By MICHAEL P. CAPOZIELLO
Your long journey is over. You've risen through the ranks. Hopefully, along the way you have done the job to the best of your abilities and gained the respect of your fellow firefighters. You have plaques and installation dinner mugs adorned with your name, your picture on the wall, and gold buttons on your uniform. To some, this is the turning point in a fire service career. Now what?
Although there are no solid statistics available, I would guess that close to 50 percent of all volunteer departments in this country have a constant, rotating system of chiefs and officers who serve in predetermined term limits; this type of system is very dominant on the East Coast. Whatever system you are a part of, there will come a time when a volunteer chief will have to step down and relinquish his white helmet.
If you are a current subscriber,login hereto access this content.
If you would like to become a subscriber, please visit ushere.
