“What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” right? The problem is that nothing stays anywhere anymore. In today’s technology-driven society, no member of the fire service should believe that their off-duty conduct won’t follow them home, or that they cannot or will not be held responsible for that conduct. Career and volunteer firefighters alike have been dismissed from their positions as a result of off-duty conduct. Even when the conduct doesn’t rise to the level of criminal activity, it can undermine the integrity of the individual so severely that they cede the right to maintain their affiliation with the organization.
Off Duty, But Not
Career and volunteer firefighters are intensely proud of their association with the fire service and for good reason–society in general holds us up as heroes. When an individual is willing to “risk their life” to save another, their commitment is deemed heroic. The challenge is that society also expects heroes to conduct themselves in a particular manner. When a firefighter behaves in a way that’s inconsistent with those expectations, they’re chastised disproportionally to private citizens who act in a similar way.
Bill the UPS delivery guy leaves home on vacation and, while in Vegas, is videotaped swimming naked in the fountain of the Bellagio. When the video is posted to Facebook, many of his friends comment on the quality of his backstroke, and Bill is quite embarrassed, but it’s unlikely that his actions will result in him losing his job. The boss isn’t going to fire him and his customers aren’t going to find out about his transgressions. However, that may be exactly what happens to Bill the Firefighter.
Although we may not agree with holding firefighters to a higher standard, we inside the fire service don’t get to make that judgment–society as a whole does. When a firefighter becomes a firefighter, they’re always a firefighter. The concept of “off-duty” is a myth. That’s not to say that firefighters must take a vow of celibacy and austerity, but from the moment we swear the oath, we must accept the fact that we will be judged according to societal standards commensurate with being heroes.
What does this mean from a practical perspective? First, come to terms with the fact that smartphones are only as intelligent as the user and that while you can control what you share online, you can’t control what others share. For example, my wife and I were at a local volunteer fire company event and we were dancing (a completely harmless activity, although those forced to watch us might argue otherwise); within minutes, there was a video posted on the Internet. Clearly, there was nothing inappropriate going on, but the speed with which the event found its way onto the Internet was disconcerting.
Another example: Don’t call in sick to work and then treat yourself to a beer and a hotdog at the afternoon ballgame. It may seem like you won’t get found out, but what happens when you’re sitting along the foul pole where the television camera captures your 15 seconds of fame as you reach out and catch the ball without spilling your beer? Making it into the Top Ten on Sports Center may represent the penultimate moment of your life, but it also may spell the end of your time as a firefighter when it’s revealed that you’re off work on a worker’s compensation claim.
And don’t think the “brotherhood” will protect you. More likely than not, it will be your fire service “friends” who ultimately reveal your activities.
Common Sense
Company officers can play a critical role in walking their firefighters through the minefield of living a life of credibility. An excellent place to start is the recently published white paper on Fire Service Reputation Management.
This document can serve as a nuts-and-bolts guide on how to talk to your firefighters about the importance of good conduct while off duty. Review instances where firefighters have lost their careers as a result of off-duty activities, even those that don’t rise to the level of criminal conduct. Talk about losing a pension, about losing healthcare benefits for your family and the ability to provide for them–not to mention never being able to call yourself a firefighter. Provide some examples of situations firefighters might find themselves in and discuss how they can extricate themselves without jeopardizing their reputation as a member of the “brotherhood.”
These types of coffee-table conversations don’t necessarily have absolute right or wrong answers. Rather, they’re intended to get firefighters to think about the impact of their actions before their video goes viral on YouTube.
A strong moral compass is only valuable when it is pointed in the right direction. Common sense should prevail: When you’re considering a certain action or activity, ask yourself this simple question: Am I willing to do this standing in front of my parents, spouse and children – and all the members of the Channel 11 viewing public – when the video is “Live, Local and Late-Breaking”?
