The Volunteer Professional
Is it possible to be a professional if it isnt your profession?
The word “professional” comes from the word “profession”, which basically stands for a career, but can we still be professional when its not our career or we aren’t being paid? Often times the term “professional firefighter” in the fire service is used to define a Career Firefighter as opposed to a Volunteer Firefighter, so how can we uphold the same standards of “professionalism” as volunteer or paid on call firefighters?
Being professional can be so much more than holding a paid position in the fire service. As volunteers we strive hard to maintain a level of professionalism in so many ways. We need to answer calls, fundraise, maintain a budget, increase our training and certifications, recruit new members…all in our spare time. We need to do all this to assure the general public that we actually do know what we are doing. Unfortunately in a lot of places the term “Volunteer Fire Department” is assumed to be a boys club full of amateurs who drive pick up trucks plastered with stickers and blinky lights. We know that to not be the case, but to prove that we must act “professionally” at all times.
It is important to remind your members from time to time that even though they are there because they want to be there, they must still uphold a public image and represent your Fire Department accordingly. The public is always watching and one minor slip up on a social media post, or small traffic violation in a POV or a late night trip to the bar in your department’s shirt will have a huge impact on your Fire Department.
Being a member of a Volunteer Fire Department requires the same amount of professionalism that the brave men and woman who chose to do this job as a career are expected to uphold. So, remember you can, and should be “professional” Volunteer Firefighter, always.
