BY BOBBY HALTON
This year we mark the 130th anniversary of Fire Engineering. That any publication could survive for well over a century is a remarkable accomplishment. That this publication continues to be true to the mission set forth by its founders is an amazing legacy that we celebrate and that infuses us with purpose and determination as we do our part to train today’s fire service.
When Fire Engineering debuted in 1877, it was a weekly publication called the National Fireman’s Journal. It was the first journal devoted exclusively to the fire service, and it would remain the only one for the next 60 years. Colonel Clifford Thomson, the first editor, set the policy, still in effect today, that this magazine “will watch over the interests of the firemen and fire departments in all sections of the country and endeavor to keep them all informed of whatever occurs that is likely to be of interest or advantage to them.” Thomson added a commitment that proudly has been maintained for 130 years and counting: “We have come to stay.”
In 1977, Editor Jim Casey noted during Fire Engineering’s 100th anniversary that many of the fire service concerns reported in the very first issue in 1877 still are relevant and being covered more than 100 years later-issues like water supply and hose streams, the responsibility of architects and builders, and staffing.
I can think of no better way to start our next 130 years of service to the “Bravest” than to take a moment to remember that we stand on the shoulders of giants.
Firefighters are called the Bravest, and rightfully so. It was Thucydides who said, “The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out and meet it.” Chief Edward F. Croker, FDNY, put these ancient words in context for all who have joined the fire service when he spoke on the death of a deputy chief and four firefighters in February 1908: “Firefighters are going to get killed. When they join the department, they face that fact. When a man becomes a firefighter his greatest act of bravery has been accomplished. They were not thinking of getting killed when they went where death lurked. They went there to put the fire out, and got killed.”
There are no better words to describe the credo of the Bravest. Firefighters do not regard themselves as heroes because they do what the business requires. They know that walking on the critical boundary of extreme fire behavior is potentially if not predictably fatal, but the rewards are so great that the men and women of the fire service risk it anyway. The Bravest are people like you who will risk it all to save another; a stranger; or, when necessary, a fellow firefighter. As of this writing, we lost 93 of the Bravest in 2006, and they all are irreplaceable.
The giants we remember today are not just the Bravest who have fallen in the line of duty but also our great teachers and leaders. Fire Engineering has been fortunate that so many of these great teachers and leaders have graced our pages with their collective wisdom. In 2006, we said goodbye forever to four of them.
Our four friends-Dick Sylvia, Ed McCormack, Frank Brannigan, and Tommy Brennan-were not just giants to their peers. To us, they were great friends and great human beings. We miss them, but we will never forget them. Their legacy will continue to teach firefighters long after this editor has passed the torch to another firefighter-turned-scribbler.
We are grateful to have had the chance to learn from Dick Sylvia. He mastered the basics and shared the fundamental skill sets that every firefighter needs to be proficient. He had true vision and placed life and respect first. When Dick wrote about volunteering, he was an expert because he lived it. When we need reference material, we all still turn to his Modern Suburban Firefighting.
Vision was the gift Ed McCormack shared with us as he taught around the country as the leader of the International Society of Fire Service Instructors. Ed saw the modern trade show as a collaboration of education, manufacturing, and services. He took FDIC to new levels and secured its status by developing the only conference directed by firefighters and taught by firefighters for firefighters. For Ed, there was no higher calling than instructing firefighters.
The Ol’ Professor gave his last lecture in 2006 and, yes, he also gave us all a take-home test. We can still hear Frank Brannigan shouting, “The building is your enemy-know your enemy!” at every one of his lectures. Generations of firefighters have benefited from his wisdom and passion. Frank had an inexhaustible thirst to educate every firefighter on the dangers of different construction types and features during fires and failures.
Tommy Brennan, teacher, poet, humorist. Tommy was a man who lived with purpose and love bounded by unshakeable values. Tommy taught us to focus on our strengths. Tommy put you and me together.
Tommy wanted Chief Alan Brunacini to take the back page and, starting this month, it belongs to Bruno. As Bruno notes in his first entry, “Following Tom is like being the act right after Noah and, as you walk up on the stage, they tell you to talk about flooding.” This month, as Bruno begins his “Rules of Engagement,” we know that somewhere Tommy is smiling and nodding his head in agreement.
So we begin our next 130 years stronger and wiser than we were before, thanks to the giants who came before us, but eager to continue learning and to play our part in providing better training; creating better firefighters; and becoming a stronger, wiser fire service.
We came to stay, and we are very proud that we are still here, still moving forward. But none of that is possible without you. Quality training and serious discussion of the issues and events that affect firefighters are interactive processes. As we rededicate ourselves here to our core mission of serving the Bravest, we encourage you to serve as well by using this publication, your magazine, to share your knowledge with the Bravest. We want you to use Fire Engineering to share your concerns, your issues, your insights, and your opinions. We exist to serve you, to be a tool for you. We came with you, and together we came to stay.
