Another Generation

Another generation of firefighters began this week. My son is now a Junior Firefighter. As a father who has been there, it's scary. I've said it before, "I Remember". How long the ride will last is entirely up to him. Will the time commitment be too much? Will the 'work' push him away. Time will tell. For now it is learning, watching and doing stuff that doesn't seem important. What he won't realize for a few years, and he'll have to look back on it to see, is that this time is the most important. Seeing the bonds that are essential to being a firefighter, the trust that is needed and the trust that is expected. This time of learning also allows the older guys to see who has their back. They need to learn also from the juniors, that these kids who are humping their drag line and switching out their empty air cylinders are the men who will be on the nozzle in a few years and at the pump panel after that and on down the road they'll be the men directing traffic around the young guys and keeping you, the public from harm. But for now it's learning and testing his limits. I'm starting to know how my Mom and Dad felt way back, 28 years ago. Good luck, Buddy.