Firefighting & Rescue Social / Professional Network
I Want To, But I Can’t!
Shortly after I moved to where I currently reside, I wanted to join our local, volunteer fire department. I had to submit a letter to the fire department, which I thought would be simple enough. How wrong I was!
Then, I submitted a second letter with the same end result.
I have never taken rejection well and what you are about to read are my thoughts that I wrote down and tucked away. That was in the Spring of 1980. You-my readers- are seeing this “journal entry” for the first time. And for the record, I was voted onto the fire department in September of 1980.
Though it is many years old, some of it may very well apply today for some of those hoping to get their chance today or some day.
Hopefully, you will see the lesson, persevere and pursue your dream.
Sometimes, what we want most is the hardest to get!
I want to join a fire department, but I can’t.
It’s an old group, tight-knit and set in their ways. If they don’t know you, then they already don’t like you. Besides, I don’t think like they do and none of them has the patience or the desire to listen to what I have to offer.
I want to listen to them, but I can’t.
I’m not one of them. I’m not a firefighter or at least their perception of a firefighter. I don’t drink or smoke, so that is two strikes against me right there. My wife and I both have jobs, so I’m not the ‘king of my castle’, according to them.
According to them, ‘A woman should be home taking care of the kids’.
‘Uh, we don’t have kids’.
They say, ‘Well, then, that should give her more time to clean your house and cook your meals’. I want to appreciate their world views, but I can’t.
I want to be a firefighter, but I can’t.
I don’t have enough ‘votes’. The others don’t know me well enough to vote for me. They know that a vote for me is a vote for change. That would mean going against the old guys and though they want to, they can’t.
I want to volunteer for my community, but I can’t.
Though it may sound simple enough, I guess that I haven’t lived in the community long enough to call it ‘my community’. Apparently, it still belongs to ‘them’. When the time is right, I MIGHT be selected; you know, to ‘volunteer’.
I want to understand the process, but I can’t.
They don’t understand that I need them as much as they need me. What do I need from them? I need their affirmation and acceptance.
What do they need from me? They need my willingness to expend a physical effort. I want to pull hose, throw ladders, cut vent holes, pull ceilings, shoot water, roll hose, wash the trucks and show department pride, but I can’t.
If they were to put me on the department and I behaved like that; well, the next thing you know, I would want to be chief.
They want to put me on their fire department, but they can’t.
They don’t want to feel threatened. If they let a young guy on, it would be the beginning of the end for their good ole group. Besides; the community is happy with what they have. They tell them so every time another house burns down.
They want to keep me out, but they can’t.
They don’t have a young man’s strength anymore; neither in strength of conviction nor in strength of character. They could think of it as a new dog to kick around if that would make it more appealing to them. Lots of dirty jobs would get done, so they’ll vote me on as a probie. Note: Probie No Wake Zone; can’t rock the boat!
I want to listen and learn, but I can’t.
The old boys haven’t kept up with the ever-changing complexities of tactics and technology. They are set in their ways and are teaching obsolete methods that are no longer accepted practice. I want them to teach me new and cutting edge methods, but they can’t.
I want to go to fire school, but I can’t.
The old guys are insulted that I would DARE to go outside of the department for training. After all; ‘we’re just VOLUNTEERS’. I want to believe that Fire knows the difference, but I can’t.
I want to believe that they have my best interests at heart, but I can’t.
I want to make the fire department better NOW, but I can’t.
There aren’t enough who think like I do. If I give in and give up, I will never realize my dream. I could do the easy thing and quit, but I can’t.
They want me to be like them, but I can’t.
Please grant me the strength and the will to affect change. Grant them the wisdom that should come with their age and experience.
Then, grant each of us the ability to bridge our differences and to build on our similarities.
If we can do that…if we WANT to do that…
THEN, THERE ISN’T ANYTHING THAT WE CAN’T DO.
TCSS.
