Rick Best
Everyone Goes Home® Ohio Advocate
Essay submitted as a part of the Courage to Be Safe (SM) Trainers Essay Contest

I understand the fire service is one of the most complex organizations in the world. The fire service does a multitude of tasks; from emergency medical, to fire suppression, to technical rescue and even our favorite, hazmat. As I sit and read this list of the numerous things that the fire service does, I have to believe that as each of these domains were added to our job descriptions, it must have been accepted, or at least understood why it was brought into the many firehouses across our country.

You see, pride, courage, tradition, integrity and a strong work ethic are what the fire service is based on, and are the reason why we were given these tasks. It is also the reason why at two o'clock in the morning, a mother will hand you, a total stranger, her only child. This is also why families will leave their home and let half-a-dozen strangers go into that home where the families' most prized possessions are, and to know that they do not have to worry.

These are the good things we do and why we do them. I understand why we do all of these things. But, on the other hand, the same reasons that make us great are some of the same reasons why we have had brothers and sisters lost in the line of duty. Tradition is one of those reasons. The definition of tradition is a statement, belief or custom handed down in a non-written form from generation to generation. I think everyone would agree that this is the fire service; it is your station. I am not telling you we need to replace tradition. I am not insinuating that at all. What I am saying is, we need to think about it the next time a new guy/girl shows up and all they are told is to shut up and do the house chores. What happens when this new person sees something unsafe, will they speak up? Or let it go and hope no one gets hurt or even worse.

I mentioned earlier that we should not replace tradition and that is true. As a modern fire service, I feel we owe it to the firefighters who created the traditions through blood, sweat, and tears, and especially the ones who have made the ultimate sacrifice. We also owe it to ourselves, our families and the up and coming men and women of the fire service. We need to gather our courage and change the one traditional aspect of the fire service, the one tradition that no one knows why we do it that way. The tradition I am speaking of is the 3948 on duty fire fighter deaths from 1977 thru 2008 (USFA stats). Let me make myself perfectly clear, this is not a tradition that should be accepted, however, it has been. Everyone needs to come together and take a stand for yourself, your families your fellow fire fighters and their family. Let's create a tradition of everyone going home.

I want to leave you with one last thought, Confucius once wrote: Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.