By Brian Brush
May 4 is celebrated across the world and social networks as International Firefighters Day, which is associated with St. Florian Day. St. Florian was a high-ranking, well-respected officer in the Roman Army and was responsible for the training and development of a special detail of highly trained and professional mounted soldiers that served duties as firefighters. For this, he is recognized as the Patron Saint of Firefighters, and May 4 was the day of his recognized commemoration feast day in Roman Martyrology.
By intent or coincidence, 50 years ago on May 4, 1973, the “America Burning” report was published by the National Commission of Fire Prevention and Control. You can read that report here.
FDIC International 2023: An Unquenchable Faith
While St. Florian is recognized as the Patron Saint of Firefighters, America Burning is recognized as the white paper that established the modern fire service. Nearly all the direction, institutions, and advances in the fire service over the last 4 decades are either directly or indirectly connected to this document and the intensive evaluation of our nations fire problem associated with it.
As we see the calendar page turn to May 4 and our social media streams fill with recognition of the work that firefighters do, I hope that as firefighters you pause and think about the work that we do. While there is a lot to celebrate, there remains a lot to consider.
For centuries, we have been recognized as protectors of life and property. For 50 years we have received the type of support at the federal level to modernize, professionalize, and standardize, and yet we are still struggling with a fire problem.
In recognition of May 4, International Firefighters Day and the 50th anniversary of “America Burning,” I ask that you take 20 minutes to to watch this video and consider what we as firefighters would want to be recognized for in the next 50 years.
BRIAN BRUSH is a 26-year veteran of the fire service. His experience spans from rural volunteer to metro-sized departments. Brush is the training chief for the Midwest City (OK) Fire Department. A contributor to Fire Engineering, he is a on the FDIC International advisory board and has been an FDIC International H.O.T. and classroom instructor for more than 10 years. He has a master’s degree from Oklahoma State University School of Fire Protection and Emergency Management and is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program.
