While looking through some old fireground photos for a friend’s article, I came across a couple of folders that were filled with smiling faces and handshake photos from previous fire department award junkets. I began polling some friends about award programs within their departments. It seemed as if the majority of people who I contacted lead or work in departments that lack a formal awards process. A few of them talked about an annual awards program, and even fewer shared how their department might hand out some sort of honor at recall or the chief would stop by and hand out the award with the firefighter’s shift present.
I understand that you didn’t sign up for the fire service with the intent to receive an award for your actions, whether it is on the fireground, at an EMS call, for implementing a new program or for fundraising efforts in volunteer departments. I believe that so many of you joined the fire service with the intent to help others in the community. From past experiences, that was rewarding enough for me.
As the fire service takes on more roles—becoming all-hazards response agencies and spending more time in nonsuppression duties while expanding community risk reduction efforts or setting up COVID-19 vaccine clinics—so many efforts go unnoticed that it’s time to highlight them. The need to point out those achievements isn’t just about pinning a medal on the person’s chest but to make sure that all members of your department are aware of what is going on in the agency. Despite unlimited avenues for communications, a lot of people are surprised to learn what goes on inside the department.
The effort to award members doesn’t have to cost a lot. Often, the “cost” comes from taking the time to create the program and the time to acknowledge, plus the purchase of a few awards or certificates. A person’s great achievements don’t deserve to be filed away in their personnel folder. Also, the public acknowledgement can do wonders for others who seek motivation.
A fire chief who I know used to do field promotions for the members in his career department that allowed the member’s family and crew to be there for the honor of receiving the new badge. Another event that I photographed included an award for the department’s worst driver, something that most departments would shy away from. The ribbing becomes a means to boost the morale inside of the department and to keep the members motivated.
There is pomp and circumstance at a member’s graduation from the academy, including photos and food with new brothers and sisters and family. The last time that a member walks out the door of the station, that individual leaves with a full stomach from a celebratory meal, photos and time with two families. Why not take a few minutes to honor between those two dates?
Updates in the magazine
As you turn the pages of the magazine over the next few months, you will see a few updates that we are making to ensure that Firehouse is providing coverage of the topics that you, our readers, look for. Over the past year, we spent time talking with readers and key partners to determine topics that we weren’t covering enough.
This month, you will find the Volunteer View column. Throughout the year, we will tap various authors to tackle topics that are critical to the largest number of firefighters in the country. This issue also provides our expanded coverage of the rapidly evolving technology for apparatus via new “Apparatus Innovations” features, to highlight items to consider the next time that you purchase a vehicle that you are expected to use for 10-plus years.
As communities look at recruiting and policies, in upcoming issues, we will tap a variety of experts from inside and outside of the fire service for the new “Diversity & Inclusivity” features to explain trends and successes. “Chief’s Corner” will be a new rollout of interviews of fire chiefs from career, combination and volunteer departments across the country, with select ones highlighted in the magazine and many others featured on Firehouse.com.
With those additions, we moved a few regular faces around. That includes Billy Goldfeder’s “Close Calls” column, which will be published quarterly this year.
Peter Matthews | Editor-in-Chief/Conference Director
Peter Matthews is the conference director and editor-in-chief of Firehouse. He has worked at Firehouse since 1999, serving in various roles on both Firehouse Magazine and Firehouse.com staffs. He completed an internship with the Rochester, NY, Fire Department and served with fire departments in Rush, NY, and Laurel, MD, and was a lieutenant with the Glenwood Fire Company in Glenwood, NY. Matthews served as photographer for the St. Paul, MN, Fire Department.
