priv·i·lege
: a right or benefit that is given to some people and not to others : a special opportunity to do something that makes you proud
It is a privilege to be a firefighter. Do you really believe this statement? Firefighters often talk about feeling privileged when they are first due to a “good” working fire, but does the privilege cease when we are doing the things not pictured on the cover of Fire Engineering magazine? There are literally thousands of people who would love to fill our seat on the engine. They would jump at the chance to get on the truck at two in the morning and go pick up Mr. Jones for the third time in a week; okay maybe not ‘jump’ but they might do it without complaint. Think back to when you applied to be a firefighter. Think about those applicants who were not chosen for the position you now hold. I bet they view the things we may treat as a nuisance as a privilege.
At one point (and hopefully still) you wanted to be a firefighter more than anything else in the world. Sometimes we need to hit rewind on our fire career DVR to hear the promises we gave in earnest during our interview. Ask yourself honestly - are continuing to make good on those promises? Are you the team player you claimed to be? Do you still have a rock solid work ethic? Are you still a self-starter? Are you still willing to be educated and trained? Are you really the person who can be relied upon to deliver in a time of need? Do you still treat this job as a privilege? Your fellow firefighters, lieutenants, captains and chiefs probably already know the answer, but do you? If you have honored all of these claims, that is impressive, but have you prepared to identify when you no longer are? If you have not fulfilled your promises, or feel yourself slipping, ask yourself, “Where did I go, where is the engaged, more eager version of me?”
Perform an internal primary search - I bet he or she is still occupying a survivable space, behind a closed door, somewhere inside. Get in there and bring ’em out.