This article is protected by federal copyright laws under The Adventures of Jake and Vinnie© umbrella. It is written by Art Goodrich aka ChiefReason. It cannot be re-produced in any form without the expressed written permission of the author. Visit: www.chiefreasonart.com
Then, I submitted a second letter with the same end result.
I have never taken rejection well and what you are about to read are my thoughts that I wrote down and tucked away. That was in the Spring of 1980. You-my readers- are seeing this “journal entry” for the first time. And for the record, I was voted onto the fire department in September of 1980.
Though it is many years old, some of it may very well apply today for some of those hoping to get their chance today or some day.
Hopefully, you will see the lesson, persevere and pursue your dream.
Sometimes, what we want most is the hardest to get!
I want to join a fire department, but I can’t.
It’s an old group, tight-knit and set in their ways. If they don’t know you, then they already don’t like you. Besides, I don’t think like they do and none of them has the patience or the desire to listen to what I have to offer.
I want to listen to them, but I can’t.
I’m not one of them. I’m not a firefighter or at least their perception of a firefighter. I don’t drink or smoke, so that is two strikes against me right there. My wife and I both have jobs, so I’m not the ‘king of my castle’, according to them.
According to them, ‘A woman should be home taking care of the kids’.
‘Uh, we don’t have kids’.
They say, ‘Well, then, that should give her more time to clean your house and cook your meals’. I want to appreciate their world views, but I can’t.
I want to be a firefighter, but I can’t.
I don’t have enough ‘votes’. The others don’t know me well enough to vote for me. They know that a vote for me is a vote for change. That would mean going against the old guys and though they want to, they can’t.
I want to volunteer for my community, but I can’t.
Though it may sound simple enough, I guess that I haven’t lived in the community long enough to call it ‘my community’. Apparently, it still belongs to ‘them’. When the time is right, I MIGHT be selected; you know, to ‘volunteer’.
I want to understand the process, but I can’t.
They don’t understand that I need them as much as they need me. What do I need from them? I need their affirmation and acceptance.
What do they need from me? They need my willingness to expend a physical effort. I want to pull hose, throw ladders, cut vent holes, pull ceilings, shoot water, roll hose, wash the trucks and show department pride, but I can’t.
If they were to put me on the department and I behaved like that; well, the next thing you know, I would want to be chief.
They want to put me on their fire department, but they can’t.
They don’t want to feel threatened. If they let a young guy on, it would be the beginning of the end for their good ole group. Besides; the community is happy with what they have. They tell them so every time another house burns down.
They want to keep me out, but they can’t.
They don’t have a young man’s strength anymore; neither in strength of conviction nor in strength of character. They could think of it as a new dog to kick around if that would make it more appealing to them. Lots of dirty jobs would get done, so they’ll vote me on as a probie. Note: Probie No Wake Zone; can’t rock the boat!
I want to listen and learn, but I can’t.
The old boys haven’t kept up with the ever-changing complexities of tactics and technology. They are set in their ways and are teaching obsolete methods that are no longer accepted practice. I want them to teach me new and cutting edge methods, but they can’t.
I want to go to fire school, but I can’t.
The old guys are insulted that I would DARE to go outside of the department for training. After all; ‘we’re just VOLUNTEERS’. I want to believe that Fire knows the difference, but I can’t.
I want to believe that they have my best interests at heart, but I can’t.
I want to make the fire department better NOW, but I can’t.
There aren’t enough who think like I do. If I give in and give up, I will never realize my dream. I could do the easy thing and quit, but I can’t.
They want me to be like them, but I can’t.
Please grant me the strength and the will to affect change. Grant them the wisdom that should come with their age and experience.
Then, grant each of us the ability to bridge our differences and to build on our similarities.
If we can do that…if we WANT to do that…
THEN, THERE ISN’T ANYTHING THAT WE CAN’T DO.
TCSS.
