经过Thomas A. Merrill
机会是您的邻居，朋友知道您是一个志愿消防员。但是，他们真的不认为您是一个严格的志愿者。在他们的脑海中，他们将您视为一个firefighter.Most likely, they take great comfort in the fact that you live nearby. Not only are you most likely considered trustworthy but also competent and dependable. They believe that you will be able to help them out in their time of need. They could care less if you are志愿者或付费。
Your neighbors and friends don’t understand or necessarily care about all the different job classifications we might have in the volunteer fire service–structural，内部，非结构性，fire police, social, administrative. All they know is you are a firefighter and in their mind that means you can be counted on to help them if they ever need your service. But what if you were only fooling them? What if it had been awhile since you last went to drill? What if it had been some time since you last practiced the variety of tasks that fall into your job description? What if tonight, in your neighbor’s hour of need, you failed them because you were not准备了？
Whenever I teach a训练我在我的部门的上课时，我想提醒消防员，他们的邻居有这种愿景，即他们训练有素，设备齐全且准备充分，以帮助他们在紧急情况下进行帮助。当然，那些寻求帮助的人期望响应者做好准备。无论他们的技能水平和熟练程度如何，每个人都希望他们得到充分的准备。
不要自欺欺人。准备好了吗？您能自信而有能力地达到预期的水平吗？你能帮你的邻居吗？还是您只是穿着那件T恤并吹嘘您的汽车上的那个消防部门的贴纸来欺骗人们？
知道你的工作
It is totally understandable and acceptable that the志愿者消防服务可以以多种方式对成员进行分类。根据任期，利益，培训，年龄和各种其他因素，可以期望成员的不同任务和职责。作为志愿者，您当然可以选择成为社会成员，而不是真正的活跃成员。您还可以努力仅满足部门的最低要求。但是，专业的志愿消防员誓言要做的不仅仅是所需的最低要求。他们拥抱自己的角色，并努力提高自己的技能。无论他们属于什么类别，他们都会训练并准备好完成他们期望的工作。
如果您是外部（非结构性或外部消防员），请准备快速点击hydrant, throw a地面梯子，更换独立的呼吸器（SCBA）瓶，并在不挣扎的情况下为灯光和风扇赢得电力。准备获取任何需要的工具。当消防员圈出钻机，打开和关闭的隔室门，寻找特定工具时，这真令人尴尬。我称“狗在追尾”。这不仅使消防员感到尴尬，而且还浪费了宝贵的时间。
If you are a driver, know the rig! Know how to drive it safely and responsibly. You might not put the rig in pump at every call, but boy, when water is needed, that is not to time to try and remember how to do it. At that auto extrication call, know how to get the jaws ready and light tower working at night.司机不要只是开车。
Certainly, if you are an interior structural firefighter, then you know you are expected to be able to don and doff your gear and SCBA quickly and competently, advance aHoseline, andcarry a resident in peril down a ladder。即使您真的无法或没有多年来没有这样做，您的居民也相信您。他们认为你可以。使他们失败有多毁灭？同样，他们只知道消防员一词。他们不给您决定跳过的撕裂活火和烟雾的演变或SCBA drills。When their house is burning or their loved one needs you, they expect you to rise to the occasion.
The point is, whatever your role or title is in your department, be prepared to live up to the expectations associated with it. Not only is the public expecting this, but your fellow firefighters are as well.
GETTING PREPARED
那么我们如何做好准备？我们如何最好地满足邻居，朋友和居民的期望？我们如何衡量我们在部门持有的标题？我的简单答案是进入您的“工作”。您自愿提供服务，因此请尽可能多地了解您的角色。发展培训将在整个职业生涯中继续进行的态度。仅仅因为您是终身会员或在消防服务中有很多年，并不意味着您可以通过培训。永远不要停止培训。利用一切机会提高您的技能。努力胜任和自信地扮演您的工作角色。 That equates to a professional firefighter.
无论你的角色是什么在你的部门,哟u owe it to your public and your fellow firefighters to be as thoroughly trained and prepared as possible.
准备好了吗？I guarantee that your neighbors think you are.
Tom Merrillis a 30-year fire department veteran in the Snyder Fire Department, which is located in Amherst, New York. He served 26 years as a department officer, including 15 years in the首席官ranks, and recently completed five years as chief of department. He also is a professional fire dispatcher for the town of Amherstfire alarmoffice. He can be reached attamerrill63@aol.com
