Throughout my career, I’ve made a conscious effort to be a student of the fire service and to always pursue new opportunities that may expand my knowledge and improve my performance as a firefighter and/or fire officer. Early in my career, I subscribed to every fire service-related periodical I could find (12 was the magic number at the time), I attended local fire schools nearly every weekend, and I volunteered at national and international conferences in exchange for a complimentary pass to attend.
Today, I still read periodicals (aka magazines), I still attend weekend fire schools and conferences across the country, and like most, I also frequent the Internet and the countless social media outlets to stay connected with the latest commentary, trends and events.
To that effect, a friend of mine recently tagged me on an article titled, “Your Salty Lid Won’t Give You Cancer.” At first glance I was a bit confused by the title, but as I read on, I quickly became concerned and deeply disappointed by the message being shared—that a salty lid is a badge of honor that depicts a battle-tested firefighter who is acceptant or immune to the risk of occupational cancer.
Equally disturbing is the fact that anyone would suggest wearing “salty gear” while acknowledging that firefighters across the country are battling for presumptive cancer legislation to protect themselves and their families. I share this point with even greater frustration, acknowledging the fact that just over a year ago, I lost one of my closest friends to brain cancer, and this article was posted on the exact same day that another close personal friend and fellow firefighter (42 years old) died after a long-fought battle with cancer.
While I certainly understand and support the fact that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I find it troubling when this opinion (a view or judgment that is not necessarily based on fact or knowledge) has the potential to mislead and threaten the health and safety of an individual or group.
Anyone occupying our ranks—regardless of your title, years of experience or self-defined level of toughness—who feels that they are somehow immune to the threat of occupational cancer is simply fooling him- or herself. Firefighter cancer is real, and WE (myself included) need to make every effort to prevent ourselves and those with whom we serve from being unnecessarily exposed to the harmful byproducts that cause it.
Wearing “salty gear” or a “salty lid” as a means of projecting your supposed street cred is dangerous and shortsighted to say the least. True street cred is not based on how dirty you can get while “fighting what others fear”; it’s based on your performance and your knowledge, skills and abilities to do the job—not once, not twice, but everyday.
I would further suggest that wearing a “salty lid” or any other contaminated garment/equipment as a mark of your accomplishments projects a lack of confidence and insecurity. If we are truly battle-ready and deserving of street cred, our actions will demonstrate as much, and we will continuously and rightfully earn the respect of those around us by doing the job in a way that commands respect.
To have the physical and mental ability to serve as a firefighter is a privilege and something we all cherish. And throughout our careers, we all hope to serve our communities and fellow firefighters in a manner that earns their respect and, to some degree, even admiration. Yet we must never lose sight of the fact that we are humble public servants dedicated to selflessly serving the communities/districts we are sworn to protect without the expectation of reward, in the safest, most effective manner possible.
When you make a conscious decision to take actions, perform a specific task or depict an image with the intent of self-gratification/reward without acknowledging the harmful effects it may impose, I challenge you to ask yourself, are you truly carrying out the duties of a firefighter?
Salty gear does NOT make a firefighter, nor does it project an image worthy of admiration and respect. True professionals respect their tools; they clean and prepare their tools to ensure that they are ready for the next call. Don’t let your lid be anything less than the same.
It’s time to take a pass on the salt.
