So Long, Smitty

Anyone who's had the opportunity to work with Smitty knows that it only takes a short time to conclude that he possesses all of the fundamental qualities that every good officer should.

He has good common sense and keeps a cool head under pressure.  He has an amazing work ethic.  He welcomes and encourages critical thinking from his crew members, thereby teaching them fundamental decision making skills.

But perhaps most importantly, he leads by example.  He practices the concept that a good firefighter can't be cultivated from a text book or written policy or verbal commands.  They must be inspired to WANT to be good firefighters by the actions of a good leader.

When we close our eyes and picture Smitty, he always has a broom, a mop, or a rag in his hand.  He is always making a passionate and involved commentary about the job, and staying engaged.  He doesn't tell you what to do, he shows you.  It's those actions that will leave a lasting impression on those of us who will soon be expected to fill his shoes and those of other officers after they're gone.

Not all officers are leaders, and not all leaders are officers.  But we can all agree that Smitty has left us with a good example of what it means to be both... and a good example of why our department and our service should strive to make the two synonymous with each other.

Posted by M. Clark