Often, we are blessed to be able to talk to our younger firefighters in our communities, many of them just starting out in their careers in the Fire Service. As an old gray-haired junkyard dog, my heart is filled with excitement when I have the opportunity to learn from these young people. There is much discussion in the ranks that today’s young people are not up to the task and their commitment is simply not there. I must tell you that this is not the case, that many in the “new generation” contribute much to their fire departments and their communities and serve with great pride in being a member of the Fire Service.
Last Wednesday night, I was able to watch “Fatbaby’s Junkyard Dogs” on Facebook. It is a program created and hosted by our Team’s Pee Dee Region Coordinator, Lee Hopkins. Each Wednesday night, Lee highlights firefighters in the community who are or were hard-charging dedicated individuals in the Fire Service of our State. Sometimes he welcomes a single firefighter, some of whom are retired and some who continue to lead, teach, and motivate others to do their best. Well, my friends, Lee brought the young guns out last Wednesday, six young men who are clearly the junkyard dogs of the future. Each of them has carved out a place for themselves where they can contribute to the Fire Service of South Carolina and, as time goes on, we expect them to be on the list of leaders in the future.
Then, on Monday night of this week, our Team presented a program to sixteen members of a South Carolina Fire Academy Firefighter 1 class being attended by members of the Bonneau, St. Stephens, and Lake Moultrie Fire Departments. The goal was to make sure they all understood how our Team provides behavioral health care and support to each of them and their families. My sincere thanks to them for their interest and attention to this important subject. Once again, these young people showed their commitment to the future. I look forward to continuing to follow them through their training and in their future work as firefighters.
Gerald