This article is protected by federal copyright laws under The Adventures of Jake and Vinnie© umbrella. It is written by Art Goodrich aka ChiefReason. It cannot be re-produced in any form without the expressed written permission of the author. Visit: www.chiefreasonart.com
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Comment by Joey "BigShow" De Piano on December 5, 2009 at 11:55pm - Well it stinks your in that slump but i have to say and not as an excuse..but for a longg time only way you (or anyone) got in to fd was referal or brought in by family..even fdny still has a tight rope on this process its secret rule and not super enforced but if you know someone over no body you get better house placement..being new to town and not yet a fire fighter your going to hit your roadblocks its not rejection per say as its a way stations don't get stuck with someone who might be a thorn..not that you are but if you read these posts they are out there..as a firefighter going in..what ever your old station thought of you is hanging over head..i don't think you want the burden of proving yourself and then maybe being a go getter in a house that doesn't appreciate it go t oyur next or sister dept.
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Comment by Allen Wahlstrom on December 4, 2009 at 5:56pm -
great blog Brother, been there... If I make the move, am thinking I may very well be there again.
TCSS
Wally
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Comment by Greenman on December 3, 2009 at 8:55am -
Art, Thank you for the continuing motivation to never give up!
Greenman
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Comment by Rusty Mancini on December 2, 2009 at 2:10am - Giving up wasn't in your vocabulary! Art, not to take anything away from your post, but there is a young man as you all know as Street king who's just beginning his journey to becoming a firefighter as he just recently posted a blog. Your timing couldn't of been better, and it's with my hopes that he's inspired by your great journey and like you, never give up!
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Comment by Padre Pete on December 1, 2009 at 6:35pm - Art, From being "unwanted" in 1980 to being Chief in 1988 impresses me as a meteoric ride. Congratulations on your successes. Let me share this with you. I came back to my station after one of my early firefighter classes. My chief, at the time, made a point of intercepting me and saying "You gotta know just cause your a big deal state fire instructor now, it dont mean shit here in Lakewood." Can you relate to leadership like that? Pete
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Comment by Chief Mike France on December 1, 2009 at 3:12pm - How true this is, just keep on plugging for that dream and you will get it. i am proof of it never wanted to be a chief, never thought i would be now i am .
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Comment by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on December 1, 2009 at 3:05pm -
I recall a couple of episodes very vividly.
In the first, I had been going to basic firefighting classes in Sherrard and bringing it back and sharing it. There were a couple of guys my age that really enjoyed it, but the majority was the good ole boys. They complained to the chief at the time and the chief came up to me before a meeting and got right in my face and said, "why don't you quit? Nobody likes you anyway." I told him that "the nobodies" could kiss my ***.
Then at about 3-1/2 years in, we were having problems with meeting attendance. I was instructed by the new chief to send letters to everyone telling them to come to the next meeting or else. Well, we got 7 openings and the trustees at the time wanted me to be number 8 for sending the letter. We put 7 new guys on and never looked back. I made chief in '88, got rid of the old trustees and it's been good since. We have had to remove some guys who didn't understand the commitment, but we haven't suffered from low numbers. We have maintained a full response roster and I don't see problems in the foreseeable future.
It has to be an organization that people want to belong to.
You have to make it appealing to them.
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Comment by Ted Bownas on December 1, 2009 at 2:49pm - Jim Page had a great article a few years back (I forget in which magazine), about his similar attempt to join a volunteer department, in his case after being a battalion chief in L.A.! He was instantly discouraged by the prospect of a membership vote by uninterested, closed-minded individuals who didn't want to hear about allowing someone in from "out of town". In fact, I believe the title of the article was something about "The Black-Ball Thing", referring to the little voting box so many of our departments used to use to vote on membership. If any are still out there in use, they should be burned. It's time to welcome new members and get them involved...there aren't enough to go around any more.
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Comment by Ron Graner on December 1, 2009 at 1:22pm -
Sadly much of what was written in 1980 still exists today in many departments!
Good news for you, and the fire service in general, is that you finally got to join and that you are hopefully wiser than those who went before you.
The bad news is that you are now 29 years older
Merry Christmas
Ron
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Comment by Doug on December 1, 2009 at 12:17pm - You can do it!
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