Cold Water Challenge

You know, it has been a very interesting few weeks around the upstate with a lot of successes, large operations, and a lot of heart ache.  As we celebrated the memories of so many fallen heroes this weekend, I watched a simple game take off with my brothers and sisters around the fire service.  I watched many of you raise money for your respective charities while having fun doing so.  But for many of us, this was not our first cold water challenge.  We participate in a cold water challenge multiple times every winter at structure fires.  We participate in a cold water challenge on every river rescue.  We participate in the cold water challenge every time we conduct an extrication in the rain.  And for those of us who were around to actually ride tailboard or open jump seat, you, like me, can remember hosing down our frozen gear inside the station to get it to thaw out after returning from a structure fire in below freezing temperatures.  I’m sure all of you could tell story after story, but the point I want to make here is that each of us made a conscious decision to serve others.  This weekend was no different at all as each of you took the challenge to yet again, serve others.

Many of us have come up around the Chief Brunacini’s and the Billy G’s (you should know who Billy G is) and have bathed in the leadership examples set by men like them.   But what examples are we setting for those that follow us?  Are we teaching the value of brotherhood to the young men who are following in our footsteps?  Are we teaching them to recognize how important relationships are and the feeling you get when you hear a friend’s voice on the radio and you know that friend is coming.  He is coming not because somebody dropped a set of tones; he’s coming because it is you and likewise, we go because it is our friend. 

Finally, are we telling stories?  When I was 20 years old as a rookie firefighter, my Captain had been with the department for 30 years.  Gerald “Fudd” Nicholson was one of the best, if not the best Captain I ever had the opportunity to serve under.  I enjoyed hearing him tell stories of, “The Old Timers” and the fires they had fought along with some of his famous sayings (that I’ll refrain from posting here).  He had been there, done that, and had the experience to prove it.  Every fire we fought, he was right there with me proving to me that everything was O.K.  and investing in me.  Fudd had a very positive influence on me and impacted the way I supervise 20 years later.  The question now should be asked, “What am I doing to impact leaders 20 years from now?”  What are you doing to impact leaders 20 years from now?  If you are reading this on Facebook, take a minute to look up the “Bring Back Brotherhood”  page and look at the post from May 14, 2014.  They provide us with a great example of brotherhood with great instructions to follow.  Make a difference!