My Fire department back home everyone had some sort of black boots, most common was bates w/ the side zipper. Everyone polished them and some were amazing while some were ok. We wore these black boots on medicals because it went w/ the uniform. Does anyone else polish there boots for a better professional image?
Absolutely! an why wouldn't you? We traipse through ash, mud, and all manner of stuff. Do you wash and clean up your apparatus? For the same reason Ron. We want to present ourselves as professional and caring about the image we present. Its part of mt daily uniform. I would no more think to wear a dirty uniform shirt or pants.
Yeah. I polish them with Kiwi brand polish, the black usually, but parade gloss style when I find it. A coat or two and a brush shine usually once a week, unless they get scuffed pretty good on a shift. I like it when they're shiny, but the fact remains that they get scuffed and dull pretty quick, so I try to make sure they're at least black, and not dull grey. Most guys however have never polished their boots and they look like crap. But these people are easy to spot without the boots....it reflects in their dirty trucks, unorganized/understocked equipment, sloppy facial hair, uniforms....basically all just outward signs of the same problem...bad attitudes and laziness.
I don't even use that anymore, i switched to sta-flo, i buy it by the 1/2 gallon bottles and they sure do not last long. its cheaper, and it works better for me.