ARE YOU A FIRE PATRIOT?
BY RAUL A. ANGULO
What do you think of when you hear the phrase “American patriot”? I think of that statuesque, strapping minuteman with his sleeves rolled up and musket in hand, ready for anything. Webster`s Dictionary defines a patriot as “one who loves and zealously supports his country.” I define a fire patriot as “one who loves and zealously supports the American fire service and one`s own fire department.” It makes no difference whether you are a paid or volunteer firefighter. I know many volunteers who are extremely dedicated to and passionate about the job, and I also know paid members who show up just for the paycheck.
The American patriots had the vision to believe in this new nation and helped forge the direction of their new country. Likewise, a group of fire patriots had a vision and formed the National Fire Academy Alumni Association (NFAAA) to help guide the direction of 21st century training and education for the National Fire Academy and the American fire service.
What will this 21st century training look like? Well, one thing is for sure: It will involve lots of fire. And let`s face it, that`s the main reason we all joined the fire department in the first place–to fight fire! Fire is the common bond that brings us together. Fighting fires is what separates us from all other professions and establishes our acceptance into this elite group of brothers and sisters.
Rooted in our human spirit is this passion to fight fires, to engage in the battle, to rise and meet the challenge presented before us. We undergo a self-examination process that makes us ask, “Do I possess the bravery and courage to be victorious in the battle? Will I be able to draw on my inner strength and meet the challenge in that crucial moment?” These are tough questions. Most of us will go through our entire careers without experiencing that critical, split-second, “surrounded-by-flames” situation, but every time the bell hits and you climb aboard that fire apparatus, you answer “yes” to these questions. These questions we ask ourselves refer to honorable traits that were part of the earliest traditions of the fire service and still are today. Can passion, bravery, and courage be developed to achieve the victory? I would think so. And what role does the NFAAA play in developing these traits?
By now, many of you have read the mission statement of the NFAAA. I would like to take it a little further. Try to visualize how you can help equip the American fire patriot. Some suggestions follow:
Participate in the Web site and publications forums to discuss strategy and tactics–what worked, what didn`t.
Discuss how to handle personnel problems.
Become versed in fire department liability issues.
Develop promotional strategies.
Share ideas on innovative tools and techniques.
We are limited only by our vision and imagination.
Some of my personal goals for the NFAAA include the following:
Make the NFA more accessible to West Coast firefighters.
Develop new curricula for the NFA.
Distribute more NFA curricula to fire departments.
Link NFA curricula to community colleges for establishing new accredited AA degree programs in fire command and administration.
Fire department operations are becoming more regulated every year by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and local labor and industry laws–two-in/two-out rule, rapid intervention teams, backup safety systems, and so on–all in the name of firefighter safety. With the best intentions, such regulations and standards still leave frustrated fire companies sitting around the coffee table wondering how they will be able to accomplish their mission of fighting fires and saving lives and property with limited staffing and resources while still meeting the intent of the new laws. My favorite cartoon was drawn by Captain Gary English of the Seattle Fire Department. In it, a group of firefighters carrying traditional rescue tools are standing around a manhole looking down at a victim. The caption reads: “You know, we would have been able to save you before we were trained.” Isn`t that the truth?
So what is the challenge for the fire patriot? To fight fire smarter and with more power! And, my fellow patriots, knowledge is power.
Most firefighters think the chief running the emergency incident has the power, but who are the incident commander`s eyes and ears? Who is the one who can spot that rare smoke condition warning of danger or that unusual building construction feature that`s ready to fail? What about the engine officer with an interior attack crew who knows “something is just not right”? Or the truck officer who remembers reading of a similar fire situation and who quickly withdraws his crew to safety just before the collapse? He`s a fire patriot–one who passionately loves his craft and is loyal to his profession. The master craftsman, that`s who!
So how do you join the fire patriots? You`ve already started by reading this magazine. It takes sacrifice, time, and money to invest in your personal training and education. A fire patriot seeks out training instead of waiting for training to come to him. Plan to do the following right now:
Attend the next fire training seminar (distance is a minor obstacle for a fire patriot).
Listen to what national fire service leaders are saying.
Read as many fire publications as you can get your hands on.
Study the fire code.
Invest in personal copies of textbooks and manuals on various training topics of interest to you, and read them.
Write for NFPA/USFA reports on major fires and incidents, and pay special attention to fire cause and progression, which strategies and tactics worked and which didn`t, and causes of firefighter deaths and injuries.
Most fire departments do not emphasize enough or spend enough time studying how major fires were extinguished, how firefighters were injured, and–most importantly–how firefighters were killed in the line of duty. We owe it to our fallen brothers and sisters to study and commit to memory the circumstances leading to these deaths so we can recognize the dangers of similar situations and take a different course of action. Why should we let the enemy win the same way again? To do so means these firefighters died in vain.
And that is how the fire patriot achieves victory in the battle–through education, study, learning, and knowledge. Remember, knowledge is power.
I invite you to join more than 7,000 fire patriots and become a member of the NFAAA. Help us advance and support 21st century training and education at the National Fire Academy for the benefit of the national fire service and you, the American firefighter. n
n RAUL A. ANGULO is on the Board of Directors of the National Fire Academy Alumni Association. He is a 20-year veteran of the Seattle (WA) Fire Department and captain of Engine Co. 33. He is president of the Fellowship of Christian Firefighters, Seattle Chapter, and instructs on fireground strategy and tactics and fire service leadership.
