it has given the news media just another reason to splash FIREFIGHTER CHARGED WITH...as their headline and given the evening news their lead in for the top story of the day.
God; please make it stop.
TCSS.
Art
We are giving people in our communities a reason to resent us when WE refer to the honorable and courageous things that we do. In other words, they don't like US patting ourselves on the back.
People joining want to rise to hero status; some faster than others.
I read the Sunday paper and it sickened me when I came across this AP story from the New York Daily News: http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Caleb+Lacey
Caleb Lacey, 19, a Long Island volunteer firefighter doused an apartment staircase with gasoline and set the building ablaze-killing four-in a "twisted attempt to become a hero", prosecutors charged Saturday.
This has given the term "hero" and "volunteer firefighter" connotations that any right thinking person would not want to be associated with.
Stop selling the idea that we are "heroes" and what we do is "heroic".
We do what we do to HELP others. Period.
Anyone who believes that they will make a heroic effort someday; GET OUT NOW.
There are other "Caleb Laceys" in our fire service just waiting for their chance.
You should know them. You voted them onto your fire departments.
And it has given the news media just another reason to splash FIREFIGHTER CHARGED WITH...as their headline and given the evening news their lead in for the top story of the day.
God; please make it stop.
TCSS.
Art
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bruce Mack on
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The use of the word hero in our culture is completly out of hand, It is a label thrown on us by the media everytime we help someone. The clown from long island is a zero, a total detriment to everything the fire service stands for. Unless we do a better job of takin care of our own, were gonna end up with a lot more zero's who think they are hereo's. And in case you are wondering if your a hero or not, you will know when some small child comes to the firehouse and thanks you for saving the life of aomeone they know, and when you tell him or her you were just doing your job or you justed helped, you may be a hero to them, otherwise your just a firemen. and if you go around bragging about everything you do your a zero.
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Permalink Reply by groundhog7 on
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What we do has value, so do most other professions. What we do has risks, so do many other professions. I think you are absolutely right that we need to stop seeing ourselves as comic book superheros or near gods. The romantic, silly nonsense encourages some scary folks to want to be with us and makes people who are doing a good job with what they have feel bad or inadequate if they have never had a save or "the big one" The hero stuff makes the fire service look foolish and sets us up for certain failure.
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Permalink Reply by Dave on
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I agree 100000000% !! I am sure his bike is equiped with lights and siren too!!
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Permalink Reply by Brandon Schnur on
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Unreal how could someone want to be a hero so bad they risk the lives of innocent people! It shocks me to no end.
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Permalink Reply by John L. VanAuken on
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Hey Sam I know that you dont understand or dont wish to understand, but to come out and say get out of the fire service if you dont want to be a "HERO" is wrong. The point is we have people in the fire service and other service feilds that get this "HERO MANIA SYNDROME" or "PARA GOD SYNDROME" as called in the EMS feilds, that now we hear one of them has just killed inocent people, tryen to be a so called "HERO" well "HEROS" dont kill people. They dont go around setten fires and playen a big shot, puffen there chests and prancen around, tryen to make a name for themselfs. "HEROS" if wish to put it that way are ones that do there jobs with due respect and the honor, for there loved ones, fellow commrads, and there community. Most of all for the sher enjoyment of a "JOB WELL DONE" they dont expect nothen in return, if they get a pat on the back or a plaque to put on the wall, wich we all know dosent happen all that offten, they say thank you, and move on to the next call where they can help. We all so some degree get the floating on a cloud type feeling, when we do a good job, or when someone we help thanks us, but most of us when its all over come down off of that cloud, move on and try to keep doen it right. For its the ones who stay on those clouds that couse the probs. I hope that you learn from the others who have posted, that by far even have more experience at this then me. For you are green and till learn somethen and earn the respect, dont ever tell me to get out, I do my JOB and have never or will never expect anything in return.
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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
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Well, it looks like Samuel hijacked my discussion thread without even reading it.
Another legend in his own mind, too young to understand.
Let's get back to the grown up discussion.
Send the kids outside to play.
TCSS. Especially you, Samuel.
Art
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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Thanks Art for getting this discussion back on track. What's curious is that we really never hear the word heroine for the female rescuers... Is it only guys that have this syndrome? Ever notice how the girls don't seem to have this problem?
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Captain BZ:
You know; in all of my years, I can never remember a female firefighter being charged with arson.
Check that; wasn't there a young lady out West who started a fire with a "dear john" letter that she got or something like that? I kind of remember that she was with the U.S. Forest Service?
Anyone?
TCSS.
Art
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Yeah; who was the female firefighter that started the wildland fire out West a few years ago?
Art
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You know Art, I remember this and I believe it was in Arizona. Hell, there was even a female astronaut that went bonkers but if you look at the numbers, and the obvious point that Kali presented, women do not have testosterone poisoning which we all know affects which head we use...
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Shouldn't there be some periods or commas or something in there?
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