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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 144Truck on
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I did not have the time to read through each and every posting on this topic....
Heroes are ordinary people who perform extraordinary deeds......
I did not get into this business 38 years ago to be a hero... most of us think the same.
ARE there, or have there BEEN heroes in the fire service.... Absolutely....
The shameless self-promotion of the "Hero" persona is the problem....
Joseph A. Lorenzetti
AKA "144Truck"
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Permalink Reply by Benjiumen W. Denney on
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If members are going to respond to these blogs it would be nice if they would read each response. This would lay the basis for the last few responses they are reading.
No one in here has been bashing firefighters for doing thier job. The basis for this conversation is that some people feel uneasy because the public or thier superiors may want to call them a hero. Even though I am a firefighter and I do believe that all firefighters are inherently heroes, does not mean that I am walking around calling us heroes.
If you read the original statement by Art, he is complaining of the word hero causing a certain few firefighters attempting to gain the hero status by committing an illegal act or taking Unnecessary chances, I mean, "that is the real basis for the original comment." No one seems to want to agree that this is what the original conversation was all about. Now we are seeing everyone post a response that states over and over,"I am not a hero nor do I see myself as one."
If you get on here and say that you do not want to be recognized or praised for your actions, or career achievements, that is a lie. For the most part we get by just fine with our superiors verbally giving us a job well done. Most all firefighters have the humility that causes them discomfort when someone calls them a hero, everyone needs thier ego stroked as some would say. That is human nature. Anyone who has taken your degree classes will tell you in any managment course you will see this discussed. Most of us do not see ourselves as heroes, but trying to get rid of the word that has been attached to us will not stop those select few that take Unnecessary chances or endanger others with thier actions. Those situations are few.
The comments throughout this blog has taken a drastic turn in a wrong direction. My heroes and yours may be different and that is okay. I do not believe that the only hero is a dead hero. I do not believe a firefighter has to die to become a hero. I do not believe that a hero is only given that status after a out of the ordinary "heroic act." This statement that a firefighter is not a hero is false. The statement that just because they put on the uniform they are not heroes, is false. Our men and women conduct thier daily activities as firefighters 24/7, 365 days a year. They are always firefighters. True thier are some that may not step up when needed, but those are an exceptional few.
I am not talking of any one elses heroes. This is my opinion about the military, police and fire services. Anyone who knowingly takes the position of a career in helping others, knowing they have that potential to never make it home has just taken the biggest step of all, the dying part is easy. That is something you have no control over. It is the path you take in your career that defines who you are. I know why most of you wanted this career and I know why most of you stay. The bad calls never seem to push you away or change your mind as to this being the job for you. This is where I place the difference. Some may say you have a problems because you will subject yourself to the emotional stress over and over again. I understand that is just how we function most of the time.
We take the initial steps to get into this career because of our perception of what these men and women stand for. No one can say they became a firefighter because they love the brotherhood or any other aspect of the service. You just will not know what this is like untill you are hired and become part of the family. People take the steps to become a firefighter becasue of what they see. They see how close we are, how we stand up for one another, the excitement of our job, how we help people and numerous other aspects of our career. Where they see this it is on TV, in the street, through friends or family.
Everyone needs to know they are doing a job well. Everyone needs to be praised for things that they have worked hard to gain. That is part of the way our brains function. Without it you become unhappy with your job. These are just a small evaluation and I cannot cover the,"what if" or the, "could have beens."
All I am saying is there are ways to pick out the trash that abuse the word "hero" for thier gain. Do they really do that much harm to our image? I think they may have an effect on a few people's opinion! But for the most part we are an intelligent people. People do not hate the fire service because throusands of firefighters are charged for domestic violence, involved in auto accidents while under the influence, or selling crack from the station house. I could go on and on. I am sure there are stories from your area that I have not heard of. These are just a few that I have seen on the news. This is something that at times can reflect a bad light on us. But, this has been going on for decades if you look into the history of our country. No one is successfully destroying anything of our reputation.
My point is this. I have my opinion as to what a hero is and how it is defined. You have yours !! I believe that a firefighter Inherently is a hero. I do not throw that around loosely. I am basing this on the history of the service. Volunteer or Career does not matter, all of our men and women will make sacrifices in thier future and be placed into situations that most will never understand. I feel they have this in them now, not just when the time may arise for them to act heroic or be killed at an emergency scene.
We are a brotherhood which stood much stronger years ago, but it is still there. It is normal for most to do our job and not want to be called a hero, but just because you are given this title by some does not mean that you must attempt to degrade it.
It should be an honor for us when someone feels this way. When you begin to attack it, you get what this blog has done, nothing ! This title that some have given us is not by our choice, but we have a responsibility to perform our jobs to the best of our ability and that is exactly what we do best. If we work hard and train correctly we are reducing our injuries and performing our jobs more efficiently and having a lot of fun doing it.
Sorry for the long responses, I can be a little winded at times. The last one I will send on this issue, I promise ! lol
Stay Safe !
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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
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Benjiumen:
If this blog has done "nothing", then you have certainly wasted alot of your time.
