When you walk through the door of a fire station, you may not realize the impact of firefighters who built the foundation of that station. There are the veterans who pulled rookies to the side to explain an easier or more effective way to complete a task; members who conducted drill after drill, sharing their experiences with the entire crew or department; seasoned fire officers who guided firefighters through the promotion process; and veterans who shared the harrowing stories of on-the-job close calls.
How to have an impact
When you get to the station each day, do you take the steps toward leaving your own legacy, or do you simply “check the box,” completing your duties so you can head home right at the end of your shift? There are several ways you can begin making a long-lasting impact on current and future generations of firefighters:
- Play a supportive role with your colleagues by encouraging them during training or to pursue promotions. Take the role of an advocate for your colleagues, particularly when working to improve health and safety.
- Don’t hoard your knowledge. After reading an article in Firehouse or attending a session at Firehouse Expo or Firehouse World, share with your crew what you learned and engage them to determine if the new tactics would be effective and, if so, how you can implement them.
- Take a younger, less experienced member under your wing. This mentorship can evolve to include skills and tactics, but can begin at the foundation of how to function as a team, how to handle off-duty issues with families and spouses, or even how to become a department ambassador in the community.
- If your department is implementing major changes, be the one who embraces the changes and helps others get on board. Once a few members buy in to the changes, it makes it easier for others to get involved and improve operations.
Honoring fire service legends
This month at Firehouse Expo in Nashville, TN, Firehouse honors four fire service legends and icons who embody what it means to make an impact and leave a legacy for the betterment of the fire service.
Robert Burke has shared his passion by educating the fire service on hazardous materials responses. The longtime firefighter and assistant fire chief began writing for Firehouse in the mid-1990s, giving readers an inside look at unique hazmat teams and their challenges.
Dennis Compton has shared his observations on leadership with Firehouse readers and conference-goers for decades. He has left an indelible mark on the fire service through his work with several organizations, including the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) and the International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA). A cancer survivor, Compton has focused recent efforts on educating firefighters about the realities of occupational cancers.
Charles Werner was instrumental in bringing the internet to the fire service. He helped launch Firehouse.com in 1998 and began promoting fire department websites so that firefighters from around the world could learn from each other. Werner’s legacy includes introducing the fire service to interoperability, unmanned aircraft systems, and introducing new, job-changing technology to all facets of firefighting.
Michael Wilbur has been in the fire service for over 40 years, championing firefighter safety related to apparatus operations. He has authored apparatus-related articles for Firehouse since 1994, and has focused his efforts on getting manufacturers and firefighters to embrace seatbelts in all fire apparatus and emergency vehicles.
A lifelong commitment
Look at the passions shared by Burke, Compton, Werner and Wilbur and consider what you have inside yourself to leave your own legacy. Start slowly, but make a lifetime commitment to educate your brother and sister firefighters.
Peter Matthews | Editor-in-Chief/Conference Director
Peter Matthews is the conference director and editor-in-chief of Firehouse. He has worked at Firehouse since 1999, serving in various roles on both Firehouse Magazine and Firehouse.com staffs. He completed an internship with the Rochester, NY, Fire Department and served with fire departments in Rush, NY, and Laurel, MD, and was a lieutenant with the Glenwood Fire Company in Glenwood, NY. Matthews served as photographer for the St. Paul, MN, Fire Department.
