Greetings everyone, I hope your week is going well. Not a whole lot to go over this week, so if you’re taking a break from studying, don’t worry…this won’t take long.
That’s about it…see I told you it was a slow week…
Here are some of the runs we’ve gone on this week…
Last night I sent out a video of you for you. It’s a reminder of who we are and what we’re about. One Spark has been a successful downtown event for people looking for funding for various projects. It’s also a great excuse to come downtown and enjoy the restaurants and bars! But what JFRD needs is its own One Spark. Something to pull us out of this funk we’ve been in for years. People talk about dashes when someone dies and how it’s what you do between your birthdate and your death date that’s counts; hence the dash part. That’s also true for your career. We all will have great stories to tell when we retire and we all will have many proud moments as it relates to that "dash". Lives saved, fires fought, things we’ve done for the community and for each other. What I’m worried about is we’re allowing others to define and set the tone for our careers. But that’s understandable, we’re only human and we have feelings too. It seems as if we went from hero to zero in the media and others eyes so fast and for no real reason. We haven’t changed, if anything, we’ve gotten busier. Our run volume goes up and everything else seems to go down, our morale included. So my question to you, is what do we do about it?? Do we let others define us? Or do we let our actions speak for our words. Some things we can change, other things we cannot. Nothing lately has been easy for any of us. It doesn’t matter what rank you are, we all have some type of life problems…some worse than others. I spent the morning this week talking to a lieutenant that has spent three weeks in ICU with his son because a car crossed the road and hit him head on. Can’t be mad at the other driver…she’s dead. You know who are some of the most positive people I’ve seen? The folks with terminal cancer in my wife’s chemo facility. How is it they are facing a life ending disease and yet they always have a smile on their face and a positive outlook? You all know what I mean because you’ve known people just like them. We have to find a way to get our mojo back in spite of. In spite of what? Whatever it is that’s bringing you down. How can we expect the community to believe in us again if we can’t believe in ourselves? Find a way to bring back that JFRD swagger we use to have. The can-do, get-er done attitude that we tackle everything with. Find a way to smile and be positive. So many things are not your fault and so many things we all cannot control…admin included. That’s what the Sea of Blue is about…I hope everyone is able to purchase a Class A. If not, no worries…just show up. It’s your day.
Here’s a few bright spots to celebrate…
In the last three years we’ve…
And I know there is also some things that weren’t so good. But in the end, does the good outweigh the bad? That will be for you to decide. Hopefully when the dust settles, budgets can return to normal and with it some positions we desperately need. In closing, always being the optimist, try to look on the good side. That’s where you come in.
Remember for every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism. That may be a Steven Wright quote, but my favorite advice I’ve gotten in a long time is this…"it’s not the critic that counts"…amen. Don’t listen to critics, you know what a great fire department looks like and you know what to do. Keep your head held high for what you do is noble.
Well that’s it for this short WIR. The weather is supposed to be gorgeous this weekend and I hope you get a chance to be in it. Jazz Fest is downtown and Aqua-Palooza is Saturday.
For those studying, everyone else said don’t worry…you can take a break this weekend. All joking aside, whatever it is you do, I hope you get to spend it with family and friends. As for me…I will.
As always, we thank you for what you do (battling 3rd alarms and MCI’s), why you do it (genetic disposition for insanity), and for always showing why you are truly the greatest Fire Rescue Department in the Country!
Very respectfully,
Kurtis R. Wilson
Chief of Operations
Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department