To everyone who thinks they know what's important; like the color of your POV lights, gear, helmet, flip-downs and whether or not you get or deserve to get respect, I thought I would add (one more time) what's important to me.

Feel free to add to the list

What I care about - all my station and I getting home safely every time, every day
What I don't care about - how we/I manage that, just so long as we're successful

What I care about - that the apparatus operator drives safely and knows what he/she is doing at the panel.
What I don't care about - how many certs they have, I want time in the saddle first.

What I care about - a well maintained apparatus, any make, ANY color.
What I don't care about - who made it, it could be chartreuse for all I care.

What I care about - getting the job done
What I don't care about - at any cost

What I care about - scene safety, team work
What I don't care about - stupid people, freelancers

What I care about - if you bring a POV to the scene, park it on the scene side and way, way, way back from the scene. If you can fight fires, you can walk a little to do so.
What I don't care about - the color of lights on the POV that brought you there.

What I care about - speaking up, if you see something, say something, we work together
What I don't care about - the voice of inexperience. Questions are fine, questioning commands, not so much.

What I care about - Seeing the most qualified people promoted, our lives may depend on them
What I don't care about - how much you are liked. I can learn to like someone that knows what the hell they are doing.

What I care about - that my department will make the best possible choice when purchasing turnout gear, we have the money and we know how to spend it.
What I don't care about - who makes it or its color. they all end up getting dirty.

What I care about - SCBA, we happen to use Scotts, all our surrounding towns do, we are now all on the same page for interoperability. If the SCBA works, It works for me.
What I don't care about - who thinks what is better, I'm sure they all have their good and bad points. we happen to buy Scott.

What I care about - that we can all get off the rig and be ready to work
What I don't care about - how to keep my mask from fogging. it's smokey in there, mask fog is the least of my concerns. And no we don't mask up in the truck.

What I care about - the voice of experience, if you've been there, done that, I am willing to listen to it.
What I don't care about - if you haven't been in a good smoker, are a probie, an explorer or some other peripheral position, you probably won't have a lot to offer that i will be interested in hearing.

What I care about - sleeping in my bed at the end of the day
What I don't care about - hurt feelings along the way. if you can fight fires you can take a little ball busting and criticism, I know I can.

What I care about - learning the trade, every day.
What I don't care about - people that think they already know it all, I'll be humble at your funeral.

Don't get mad, get better.

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Rusty, knowing what to care about is something everyone should be doing out there. It has nothing to do with being an officer or a chief. That being said I'm happy being a hose monkey. Besides, my people skills suck.
Hose monkey??? That's a good one! lol..
I wish I could do that more often than not.
my people skills suck

C'mon Jack, with your eloquence and subtlety?
Jack not to jinks you, but your skills are improving, you hadn't had any deletions in a while. The new Jack/dt, new and improve style!
Deletions? You mean people deleting my comments? They're a**holes that do that. (See what I mean.)
I've been meaning to ask you, is a rusty mancini anything like a rusty trombone?
Eloquence, perhaps on occasion. Subtlety, I have my moments.
Great Post Jack!
Hi streetking, I noticed the flag behind ya and if that's not a mirror the stars need to be on ur left when hanging that way. BE SAFE BRO !!!!
Now that one is a good one, too. "don't get mad, Get better!"
Good post jack like it, like it, like it. :-)

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