Dispatches

Nov. 10, 2011 – In mulling over what to write about today, I found myself thinking about the things that inspire me. After all, if it weren’t for the “hey . . . that’s good, I should blog about that” thoughts that runs through our minds when we’re inspired by something, I wouldn’t have written this and you wouldn’t be reading it.

I am inspired by many things on a daily basis, like my two daughters, who inspire me to be the best mom I can be and to set a good example for them in all that I do. (Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that I am always able to set a good example in everything I do. I totally let a bad word slip last night while trying to figure out what the heck my older daughter’s history homework was all about. It was so frustrating to not be sure if I’d – I mean we’d – found the correct answers for the questions in her history textbook. Parents, you know what I mean.)

Children aside, I always feel that spark (pardon the pun) of inspiration when it comes to any and all things fire-service related, like when I’m watching the news and see crews battling a structure fire or performing extrication at a car accident. Not only is there an immediate sense of connection to those firefighters – because you have been there and done that – but also a sense of pride, because you are a member of that brotherhood, which in and of itself is inspiring.

It inspires me personally to do my best, both as a member of the fire department on calls and in training, but also in my everyday life. Let’s face it, being a firefighter is inspiring. You inspire your friends and family by doing what you do, you inspire the strangers you help in their time of need, you inspire the children you speak to at schools during Fire Prevention Week, and you inspire each other to challenge yourselves – remember those dreaded speed drills at the fire college, and how about the teams that enter the firefighter combat challenges? Tell me those firefighters don’t inspire you to want to get in better shape!). I bet you might even inspire some to become volunteer firefighters just because it looks so cool. I mean, c’mon, driving fire trucks, laying on the air horn, fighting fires, and who doesn’t look cool in bunker gear? (In our own minds we all do . . . ).

Jennifer Mabee is a volunteer with the Township of Georgian Bay Fire
Department in Ontario. She began her fire fighting career with the
Township of Georgian Bay in 1997 and became the department’s fire
prevention officer in 2000 and a captain in 2003. She was a fire
inspector with the City of Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services
before taking time off to focus on family, and is excited to be back at
it. E-mail her at
jhook0312@yahoo.ca