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You probably heard it on your first day of academy.
If not, you’ve definitely heard it since then, those words that have become a trademark in our profession. “This is the best job in the world”, but do we act like it?
Maybe we do for our probation, or at least till we get accepted by the crew, but then what?
Many of us get caught up in the run of the mill, the day to day, the mundane, and the complaining. It’s easy to complain, and even easier to place blame for our complaints.
“The uniforms the Chief buys are hot and uncomfortable.”
“We can’t cook healthy meals as a crew because it’s too expensive”
“Why does __ Shift suck so much”
“My officer just wants to sit in the recliner”
“We run too many EMS calls and not enough fires”
The question we need to ask ourselves is this- what does it change?
Your complaints may be 100% founded, but what do they change?
Often our “complaints” are just a front for excuses. Why would you let something as simple as a uniform steal your love for the Job?
I’ve been a part of the complaining, and have done more than my contribution to the problem, and what I’ve found is this- the minute complaining starts, go start working and the complaining stops. The complaining isn’t helping your firemanship, nor is it helping your crew, but the work is. Whether you’re throwing ladders, searching the apparatus bay, or stretching lines- when you get with your crew (or do it alone) and do work, you find that love for the job all over again. What time could have been spent griping about the newest policy or memo is now being spent busting balls and throwing ladders on the apron.
Next time the complaining starts- go work. Don’t feed into the negativity, and don’t let it influence you.
And remember, the Job is still good.
Black Flag Fire can be reached at @blackflagfire