Posted by Feld Fire on 9/8/2014
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Fire Fighting
When celebrities like actors and athletes end up making the headlines negatively, people remember their names for some time to come. When people employed in the area of public safety are featured in the headlines negatively, the public doesn’t remember the individual, but instead, they remember the occupation and even the city associated with the story.
Individual Trust
When it comes to public safety, the trust is the most important element to be maintained and protected. It’s critical that the public feels that they can put their trust in public safety officials in order for everyone in this field to do their job. They need to implicitly trust public safety professionals with their personal property, their safety, their privacy, their loved ones' care and even their lives. Any sort of misconduct on the part of a firefighter not only hurts their department but impairs all firefighters, because it serves to detract from the public's overall trust in the entire profession. The firefighting forefathers established a long legacy of trust and respect in the profession of firefighting that everyone must continue to uphold. The reputation of a firefighter as being trustworthy and someone you can always rely on in any situation is something that all firefighters are responsible to perpetuate.
Team Trust
Additionally, in order for the team to function optimally, every member of the team must be able to trust everyone on their crew, completely. There are many elements of the job that will fail, unless Integrity and trust are not paramount to all. You must be able to trust your fellow firefighter to know their job, trust them to have your back, trust them to keep your secrets, trust them with your safety and even your life. A person who lacks integrity can’t be entrusted with anything within the firehouse or on the fire ground. They can end up being be detrimental to the safety and capabilities of their crew.
The Most Important Trait
In recruiting, the fire department's primary is that only people with the utmost integrity are hired. These people will dependably represent themselves, their department and their profession well. Every firefighter and candidate needs to understand that they represent their department and the firefighting profession, both when on duty and off. What this ultimately means is that firefighters are held to the highest standard of conduct and public opinion at all times. Integrity tops the list of essential traits all firefighters must possess.
