Mike: We started out perfectly happy at 25’s on the truck. Aaron on the other hand has a need to let’s say …roam. So from the Truck to the Engine he goes. Leaving me the senior truckmen and only seeing him on the Aid Car every third or so shift. “I’ll stay on the truck thanks, what the hell are you thinking anyway” I say. In his words: “I’m looking for more”. A few years later he says “Let’s take the Lieutenants test.” Not a question mind you. Here he is “roaming” again. So I studied with him as more of a courtesy than an honest effort. Let’s be honest, he needed my help. Somewhere along that path I found my true calling. Buried beneath The Seattle Fire Departments thousand pages of policy and between the lines of every IFSTA book I found a reason to study and be a leader, guide, trainer, scheduler, sounding board, organizer, and the list goes on. Three years later here we are Lieutenants on the same shift in the same house. Just like the 8 years we were firefighters together, I am again now the one that needs the help.
The First thing I remember needing was courage. Steering and guiding firefighters requires a tremendous amount of courage. I never realized that they (me at one time) have a special ability to change the future. Like a superhero. Example; It’s 9 AM and I say “let’s get some inspecting done.” I wait for the response……It goes something like, “We should stop at Top Pot for doughnuts first to go over the route and buildings”. That seems like a reasonable request and I like doughnuts so I say “yeah”. 30 minutes later doughnuts and Coffee in hand I whip out the inspection binder. We review the route and everyone nods and agrees with a lot of pointing and page turning. I’m ready to get the show on the road at this point so I snap the binder shut stand up and say “let’s do it”. The response goes something like “Well, the inspections are way over there and we’re right by the store so we should do the shopping while we’re over this way”. The store is out of the way so I think yeah to save time we should shop first then go inspect. “OK, shopping. Let’s go” Like it was my Idea in the first place. Shopping done, back on the Rig, “OK, First inspection is….”. “Hold on EllTee. We should put the groceries in the fridge.” Damn, I think, why didn’t I think of that. “OK back to the station.” Like it was my idea again. Now we got the groceries in the fridge,
the binder is on the rig and I say “OK let’s do it.” “Hey EllTee what about lunch?”. It’s lunch time? What the hell is going on? The only explanation is it’s some kind of Jedi Mind trick. YOU WANT TO GO TO THE STORE….THESE ARE NOT THE DROIDS YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
To go against the grain and make firefighters do what they don’t want to do takes courage. Conflicting goals I think is what they call it. There is a time to lay down the law and inspect and a time to get doughnuts. The conventional wisdom says that they will respect you for your organization and discipline on such matters as inspecting and drilling. The reality is respect is gained from a multitude of different aspects. Making firefighters do the boring jobs they don’t want to is not gaining you any real respect points. Respect I think comes from consistency in the everyday. It’s your vision that should drive this crew day to day and if you clearly define that vision and then stick to it, respect will follow. That is what takes courage. Every day have a vision and stick to it, as best you can.
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