Probie VI

Probies are better seen than heard.  Nobody has ever said that to me, but that’s my take on it.  The Department meets weekly for training, and monthly for administrative / governance work.  There’s that Sprint commercial from years back and the monthly meetings are not too dissimilar (except we’re not sitting around in turnout gear). 

Probies can’t vote at the monthly meeting.  I suppose we could talk, but it’s way better to listen.  Four times a year, there’s a vote on Firefighter of the Quarter.  I can’t stress enough how good-natured the voting process is.  Guys groan when they get nominated, and everyone understands half the Department could win in any given quarter.

You learn as you go and at the 3rd Quarter vote, I learned Probies can’t vote, but they can nominate.  Keeping in mind I could write one of these for just about any member of the Department, I wrote four.  I thought they were supposed to be anonymous but, the Facebook post on the winner (Sarge!) outed me as the author so, I don’t see any reason in being coy.  There’s nothing wrong with a public “Thank you”.  Here’s four:    

Assistant Chief Small

“Don’t be an asshole, and don’t die”.  It’s three in the morning at a house fire in Lodi, and Assistant Chief Small – rather efficiently – provides standing orders to the group of us in the street, about to be assigned tasks by the incident commander.  Expressing both personal concern for our safety and corporate concern for the reputation of the department, “Don’t be an asshole, and don’t die”, is the Order of the Year.

Chief Small’s wry humor is always appreciated, as is his concern for the Department, and all its members.  Whether buying us ice cream at Dairy Queen after a fire in Portage or supporting individual members with any interest they bring forward, Chief Small consistently demonstrates care for the members of the Department. 

He also, modestly and self-deprecatingly, demonstrates mastery of an encyclopedic array of technical skills.  Whether outfitting Engine 33, fixing some piece of obscure equipment or lowering a victim from a tree in the middle of the night, Chief Small can be counted on to accomplish any task the Department faces.  Perhaps most importantly, he can be counted on to shoulder any common load shared by other members, while lightening that load with his bemused, can-do spirit.   

Captain Barger

“How are you today?”, Captain Barger asks via IAR message.  The night before, and into the morning, Captain Barger was leading the rescue turned recovery effort of the deceased hunter, and he thoughtfully is checking in on me.  I give the standard issue “a-ok”, or some such thing, and express thanks for his concern.

My experience is captains are the fulcrum upon which fire departments are levered to improve, and PDFD has two good ones.  Captain Barger’s boundless positivity and genuine concern for his colleagues bodes well for the Department’s future, as does his willingness to pursue professional development in fire officer training.

An excellent young leader, he consistently puts the needs of the firefighters he is commanding above his own, and takes great care to support them.   The night of the rescue turned recovery, he skillfully commanded the effort and, in the most challenging sequence of the recovery, he led from the front.  Rather than send firefighters into the dark to do something difficult on their own, he was there with them, sharing the burden and leading by example.  That’s what excellent fire captains do.  He did it well, and did not stop there.  He followed up to see if the personnel he was responsible for were doing ok.  Thanks, Captain.   

Assistant Chief Hathaway

“No, I need man-sized gloves”, says the Department’s least competent firefighter.  Much too kind to point out that “man-sized” is not a size, Assistant Chief Hathaway dives back into the bin, looking for extra extra extra large gloves, that will help the Department’s least competent firefighter get all his gear on in under two minutes at entry level class.  He needs a ladder belt.  He needs a SCBA tank.  He needs a book.  The needs are never-ending.

That’s just one of us.  Multiple the individual needs by all of us and hand them off to Chief Hathaway.  Then watch him meets those needs with selfless tolerance, and unending grace.  Whether by developing a thorough, practical training program, or leading members on scene, Chief Hathaway demonstrates a thoughtful approach to mission success, and member improvement.  The professional development of members and on-scene success are not two different things to Chief Hathaway.  They are the same.

Actively seeking feedback both in group settings and individually, thoughtfully processing that feedback and improving departmental operations without undue reliance on “the way it’s always been done”, Chief Hathaway’s many contributions to the Department are more than worthy of consideration for recognition.  What he does, he does for all of us. 

Firefighter Wills

“Why aren’t you running?”, Firefighter Wills asks.  I think to myself “nobody else is” and then I think to myself, “I’m a probie and maybe I should be running”.  So I start running.  Well, jogging.  It’s hose testing and while I’m all for demonstrating commitment to the task, I don’t want to be the one goofball, sprinting up and down the school driveway.

That may not be the best example but, thank goodness for Firefighter Wills.  From my very first call, when I had no idea what I was doing and felt like a complete imposter, he has been a godsend. Providing instruction, and guidance, and some good-hearted teasing at my expense, he is a walking, talking entry level firefighter book.  I have lost count of how many times he has given me a piece of advice, or shown me how to do something, but it must be in the triple digits.

Most importantly, he has always done it quietly, and privately, without calling attention to how I’m doing something stupid, or wrong.  Neither I nor the other probies can thank him enough for that.  Firefighter Wills has a wealth of practical knowledge through years of experience, and he passes it along willingly and skillfully, without pretense or desire for accolades.  A caring, committed, inspiring non-com through and through, “Sarge” rules.