I agree with some of what you said in your last reply.
I don't know that anyone has "attacked" the idea of our communities recognizing their firefighters as heroes.
What most have said is with regards to the "self-promotion".
I don't do anything to get an 'atta-boy' or a 'job well done'. I do it because it is my job, it is what I get paid for and I gave up a long time ago thinking that everything I do is appreciated. I take the compliments and criticisms in stride.
And because "hero" has been so over used in the past several years, I don't know that it can honestly describe some of the amazing people in our brotherhood anymore. I don't know that "hero" can capture the essence of a truly selfless act.
As I said, I am not a hero. I did not say that firefighters aren't heroes. I have simply tried to point out in this blog about nothing that we go down a slippery slope when we refer to ourselves as heroes and agree with others that we are.
And that is that; how I feel and my opinion on the subject of this discussion.
The discussion widened as all discussions do because we are all not wired the same. As with any discussions, disagreement is to be expected. But, it can be done respectfully, which is the case with almost every reply.
As I said, I am not looking for anyone to agree with my original premise. I made an observation and stated my opinion. That is what I do. If any of you have read my blogs, you know that he have opinions. For those of you who don't know it, the shock will wear off, your brain swelling is only temporary and Life will return to normal.
Benjiumen:
It's OK to be misunderstood.
If any one (1) word could sum up my life, "misunderstood" would be it.
I thank all of you for what you do. I am proud to be a part of it.
TCSS.
Art
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Permalink Reply by Smoke Eater on
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Couldn't agree more Art
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Permalink Reply by Mike Adams on
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I became an EMT/Driver for many reasons but most to do more than just drink. Or do a normal job. It was why I later on realized at one one I was working 5 part time jobs..
My Volunteer Work as an EMT/Driver was part.
Driving Cab, it helped to find addresses as well as got free rides to the garage.
Army National Guard, I wanted to help my state and nation, but this was not enough.
Burger King - Full time
On call mental health security aide, at the local hospital. It was not a perk for being an EMT, but it made it easier to find work?
CNA at one time, but this was cause of the need for medical credits to renew my EMT, but had done like work for my dad before his passing.
Heh it gave me reasons to stay sober! Sadly lost a buddy and I was not on that call, but then was on another call for one of my Sergeants and his DUI.. Small town.
I know it gave me some respect, as well as reasons to do more than what was becomming, or sadly when I stopped running, became.. I had to have some reason for my daughter to respect her dad?
Yes, it meant I knew many things about people, but privacy was a must.
My later becoming HAZWOPPER qualified was interesting, but was not an EMT then. Driving school bus was fun later one.. Special needs was the best, even the hard core "bad" kids.
Now days working on being less negative, and to not push people away. Realizing my sudden crying has come causes and working on how to deal with it. Hard to grieve alone.. Feedback helps.
Why we have Critical Incident Stress Debriefings? And also why we watch our buddies, we are not robots, we sometimes wish we was, but ..
Heh, so far not had to jump on a grenade. So getting happy about being alive, above ground, able to breath and no one is shooting at me, so it could be worse.. sadly someone has to suffer for us to know how better we have it..
Anyone done a book of the runs and fires that they did and especially where things went well. I know any time a house burns its a tragedy, but ... all got out? Sadly we can not save them all.
Maybe why it is heroic? Or just doing things that need to get done.. With out being asked, forced or begged, but just doing it cause it needed to get done!
Mike
Did the below for soldiers, so it maybe a bit ... odd.
P-Glory
What is glory
memory
or thoughts
someone else
remembers
but you do not
for what is left
after glory is done
is a body dead
who did all
just for friends
or unknowns
not for glory
but out of love
duty, or not
cause it was
asked but it
was just that
seemed needed
done.
Mike
2007
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We find them hot and on fire and leave them cold and wet..
So you discovered Fire, we discovered water
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Least we forget, men get breast cancer..
Its often a genetic mutation, but so it seems is what women get.
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Permalink Reply by Melissa on
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Sad that these things happen because someone didnt tell that guy that he was loved enough in his life, but this is why i think there needs to be more training with vollie departments before allowing people on.
We had an issue like this on our old department where we had to kick the guy off cause there were more 18 years old on scene than fire fighters. They couldnt get through. He wanted to be a hero, but we told him to find other ways to feel more loved.
I do see what everyone is saying about Heroes, but that is also a name that will never go away unless everyone can tell the media to go away.
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Jeff:
Some of what you quoted is not mine.
The statement about making a heroic effort someday goes to the premise that we go to work every day and someday, we may have to extricate a family from a vehicle or rescue someone from a burning structure and if they think it's heroic, that's fine.
The statement was meant to point out that we don't go to work looking to be a hero.
As far as the rest of your post, I'm not sure who said it, but we agree on it.
TCSS.
Art
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Permalink Reply by Joe Moore on
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This is absolutely disgusting. Putting innocent people in harms way just to get your 15 min. of fame... some hero. My prayers go out to the affected family.
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Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on
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Two words...Psychological evaluation. That type of person should never even get on an F.D.
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