GOING TO THE “NATIONAL”
BY RONALD E. KANTERMAN
I can find no other way to describe my visit to the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland, other than to say that I felt like a small town parish priest going to the Vatican. It`s difficult to describe my innermost feelings as I drove through the campus gate on Friday night on my way to Building A to register. I and 200-plus other privileged New Jersey firefighters were there for the annual “New Jersey Weekend at the National.” I will attempt to guide you around the campus, through my eyes and thoughts, as I reflect back on my experience.
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
The property and campus buildings date back to the early 1800s, when Mother Seton opened St. Joseph`s College. General Reynolds, commander of the Union Army of the Potomac, met with his officers in her house to discuss what would be the Battle of Gettysburg, which, by the way, might have been the Battle of Emmitsburg if not for some other military strategies too numerous to list here. Mother Seton and her community of Sisters had doubled up on the daily prayers asking the Lord to move the battle off the premises. Although the blood was shed in Gettysburg, the site of the National Fire Academy became an encampment for the Union Army; here, wounded soldiers were treated and troops prepared for battle.
As a tribute to Mother Seton and her Sisters, a cemetery, surrounded by a brick wall, sits off to the left of the main entrance road. Her tomb stands surrounded by headstones for the Sisters, most dating as far back as the mid-1800s. Standing in the cemetery, one could almost see images of these dedicated religious beings who once occupied the very buildings in which we now discuss strategy for confronting a different type of enemy.
As I walked through the remainder of the campus, past the “Stone House,” (the first site of St. Joseph`s College) and the “White House” (Mother Seton`s quarters used as a meeting place for the Union Army), one could almost see Union soldiers in their uniforms, with rifles slung over their shoulders, walking across the fields. A strange, peaceful calm that`s hard to describe surrounds the campus. It has to be experienced personally.
TODAY, A TRAINING CENTER
The Federal Government dedicated the property as the National Emergency Training Center on October 8, 1979. Yes, you actually can see your federal tax dollars at work. While $25 million worth of renovations are underway, classes are being held in trailers. Trailers, you say? Yes, but they are double trailers with high-back chairs, tables, audiovisual equipment, and a smoke-detection and alarm system. There`s even a trailer for coffee and breaks, and another with rest rooms. Not bad, to say the least. The dining hall with its 30-foot folding doors and old-style wood decor brings you right back to the days when we were responding with horse and steamer.
Although some claim that the 30-foot doors were more impressive than the food, most of us, I included, went back to the buffet twice during each meal. Saturday night`s dinner took us across the property, down a footpath, and across a bridge to “The Cabin,” an oversized log structure with a high ceiling, fireplaces, table, and benches. We shared in a steak barbecue and good conversation–yet another spot on the campus that lent itself to the overall ambience.
A dress code at a fire academy? Yes, and after you`re there 10 minutes you understand why. High standards lead to higher standards. By the way, for those of you who were there, the only guy in uniform on Saturday belonged to me. We all told Joe, “You`ll be the only one.” He didn`t much care. He felt compelled to wear his colors, and did so with pride and humility. My officers are new to the ranks and knew they were having a great experience, but I don`t think they truly appreciated the moment. Down the road, Rich, Dean, Mickey, and Bob will be better for having attended the “National.”
The two-day Leadership III course I attended was a true learning experience due in part to my classmates and to our instructor “Kenny F.” I tip my helmet to them all for helping to make my first trip to the “National” a most memorable one.
FALLEN FIREFIGHTER`S MEMORIAL
Eventually I made my way to the National Fallen Firefighter`s Memorial, somewhere on mid-campus. The monument is a four-sided structure covered in white fieldstone upon which sits a Maltese cross. This monument is surrounded by headstones with brass plaques on which are listed the names of fallen firefighters by state. Each stone and plaque represents a different year, starting with 1981. I truly was amazed to see that some states consistently lose more firefighters than others. (Perhaps these statistics should be brought to their attention. Just a thought.) As I stared into the eternal flame that burns at the bottom of the monument, I thought back to the way the fire service had done things in the past and wondered why the enrollment at this monument still grows. But, I know the answer. We all know the answer. We`ve come so far, but the road ahead is long and still full of uncertainty and chance.
After a silent prayer, I looked around; no one was near me. I felt compelled to say aloud, “May the list never grow.” As I exited the monument area, I spotted a paper notice under glass listing Captain John Drennan from the City of New York (NY) Fire Department as a recent enrollee. The list had just been extended.
I end my commentary by urging all of you to go to our Mecca, our Vatican, our Wailing Wall. Call it what you will, but believe in it. Go there at least once to learn, listen, meet your peers, and network. And be sure to keep an eye out for an image of a Union soldier crossing the campus late at night.
RONALD E. KANTERMAN is the chief of fire protection at Merck & Co. in Rahway, New Jersey. He has a B.A. in fire science and an M.S. in fire protection management from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. Kanterman also is an adjunct professor of fire science at Middlesex County College in New Jersey.
