Brotherhood

[IzzyEng4 427]

I have something that is worth posting here and is something I want all of you to read and really think about. This was forwarded to me by a friend. This was written by Meriden, CT, Battalion Chief Burdick.

Brotherhood is a term thrown about quite a bit in the fire service. Transcending pay status, race, creed, color, and gender. Much more than a word it is a way of life brought about by the common dangers we face and traumas we see. It comes from the heart.

Most in the fire service understand this, some don't get it, and others never will.

Newer generations have a hard time grasping this. Are we failing to pass it on or is it a cultural thing? What are your thoughts?

True Brotherhood

-Standing Honor Guard for a deceased member who we never met or was gone from the department before our time. Whether you live in or out of town or have to stand in the heat, rain, snow and cold.

-Aiding an out of town firefighter who has broken down, attending benefits for ill or injured firefighters etc.

-Helping our own when they need it, including families.

-Respect (yes "ball busting" in our culture is a form of respect) when earned.

-What do you believe?

False Brotherhood

-Using the term "Brother" and not living it.

-Claiming to do it for "the Brothers" when you are actually not.

-Throwing the term "Brother" around the barroom to impress others while not

following "True Brotherhood". Using it only when it is convenient or you think it will make you look good.

-Covering up (enabling) addiction behavior, performance deficiency, or illegal activity under the guise of "Brotherhood". A true Brother helps his Brother

to overcome.

Traditions change or go away. Our Tradition of Brotherhood is a "keeper" and still has great value for us in the fire service.

These are words that I whole heartily beleive in and held true in my profession being a firefighter, from the time I started volunteering my service to my present career in the fire services. Next time when you use the term "Brotherhood" stop and think about it for a second and ask yourself how you use the term, live up to your actions, consider your self part of the Brotherhood. I see the term used often here, but are you truly in the brotherhood?

Just think.

[nfd2004 750]

Battalion Chief Bob Berdick, the Author of this has been a friend of mine for a long time. We attended a few classes together and its sure been a long time since I saw him last. But I know Chief Burdick as a true Gentleman who's into the Fire Service. He is always ready to help and as a chief, he worked his way up in the ranks.

Chief Burdick is the kind of guy that all firefighters, for sure our younger members, should try to follow. I just hope that the Meriden, Ct Fire Dept realizes how lucky they really are to have Chief Berdick within their ranks.

Thanks "Izz" for posting that.

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Great post Izzy!

[FirNaTine 370]

No truer words have been spoken. I honestly believe the "Brotherhood" aspect of the Job is gone, partly because it isn't being passed on any more by the so called "senior men" but also many of the new generation just don't care. The Fire Service seems to have become just another job to many. There seem to be more guys these days just out for themselves and not for the good of all. Hell just take a look at how many guys attend a Union meeting these days. Many only want to be part of the "brotherhood" when something directly is goin to effect them. If they're fat, dumb and happy then nothing bothers them. There seems to be no more "pride" and "dedication" to the uniform that's worn. I've also noticed the disappearence of peer pressure and ball breakin on the junior men. Nobody can be embarassed anymore. God forbid we offend anyone we may be reported to the EEOC! Everybody just wants to be friends, due their tour and get out. It's ashame but true.

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Name: Andrew Fossa

Country: United States

Fire Dept: Pasco County Fire Rescue

State: Florida

Years on job: 15

Rank: Captain

Description: "After 15 yrs. as a career fire fighter I thought it was time to show my brother and sister fire fighters the devotion I have to my profession. The "Brotherhood" and "343" are done in stone showing that this is something that can never change."

http://www.strikethebox.com/tattoo

[JTF429 37]

I was waiting for someone to post something on this. Great post. I have been in the fire service for 24 years, 15 as a career firefighter. I started out as a volunteer at 17. My family life was pretty f***ed and with no direaction I joined the firehouse. Lucky for me back then they taught me all about the brotherhood. I try to teach it in my classes as a SFI in NY. Some of you are right where did it go. A LT on my job said the other day that wearing the uniform is a right you have to earn. I just had a conversation today with a good friend of mine who just got hired. I said to him welcome to the BROTHERHOOD. That means if you ever need anything, break down, get lost, or are in trouble you will have help before you know it. You walk into any firehouse anywhere and you are welcome. Our IAFF sticker is almost like the USMC sticker. I am not knocking volunteers, I think for career firefighters the IAFF sticker is special. I would welcome any volunteer into my firehouse and go out of my way to help them. I remember where I started.

