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Chris Mc Loone |
Although my career in the volunteer fire service differs from others’ experiences, I think one thing that can be said for most, if not all, is that there are years when you get big chunks of new members, and then there are lighter years when you might get one to three new members.
When I joined in 1993, I was one of seven who joined that year. There are three of us left. The next big influx came in the early 2000s after we started our junior firefighter program. There are one or two left from that group.
Our most recent group to join came in between 2008 and 2010. This group joined at an exciting time. There was enough work to keep them busy and learning, and we were spec’ing a new pumper that was delivered in 2010. Our rescue truck was still relatively new. They all joined as junior firefighters, so they actually have two more years in the company than most of us had when we were their age. They all knew each other, for the most part. One of them has brought his brother into the fire company.
In any group like this, you have those who can’t wait to get ahead and are sometimes almost too enthusiastic. You know they are going to go places if they would just slow down a little bit. There are those who are quiet, who show up and do everything they’re told, whom you can rely on, and who are obviously going to move up the ladder as they progress but are not “in your face” about it. They do what they do and, as things come up, they will move into positions of greater responsibility. There are also those who expect to move up the ladder. There is no doubt in your mind that there is absolutely no doubt in theirs that they are going places. And, then there are those who will fade away. They arrive with vim and vigor, but life just has a lot more going on for them than the firehouse. They’re not bad firefighters or workers, they just have less time for the firehouse than others.
All those in the group I’m describing are going through a transitional time right now-they are all learning to drive the apparatus or are about to start. It’s almost a whole different type of adrenaline when you are a new driver and are responding to your first job as a pump operator. It’s a whole different deal. As a pump operator, I always find the first five minutes of a fire-getting the truck to the scene, charging lines, securing a water supply, making sure the light towers are up, helping get ground ladders off-to be the most exciting. And, these guys are going to learn soon how exciting-or how anticlimactic, depending on where they end up-driving can be. I’m glad this group comprises our next crop of drivers. They listen. They learn. They will all be good apparatus operators. But, I’m going to lose them on the fireground as crew. It’s a necessary part of the process. Luckily, we have a good core coming in to take their places.
In the not-so-distant future, this group of firefighters will get the itch to start “riding the seat.” Some will say, “Finally-I get to run for lieutenant.” Others will say, “If they need me, I’ll run for lieutenant.” And, of course, there’s the group who will think, “I’m going to be the next lieutenant.”
The group I’ve described arrived at the firehouse when I was still a newer lieutenant having a hard enough time trying to establish myself as an officer let alone bring up junior firefighters. I was a driver/operator/engineering officer for about eight years before moving up into a lieutenant’s spot. I am hoping that these folks will stay drivers for a whil