Brotherhood in the Fire Service, Does it still exist?

Ok I know it has been quite awhile since i have updated my blog or written an article or anything for that matter but to be honest I haven't had the time or motivation to write much of anything until now. This is more than likely going to be a rambling rant so hold on.

I was thinking the other day about a few comments that had been made to me by a few great friends about the brotherhood of the fire service and if it really existed anymore. I instantly fired back that it did. Driving home from a weekend fire/rescue school recently I was thinking about the conversation. Where they right? Is the fire service loosing the sense of brotherhood that I found when I joined up over twenty years ago?

After thinking about this for a few weeks and talking to some of the people I have looked up to and trusted for years I have come to the conclusion that true Brotherhood still exist and I have witnessed it myself recently. But I still think that my friends are on to something. I think they have experienced a false sense of Brotherhood that I don't really know what it is, but I have seen it also and thank goodness I have seen the real thing and can tell the difference between the two.

I will start out by saying if you are reading this and are not in Fire, Rescue or EMS you may not "get" what I am talking about, if you have served in Law Enforcement or especially any branch of the Military you will defiantly get this. All of the above mentioned professions be it volunteer or career are known for how we all "stick together" and how we take care of each other. We have been known to help each other out in a time of need. Some of our ranks have been known to drive across the state to a LODD funeral for a bother that they didn't even know, (why?) to be there for their fellow brothers and sisters that are hurting. If you want to meet some people that embody the True Brotherhood of the fire service, you have to look no further than the guys and girls from the NCFFF. (Thanks for what you do guys)

I have been treated like family at firehouses in different parts of the country just because I am a Fireman. I know that there are things about this job that no one outside of the job would ever understand and when I need some one to talk to about it,  I have people I can, and do call. So I will contend that true brotherhood DOES still exist in today's fire and rescue service.

But....

My friends do have valid points in doubting the brotherhood. But here are some tips to help you distinguish between what passes for Brotherhood and the real thing. There are quite a few "posers" out there and you do have to look out for them. (they as well as a few others classify as mutts)

 I am probably going to make a few of you mad with some of the comments, but hey that's what real families do. They disagree and if you don't agree with what I am writhing, then oh well, I hope we can agree to disagree. A few of the things I am talking about below is aimed at some of the newer folks in our ranks and some is aimed at those of us who have been here awhile. (I am an equal opportunity offender)

The list of things to remember about Brotherhood below is no where near a complete list, but feel free to add and comment, I am only one voice.

• Brotherhood is not something we pay lip service to while we are at work.
• It is not limited to just YOUR shift. 
• I can't tell if you are male, female, black, white, or purple when you have your gear on. 
• If you can do the job, you can do the job. 
• Paid or Volly, the fire ain't gonna know the difference. The difference is a volly has to be more committed to train, cause they are not getting paid to do it while on duty. 
• Just because a good many of us choose to get a college degree, or go to classes, schools, and training above what our department is currently doing right now, that does not make us losers or brown noses. It means we want to be as safe and well informed as possible. (knowledge is power) 
• Departmental politics has absolutely nothing to do with brotherhood. ( I don't like him because he doesn't clean the toilet the way I do). Every Department has the in-house politics, no way around it, it is human nature. The best thing to do is if you have to be in a "Clique" be in the one that don't care about being in a "Clique" just say'n
• Brotherhood is more than just a union membership in fact just because you pay union dues, that don't make you part of the real brotherhood. (ouch i know) In kind, just because some one chooses not to join a union or can't join a union don't make them any less of a brother. 
• The same as above goes for any group we form within our ranks, such as some of my favs and am even a member of, like the FOOLS, or Red Knights, or other clubs we set up for ourselves. These organizations are GREAT and are meant to support our fellow bothers and sisters. 
• Brotherhood is more than wearing a T Shirt or carrying a challenge coin in your pocket
• If you question my brotherhood because I call you out for being reckless and unsafe, then you might wanna check yourself. 
• If you lay back in training or are not commited to train, then that means you don't care about your brothers and sisters because by laying back, you are putting their lives at risk. 
• Just because some one doesn't catch on to something as fast as you do, it don't mean they are no good at it, or will not be better than you at it one day, they may just need some coaching and or mentoring. You were new at it one time yourself. They may be much better at something that you suck at. 
• If you think that because some one has rank that they don't remember what it's like to ride backwards, or remember what Brotherhood is all about, think again. 
• You might think some of the "old guys" are out of touch or have no use in a department, don't forget they have been there and done that and most have lots of knowledge to offer. 
• There are two types of people that do this type of job, paid or volly, it's the same. 
• There are the people who do this because we love it, want to make a difference, and are here to just do the job as good as we can. That's it. No big secret here, no mystery to figure out. 
• Then there are the folks who want to been recognized as a firefighter.  They want whatever notoriety they think comes with it, or as some of us say, they want to wear the T shirts, and have some pics of them in bunker gear to put on their facebook and ride in the parade but they don't like to sweat. 

I have also heard there are two types of females in the fire service but I am not female so I will not speak on this.

As most of you who would even bother to read this knows, it takes blood, sweat and tears to even try to be good at this. I have been working at it for over twenty years and I don't even think I am even close to being as good as I want to be. I also don't pretend to be one of the guys who is awesome at Fire, Rescue or EMS, but the thing is, I would like to be. I think that is another thing that brings us all together, most of us are striving to be better at the job than we ever thought we could be.

I know this has been a Rambling Rant, and if you agree with me cool, but if you don't then don't read my blog anymore. If you still have no Idea what I am talking about, then I'm sorry I don't have any way to explain it to you but this. Those of us who risk our lives to help others share a common bond. We share the same problems, same joy, pain, and heartache, this makes us one. We may do things a little different in different places but we are all one family. Or at least that's the way I see it. If I have to explain any further, well no offense, but you wouldn't understand.

So take care of each other, help each other and be careful out there.

Joe Mancos
FTM-PTB, KTF, RFB, DTRT