Old timers just don't understand

Last night was the monthly meeting for my volly house, I have come to the conclusion that the old timers just don't understand today's challenges in the fire service and in the world today. Granted, there is always some disconnect to be expected because of the generational gap. But I am starting to think more of the disconnect surfaces from a slice of human nature - being stubborn. I have always loathed one who always thinks they are right - everyone has something that they can learn. But these hardened firefighters are a great example of why I remember that I have two ears and one mouth. Last night, before our meeting, one of our officers brought in a recruit candidate to the firehouse. Rather than being cordial and welcoming to the new volunteer recruit, the old dawgs jumped all over the officer for not producing the complete paperwork according to procedure. The new recruit watched with apprehension and all the while I am sitting there stunned! How could these guys not see the value of additional manpower? Afterall, only one of them answers calls on a regular basis. How could these guys not realize the value of volunteerism? Afterall, we are lucky if we get one or two new members a year. I could go on and on with example after example of the old dogs being stubborn, inflexible and set in their ways but it would put me asleep at my keyboard.

Training and equipment is and area that i really take issue with the veteran firefighters. They are coming from the days of knee boots, eating smoke at a working structure fire (no air packs) and throwing a helmet out of a window to communicate the situation gone wrong. In our department they resist change with communications for example. I know it is because they used to yell (remember, they weren't wearing masks) to each other at a fire scene and would heave their leather helmet out of a window to signal a "mayday". They didn't use portable radios like we are trained to do today. Communication is where a good attack begins and where a good attack stops and goes bad. The young bucks in our FD requested additional radios to be mounted in the cab of our ladder truck. They would stay mounted on the apparatus and would be used for search and rescue and ventilation teams that are put together without an officer. In our company, as in most, the officers are commissioned a radio for their term. We have several firefighters that could lead a team in these efforts but who are not officers. What good is that team without effective communication with the Incident Commander or engine company members? I wouldn't be alone in saying that the team would be no good whatsoever.

As we undergo a changing of the old guard in our FD, I will always keep in mind that these gentlemen have risked it all the same way that we do at a structure fire. That aspect of firefighting will never change - generation to generation. They each have "war stories" that I enjoy listening to and can learn from! Even if their methods were different. I respect each and everyone of them. But when it comes to the day to day operations, education and training of our department, I know that it has got to be out with the old and in with the new!