07/06/2025
To all of the haters, naysayers and firefighter to chiefs who fail to see the importance of supporting training, and your crews, and trusting said crews to do their job…
It has been said that many of our standards exceed that of our department. Let it be known, our standards will continue to exceed that of our department. We will strive to be unapologetically excellent at our craft. We will not settle for the mediocrity that some would believe is acceptable. Our job is inherently unsafe, and members must be able to respond quickly with the utmost confidence in their skills and undeniable awareness of their limitations. This is not ascertainable without training, whether that training be in-service on shift, in-house, or through the means of conferences, private originations, sister departments, etc. It is our job to make sure we can uphold the oath each of us have taken, to protect life and to conserve property. This job becomes exponentially more dangerous if we are not able to hone our craft. This becomes easier with the backing of our leaders within the department, however be not fooled into thinking we will not continue down this path without your backing. It is our job to make sure that our newer members are not robots that wait for every order but are instead critical thinkers that can perform to a certain standard, a standard that we have set forth to them. For too long we have allowed substandard performance to run rampant in our departments, we will not sit idly by any longer. We will continue to set forth an example and challenge all members to be the best that they can be. We will show no remorse in being exemplary at our craft and no sympathy will be shown to those who continue to abide by these lesser efforts. Instead we will provoke and aid our brothers and sisters to be the best that they can be. Morale will continue to falter if support is not evident in these endeavors. We cannot afford to continue to go forward with the old style of thinking. With modern issues in staffing, members must be able to perform to the utmost of their abilities. We are not sorry that our standards exceed that of the departments, we are not sorry for being more than mediocre. With unwavering dedication and drive we will continue to train and be exceptional. We do not do this to defy those in positions of power, instead we do this to deliver the highest quality of care to our citizens, our brothers and sisters, and our family. Our citizens do not get to choose who responds when the call to action is delivered, therefore we will ensure each member is able to perform to a level that any person will be proud and honored to receive. It is our job to be our brother’s keeper, to do our best, to make sure every effort is exhausted in order to guarantee they return home at the end of their shift. We owe it to our families to be the very best as to make sure they have another memory to share with us. We will not waver in our dedication to be what our oath asks us to be.