You are right the yonger generation is all about whats good for me.Ball busting is ballbusting and it haves its place. If you are going to be a complete A-Hole to someone all the time you can't excpect them to respect you. Good Post

[efdcapt115 1,511]

No truer words have been spoken. I honestly believe the "Brotherhood" aspect of the Job is gone, partly because it isn't being passed on any more by the so called "senior men" but also many of the new generation just don't care. The Fire Service seems to have become just another job to many. There seem to be more guys these days just out for themselves and not for the good of all. Hell just take a look at how many guys attend a Union meeting these days. Many only want to be part of the "brotherhood" when something directly is goin to effect them. If they're fat, dumb and happy then nothing bothers them. There seems to be no more "pride" and "dedication" to the uniform that's worn. I've also noticed the disappearence of peer pressure and ball breakin on the junior men. Nobody can be embarassed anymore. God forbid we offend anyone we may be reported to the EEOC! Everybody just wants to be friends, due their tour and get out. It's ashame but true.

With all respect Brother "Men Of Fire" I have to disagree with you. As far back as firefighting goes, there have been hairbags that come into the service either by volunteering, or somehow scoring well enough and bluffing their way onto a career job.

But we cannot take a broad stroke of the brush and paint all junior men/women into one complete group of people in the service who do not care about keeping the traditions, the nobility and the comrade-re of the Brotherhood alive. As an example, just look at how many of our members here on Bravo in the younger age group have become such active members here, and show so much interest in those traditions, and learning "the ways" of the fire service.

I remember hearing senior men, when I was a junior man, extolling their observations that the Brotherhood wasn't what it used to be; that the Brotherhood was doomed to extinction.

Those that do believe in the virtues of our Brotherhood need to be reassured by senior men such as yourself, that the traditions you speak of are indeed still alive, and need to develop the belief in themselves that they are part of something larger than just a job, and need to be taught that they will in the near future be the ones responsible for carrying on the Brotherhood, when they move into positions of seniority, promotion, and leadership.

If we truly care enough in our fraternity to want it to survive and thrive well into the future, then senior men today need to redouble their efforts in seeing to it that these junior men are properly taught about the sacrifices our fore bearers gave to this noblest of professions. All members in senior positions, and leadership today need to be asking themselves a very personal question; are my judgments about the future being clouded by my personal disappointments about things that have happened to me through the years of my career?

It becomes very difficult at times as the years pass, to maintain the motivation to want to pass on our finest traditions. To want to help our junior members succeed in gaining the true understanding of how the Brotherhood continues to evolve, through generations of sacrifice, members being killed in the performance of their duty, members fighting to gain workplace improvements through the collective bargaining process, and members becoming sick through a lack of workplace safety.

I always believed the best way to educate our younger members about these things was to show them examples of what conditions were like before improvements were made. To tell them the stories of what our members went through to gain the improvements we have in place today.

Some things obviously cannot be easily taught. Some things members are just going to have to learn for themselves; generosity and caring for each other, being able to forgive each other for mistakes and not hold grudges.

But I truly understand how you feel. Sometimes it feels like paddling upstream against an overwhelming current. Sometimes we just want to throw it all down, and simply walk away. But the past generations of Brothers who fought so hard for all of the improvements we enjoy today; the firefighers who never got the chance to enjoy some of those improvements, because they got sick or were killed from the very things they were fighting so hard to improve; for the memory of these Brothers passed, we owe it to their memory to continue the fight. To continue to impress upon on our newer generation of firefighters that some things are worth fighting for, some things are worth giving our all for; and the Brotherhood is the greatest of attributes we share in the fire service.

It may not feel like you are making much headway in passing these lessons on, but I guarantee you when the time comes and you have moved on from the job; if you have put in the effort to share with your newer members all of the greatest things about the Brotherhood, your efforts shall not have been in vain.

[wraftery 1,275]

Brotherhood isn't gone. I see the same brotherhood that I had (and still have as a retiree) in my sons and the brothers in their FD. It's thhe same brotherhood I saw when my father was on the job. Sometimes you have to look a little harder than you would like, but the brothers are still here today.

