Let me ask you a question: What makes a firehouse great? Is it the number of calls, the state-of-the-art apparatus, the people or the tradition?
To me, the people and tradition are what separate an exceptional firehouse from a mediocre firehouse. It’s no secret that, because of shift work, the firehouse is our second home, and the people who are assigned to the firehouse become our family. Not every firehouse in the world is “Bronx Busy” nor built like the Taj Mahal. Not every firehouse has top-of-the-line apparatus that operate out of it, either.
Throughout my career, I have worked in firehouses that respond to fewer than 350 calls per year and firehouses that respond to more than 3,500 per year. In both of these situations, the people always are what can make or break a firehouse.
Some of my fondest memories are of firehouses that could be described as “less than desirable” by people who aren’t assigned there. Early in my career, I was assigned to a rural firehouse that a lot of people in my department would refer to as a glorified metal shed. They talked about how awful the firehouse was, because it lacked a high call volume and had old apparatus. It literally was four walls and a roof.
Over the course of time, my coworkers and I took the time to add to the station, remodeled rooms and kept up with general repairs. Through that hard work and team effort, we were able to take that “metal shed” and turn it into a firehouse that we could be proud of. Even though we weren’t the busiest firehouse in the department, we had the most pride. We took ownership of our firehouse and bonded together while making it a better place for everyone.
I have had people ask me why I wanted to leave certain firehouses, because from the outside, they believed that specific firehouse was the place to be because it was the biggest and busiest station and had state-of-the-art apparatus. However, I wasn’t coming to work with friends/family every day. They were just coworkers. Now, don’t get me wrong, you aren’t going to like everyone who you work with, but it’s important to come together and find common ground and build a relationship regardless of your differences.
Jeff Dixon, who is a great mentor and friend, is a perfect example of “you’re not going to like everyone you work with.” When Jeff and I started to work together, he was the senior firefighter/medic, and I was the young punk firefighter who had the “know it all” attitude. A few arguments and yelling matches later, Jeff and I finally had a sit-down and found common ground. We discussed why we were having issues with each other, and to this day, Jeff and I are the best of friends. So much of the firefighter I am today is a direct result of his influence on my life. He was the first person in my professional career who took the time to mentor me.
Remember, no matter which way you look at it, there are tons of people who gladly would give anything to be where you are today. A past fire chief and dear friend, Ricky Arrington, once told me, “Don’t go to a place for the money; money isn’t everything. Happiness is priceless, and if you are happy, it means you enjoy where you are, and if you enjoy where you are, you’ll never ’work’ a day in your life.”
This logic can be applied to firehouses as well. If you’re miserable at your firehouse, then it doesn’t matter how much money you make, how many calls you run or how new your apparatus is. You always will find something to complain about.
Firefighters can help to turn an average firehouse into a great firehouse through camaraderie. Some ways that you can build camaraderie are training together, including each other in conversations and, my favorite, laughing. We must remember that the firehouse is our second home and those who are in the firehouse are our second family. It’s essential that we lean on each other when we need to. Create your own traditions, whether it’s something as simple as the driver buying ice cream for the shift when a curb is hit or having the rookie look for a “Blue Flare.”
Make your own traditions and take the time to pay attention to the details. Make the firehouse yours and take ownership in building it up. Thomas Edison once said, “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” You might not make your firehouse great overnight, but being tenacious and driven is the key to making it great. Strive to make your firehouse the one that everyone wants to join
