
TRADITION
In little towns from Maine to the Carolinas, fire stations are resplendent in their bunted brick buildings emanating the smell of smoke and leather every time the bay doors open. Helmets are handed down in ceremony from parent to child and sanctified by decades of volunteer service throughout the East. Ben Franklin would be proud. Out West there is a progressive tone to the fire culture reflected in modern buildings and new response systems designed for wide open spaces. Fr

COMBAT READY? THE CHALLENGE OF AGING IN THE FIRE SERVICE
Having been a successful line officer for a long time, you are guaranteed to face the one aspect of the profession that no amount of fire training or experience can reverse…age. This is not to say that the aging process cannot be altered, or that by sheer chronology one is doomed to retirement. What is does say however is that change is inevitable, and to endure you must now do more than just maintain. You must recognize, admit, and commit to improving your personal perfor