FHWorld20: There’s a Time and a Place for “Be Safe!”

“Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure.”

Ron Smith, who is a lieutenant in the Gary, IN, Fire Department, included this quote in his Firehouse World 2020 presentation, “Decisions Under Fire.” Was Smith citing a fellow officer in the fire service? No. An astronaut? A stunt person? No. The quote is from Helen Keller.

Smith explained that he likes the quote, because he believes that the more fires he goes to, the better a firefighter he will be: “I like the exposure of that experience.”

Smith’s presentation reached out to new and veteran firefighters alike, given that some elements spoke more to members who are in the early stages of their fire service, some to those who have many years under their belt and some to young and experienced alike.

To the more junior firefighters who attended the session, Smith said, “Fear can cloud judgment.” It’s not that Smith urges members to reject fear. In fact, he believes in embracing it and, thus, recognizing the effect it has on you. Furthermore, he points out that young firefighters learn this from senior members.

“We have to have a little bit of [rational] fear,” he said. It’s “irrational fear” that firefighters must get a hold of.

Smith is concerned that young firefighters dismiss or disregard the importance of the experiences of senior members.

“Stories are important,” he said, explaining that unless a young firefighter happens to work at a department that is extremely out of the ordinary, that firefighter is going to hear many stories before he/she goes on his/her first call.

Also in regard to fear but addressing the veterans among the many attendees of his session, Smith said when they experience trauma and escape it unharmed, they can’t allow that to make them fearful to the point that they won’t try something new and different. “Don’t be afraid to change.

“Just because you’ve always done it one way doesn’t mean that you keep doing it.”