When we refer to the “silent heroes” of an organization-people who never look for recognition (the “attaboys”)-we’re often referring to our civilian staff, mechanics, chaplains, and all of those who work hard day after day to take care of us and make a difference, doing so without the fanfare, marching bands, and fireworks. So many of us get caught up in the “Look what I’ve done” or “I’ve done this” attitude that we miss out on seeing who often contributes to our successes: the silent heroes.
Just before leaving the southwest suburbs of Chicago to take my first chief’s job in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, I was attending a farewell dinner, coincidentally, for our department chaplain Father Ray Clennon when Chief Paul Boecker approached me and gave me some of the best “chiefly” advice I’ve ever been given. He said, “If you want to be successful as a fire chief, you need to understand two things: You don’t run your fire department-your secretary does-and you have to have a good chaplain.” And he was right! Your secretary or administrative assistant runs the department, and the sooner you realize that and embrace it, the more successful you’ll be as a chief, and having a good chaplain is HUGE!
The fire service (as well as the military) has always placed a high priority on its chaplain services; we’ve realized from the beginning how important it is not just to the people we serve but to our own personnel as well. Whether it’s the chaplain’s response to one of those “bad” calls when one of our own is going through a tough time and needs a shoulder to lean on or for a department ceremony, the benefit of having a chaplain program in place is critical if we are truly going to be there for those we serve in and out of the department.
If you are a current subscriber,login hereto access this content.
If you would like to become a subscriber, please visit ushere.
