There are about 50 emergency service instructors who can be a keynote speaker at a national conference. They have a unique or compelling story that is effectively presented with emotion and vivid imagery.
There are another 500 who are considered outstanding national-level instructors or subject matter experts. They have mastered a technical, conceptual, legal or political aspect of the of the job. They generously share their information with others and are the “go-to” person on that topic.
Many of the “500” have a social media presence, some have written a book (or two). They have developed a training seminar or a hands-on program. You see them at regional and national conferences. They are part of an enthusiastic crowd of working firefighters, paramedics and officers seeking to make a difference through research, education, practice, and persistence. It is the “500” that move our profession forward, some instructors will move into the 50.
There are 10,000 righteous regional instructors that function like Non-Commissioned Officers in the military. They are dedicated to making their students confident and competent emergency service warriors through constant training. They are the backbone of the emergency services community.
These 10,000 often are state-certified as a fire/ems instructor, faculty at the community college or fire school, or part of an LLC established to support their efforts They have a dozen projects somewhere between concept and completion. It is the “10,000” that move local emergency services to excellence, as well as providing new perspectives at regional and national conferences. Some instructors will move into the 500.
Working Up The Pyramid
Emergency service instruction is a bit like stand-up comedy. Your content requires constant practice to deliver a great presentation. Sometimes. your well-crafted material will fall flat when presented to the wrong audience or in the wrong venue.
A comedian described how George Carlin, who delivered 17 one-hour specials, changed his approach to comedy:
Carlin talks about spending every year on the road, working specifically on the next special. Every show has a goal, to hone the specific set he is expecting to shoot at the end of the year. Like writing a book. When he shoots the special, it’s over. That material goes away and he starts again.
I listened to that Carlin interview one night, in my car, while coming from a show where I had just done my regular, stump speech hour that took me fifteen years to perfect … The show had gone well … It was solid material … I’d been doing comedy for almost twenty. So what? Then I heard George explaining his process and I was terrified and inspired. What balls, to just chuck out perfectly good material and start again.
My first hour of material took fifteen years to write and I did it for another five. My second hour took one year. This is something I never dreamed I’d be able to do, let alone learn to do this late in my life and career. It has given me a new lease on life as a comedian and as a person. It’s made me better, more honest and has made every single show of the last three years mean more than any shows in the previous 20.
Supporting Lieutenant Brad Clark’s Family
Hanover County Fire-EMS Department Lieutenant Brad Clark was killed in the line of duty when a tractor-trailer struck Engine 6 while it was operating at a crash on Interstate 295 last week. Brad was a founding board member of The 350’ Line, an Army veteran and someone whose life was devoted to serving others. He leaves behind his wife, Melanie, and four children.
Clark was working up the instructor pyramid. Andrew Fredricks Training Days shared this memory:
Brad was AFTD attendee for 7 years before stepping up to become one of our instructors in 2017. Brad had his own special “gift-of-gab” at AFTD that allowed us to see both his enthusiasm for the job as well as his humility and eagerness to help like minded firemen around him.
Click for Brad Clark presentation “Polar Bear” video
The 350′ Line has established a training-related fundraiser for Brad’s family. Click on Brad Clark Memorial Fundraiser for the details.
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The featured picture is of Brad Clark with other righteous fire instructors. Picture and video used with permission from Justin Ide Photography