It's not in drinkin' with the guys or playing softball, or the union or the vols association. Our brotherhood is an attitude, a code of conduct,if you will. It's helping a brother move to a new home; it's covering his shift because he is out of sick time; it's giving him a hand when you see him struggling with a task.

Brotherhood was in full speed on 9/11. The world saw them respond. What I saw also were guys reporting for work without being recalled to duty. In their hands were their own private colection of sawzalls, sledges, prybars, etc. They were going to look for their brothers.

How do you find one of these true brothers? You might have to wait until the circumstances are just right. For example, you might be advancing a line down a hallway. It starts getting hot, smoke is banking down lowering your visibility. You don't want to admit it, but you are getting a little scared, and now the heat and smoke have got you as low to the floor as you can get. Look over your shoulder. You should just be able to make out a dim flashlight, just about a foot behind you.

THAT is your brother. Take care of eachother.

[firemoose827 324]

I have seen both sides of this argument. I thought at one time that the brotherhood was gone also. I had a son about 10 years ago now who had a rare disease and lived in the hospital, never came home. I was working 2 jobs and spending all free time at the hospital at his bed side...did any of my so called brothers do anything for me and my family? No. Than, when my son passed away 2 days before his second birthday I had no support from any of them. On his funeral only 2 brothers showed up.

After all of that though I still believe the brotherhood is still out there, its just not being properly explained to our younger generations. Its almost as if its expected to just be absorbed when you join, when instead it should be passed on by those of us who can explain it and live it. Dont ever let the brotherhood be erased or misunderstood, keep up the discussion and pass it on.

Great topic and one I respect wholeheartedly.

Stay Safe everyone and protect the brotherhood.

[FirNaTine 370]

Too the "Brothers" who have posted above about the "Brotherhood" not being lost, I have to respectfully disagree. I've also been in the F.S. for quite some time along with many of my commrades in neighboring Depts., some of whom work in the Depts you retired from and we all agree on one thing, the 'Brotherhood" tradition of the Job is gone. It's amazing how many retirees I talk to and when i ask them why they retired so early they all give me the same answer, " the Job just isn't what it use to be and I no longer have fun and enjoy goin to work anymore. The new breed of ff is a know it all and a****** who doesn't give a rats a** about their profession or their colleagues." Christ you can't even get guys to go out for "choir practice" anymore. As soon as their reliefs cross the threshold they're gone till their next shift. They may talk the talk in the kitchen but don't walk the walk. Yes there are a few new members who show initiative but they are far and few between. Did i work with some jackasses when i first went on yes, but they were the exception. Now the job is over run with them. If you guys didnt have this on your job then lucky you but i think many of us die hards just don't want to see it and accept it. It's time to get real.

Edited March 7, 2011 by FirNaTine

[IzzyEng4 427]

The Brotherhood just got lost down the wrong road somewhere and WE need to bring it back. WE are the ones that need to remember it and make it stronger. WE need to makes sure its alive and maintain it. Otherwise, WE need re-evaluate what WE are doing wrong.

[firemoose827 324]

The Brotherhood just got lost down the wrong road somewhere and WE need to bring it back. WE are the ones that need to remember it and make it stronger. WE need to makes sure its alive and maintain it. Otherwise, WE need re-evaluate what WE are doing wrong.

Well said Izzy. Its only gone because we let it get this far, no one else is to blame but the current membership. Im all for getting it back and I will do what it takes. Is everyone else?

[Faded Soul 6]

Wow. Someone actually wrote up what it means. I'm impressed and agree that there are the small percentage who live BROTHERHOOD. But, like most fields there are several bad eggs that make us all look bad. Which is sad that we don't stick to the true meaning, and that we let those that are posers and fakes dictate alot of what goes on in a variety of FDs.

[E58RET 24]

I have been retired some 20 odd years and I can still walk into the HOUSE and get respect from the newbies(even tho they have years on the job) the brother hood is alive but some how it gets lost in the constant battle with life,when we are fighting not only fires but the public perception of OT and benefits that all the brothers in the past fought for and we enjoy today. To all the exam takers remember you are trying to join a very proud and brotherly profession.