Blessings Large and Small

“Ready Buddy?”, Chief Cam asks.  Quick nod and a smile comes the reply.  But we’re not on a fireground, or about to deliver a budget presentation.  It is predator vs. leather orb prey in our native habitat; a ball diamond.  So the nod and smile comes right before the infield pre-pitch ritual of pressing the webbing of my mitt to widen it, getting set on the balls of my feet, both hands out to make a grab and timing my second step towards the batter to land just as the bat crosses the plate, so I can move instantly in any direction.

Am I ready?  How many tens of thousands of times have I done the windup routine, hoping my pitcher throws to contact so I can make a play?  Strike outs are fascist, ya know.   

Chief is at short and I am at third, which means it is not really my native habitat; the vast expanse of centerfield.  Five decades of life as a baseball antelope came to an end with the multiple compound fractures of the left foot delivered by the inattentive driver on Highway 1, so I am mostly a corner infielder these days, with middle infield work if absolutely necessary.   So um, baseball … bunny, at best, these days.  Hopping around the infield in hiking boots, to keep my left foot reasonably operable.  Trying not to get eaten by grounders.

Let’s get some good news out of the way early on.  Police Chief Duell challenged the fire department to a softball game, and Arlington Fire joined in and provided their field for a three-team tournament.  Somebody came up with the idea of making the tourney a fund-raising community event for Blessings in a Backpack; a national non-profit that helps feed kids in need.  You can donate to your local group from the national website, here.

With the help of Arlington Ford, the tournament raised over $8,000.  Well worth a few bruised egos and several pulled hammies, though the current owner of the odd number of Achillies tendons might disagree.  As the second oldest player in the tournament, I cannot overstate the importance of warm-up, and stretching. 

I also cannot overstate the importance of teamwork.  Poynette PD provides police service via contract to the Village of Arlington (pop. 850 ish), and Arlington and Poynette fire are common firefighting partners, so the three teams in the tournament are often together at emergency scenes.  We know each other well, and get along just fine. 

Large emergency scenes with multiple police and fire departments are sociology experiments.  We are partners in public safety, but police and fire have different functions and goals.  I have told more than one person I am carrying to an ambulance on a backboard that they do not have to answer the Sheriff Deputy’s question.  To introduce even more independent variables into the experiment, each department brings its own capabilities, experiences and culture with it to the scene. 

On big scenes, you’ll see firefighters huddled together in groups of three and four, or multiples of those numbers.  If you look a little more closely, you’ll see the groups are from the same department; sticking together, and ready for an assignment.  More than ready, actually.  Wanting the toughest assignment on the scene, so they can demonstrate their department’s spirit and competence.  Firefighting is a team activity, so “put me in coach” becomes “put us in IC” (IC = Incident Command). 

Much like a baseball game, when the fire is out and all the hoses and tools are back on the fire engines, you shake hands with members from other departments before heading back to the station.  I have actually said “good game” out of habit, but more typically the standard firefighter farewell; “see you at the next one”.

When I see Arlington Fire at the next softball game, I hope to see a team with a few less y chromosomes.  While recognizing Arlington is just a third of the size of Poynette, it was supposed to be a co-ed tournament, and I’ll just say for the record that Poynette Dekorra Fire Department won every co-ed game that was played.  Won every co-ed game handily, with spirited and extraordinarily competent women who serve as PDFD firefighters and EMTs.  With young girls in the stands watching, I was happy to be in the dugout chock full of seriously fantastic women first responders. 

I will say this; because Poynette Fire is much bigger than Poynette Police, Poynette Fire did not include any children on our team.  Poynette Police did have some kids on their team, so they won that part of the contest.  Good for them.   

Arlington Fire won the tournament trophy by one run, but my favorite part of the entire day was won in a few seconds that maybe did not register with everyone.  The “predator” thing I started off with was kind of a joke; at least applied to this aged antelope with a cobbled together hoof.  But Chief Cam obviously knows baseball, and plays it well.

Here’s the best part of the day from my vantage point.  Poynette Police at bat, Poynette Fire on defense.  We were ahead by a few and there was a man on first.  One out, as I recall.  One of the kids playing for Poynette Police is at the plate.  Kid hits a grounder to short and takes off for first.  Cam takes a couple steps, scoops up the ball and heads for second base.  He gets the force out at second base and then while still moving toward first takes an extra second with his hand in his glove before calibrating a throw to first to arrive a second after the kid.  Chief did not hesitate so much to make it obvious to the kid, but anyone who knows baseball and was paying attention knows Cam could have made the double-play but chose not to. 

A kid standing on first shows up as a fielder’s choice in the scorebook.  But it shows up as something far more meaningful in leadership culture.  PDFD likes to win, but public service is not about winning at any cost.  It is about helping, with all your heart. 

Centerfield antelope in cleats.  Third base bunny in hiking boots.  Seasons come and seasons go.  As autumn nears in more ways than one, I'm blessed to be part of PDFD, and happy to help where I can.   

See you at the next one.