RobBadge

You have known him through his postings as firefighter Rob (f/frob).  As of today, that changed.

You can’t imagine the thrill when his mother Harriet (the bride of 39 years) handed me the phone and said Captain Smith wants to talk to you.  A proud son telling his dad he got the call he has been promoted to Captain for Contra Costa County Fire. Proud?  Elated?  Emotional? Yep!  The Champaign corks are popping.  Badge ceremony to follow.  I'm trying to fit into my old horse blanket uniform and shinning up the boots, brass and badge.

It’s kind of like being knighted.  We hereby bestow upon you the badge of Captain . . .

Dan Poynter, a long time friend wrote:  Congratulations. Now you can address each other the same way.

Reply:  Although he is a Robert Smith Jr., actually he goes by Rob Smith AKA as firefighter Rob. Now it will be Captain Rob, son of Captain Bob.

A drum roll please:

Baaaaah daaaaaaaaah BUM! Cue the band! Pomp and Circumstance! Ooooooooooooboyoboyoboy! Congratulations! Tom

Here is a story from the new Captain Rob:

Well, it’s just starting to sink in. I’m a captain. Four the last four and a half years I have been actively studying ,testing ,worrying, gossiping, hoping, and praying, and here it is. I’ve driven my family crazy, studied while we were on at least 5 different vacations, and not been there mentally when I was physically. I don’t know what to do with my self. My wife, Nancy, said I looked like I grew 5”, but I told here that was just the weight lifting off of my shoulders.

So, after someone gets promoted, they start to wonder, when will my first fire come in. How long will they have that monkey on their back. For me it was 2 hours 34 minute. We got a call for a structure fire, geared up and responded. It was 103 degrees in the shade, as we turned the corner, we saw smoke and flames through the roof of a 1.6 million dollar mansion on the hill. Can you say pucker factor ? It ended up going to greater than two alarms. Boy was I tired, but as one guy put it, it looked like I needed to walk around with a spray bottle to keep my gums wet, because I couldn’t stop smiling. I was the captain.

FIREFIGHTER ROB NRTC@SONIC.NET
www.myfireinterview.com

Congratulations on your promotion to the officer ranks. Remember that you did not get to this point alone but that you alone will carry the responsibility and you will find out just how heavy the weight of those bugles, at times, can be.

Always remain humble for there are many who worked just as hard, if not harder than you to be captains and are not. There but for the grace of God go I.

Don’t ever be afraid to ask for help.

Remember that you are the leader of the team. Right wrong or indifferent, LEAD! Each member of the team has something to contribute to the group efforts. Teach them what you know. Don’t be stingy or withhold information.

As a firefighter, YOUR responsibility was to make it home safely after every shift. YOUR duty was to the citizens of the community.

Now, as a captain, YOUR responsibility is to your crew to make sure they make it home safely to their families at the end of the shift. While you still have the same duty to the citizens of the community, you now have a duty to the family of your crewmembers as well. When you forget this is when you will start having problems.

Train hard and fight fire aggressively so that everyone goes home at the end of the shift.

Take the calculated risks but be unmerciful with safety violations. (seat belts, SCBA’s, FULL PPE, gloves and no standing up while the engine is in motion.) Be a hard ass on safety so that everyone goes home a the end of the shift.

Build teamwork, Esprit-de-corps and train your crew to be leaders for one day they may promote just as you did. Don’t withhold information and don’t be stingy with your guidance or time to your crew.

You must be a democratic leader and a dictator as well. As soon as you lean when and how to do this, your job will be easier.

Trust in your crew. You will be amazed to discover what they really can do when you turn a problem or job over over to them. Tell them what you want them to do, give the tools, supplies and materials and get the heck out of the way!

Enjoy the moment for it is gone all too soon.

There is always more to learn. When you think you know it all, you are dangerous. When you stop learning, you are truly finished.

Make it so those around you will remember you as a good, caring, compassionate and kind man first and then a man who was a good fire captain who took care of his crew in everyway. “Yeah, he was a hard ass on safety but we all made it home after every shift and we had a good time.”

Be a captain who is trusted and respected and inspired his crew to greatness in everyday duties.

Be that captain who after retirement has his former crew and co-workers go out of their way to cross the street to greet you with a handshake and a smile and a heartfelt “How the hell are ya Capt?” and not “There goes that son-of-a-b*tch that I used to work for.”

Look for the goodness and the meaning of what you do for that is where you will find your rewards and satisfaction.

Pass on what you know and what you have learned.

Blessing to you Captain Rob Smith ^10

MGB Tom Dominguez (Former Captain)