The Chesterfield–Union Township Fire Department in Madison County, Ind., is one of the organizations across the country that I’ve sort of adopted. Actually, it’s adopted me as much as I’ve adopted it, but that is another story. This all-volunteer department provides fire and EMS to a community of approximately 9,000 and runs mutual aid with several similar departments throughout the area. Their apparatus include two engines, an aerial, water tender, brush truck, dive trailer, two BLS units and a command vehicle. You may have seen their new aerial on display at this year’s FDIC in Indianapolis. The unit is painted a bright yellow and trimmed with blue and gold. On both sides of the aerial are an Indiana state flag that appears to be flying in the breeze as the truck passes. While all of this may be distinctive, what strikes me as most impressive is the motto that is displayed on the aerial’s sideboards: “For Pride, Not Pay.”

The phrase was coined by two of the department’s members who are both career officers at other departments in the area, but who wanted to capture that firefighting is more than a paycheck, it is a profession deeply rooted in community service and the love of the job. This phrase stuck with me. What better metaphor can or should describe the U.S. fire service? Whether this profession provides one’s primary income, as a firefighter or EMT isn’t it the pride, and not just the money, that really motivates you? Isn’t it the occasional “thank you” from a citizen; the “good job” from the battalion chief; or the smile from a child as you ride by that really stays with you? Isn’t it the sense of accomplishment and the feeling that you’ve earned the public’s trust?

An old adage in the fire service is that plagiarism is the highest form of compliment one can pay to another department, so I have begun to use Chesterfield’s phrase to describe the personnel of my own department in Wyoming, Ohio, during presentations to community groups in my city. Most career firefighters in our part of the country began as volunteers and I am no exception. Those days are among the most memorable for me, and I try not to forget where my roots lie. Firefighting itself goes back to the earliest history of our country, and what we are today is in large part due to our predecessors.

The fire service in the United States has a proud heritage, and many notable members. Among them is New Amsterdam’s Gov. Peter Stuyvesant, who in 1648 developed the first fire code and night watch in the New World. His “prowlers” walked the streets of New Amsterdam looking for fires, primarily in chimneys, and jumping into action with buckets, hooks and ladders should one be found.

Stuyvesant is in good — check that, great — company. Benjamin Franklin in 1739, nearly four decades before his work on the Declaration of Independence, founded the Union Fire Company in Philadelphia, the first organized volunteer fire company in any of the colonies. Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were members of the Friendship Fire Company in Alexandria, Va. In fact, Washington in 1775 is said to have purchased the city’s first engine. In Boston during the same period, most of the Sons of Liberty came from the ranks of firefighters. Three of the four citizens killed in the Boston Massacre were said to be firefighters who gathered in the square when someone rang the fire bell.

As a collector of old fire-service books, one of my favorites is entitled The Romance of Firefighting by Robert S. Holzman. One chapter, “The Pride of Belonging,” captures the spirit of camaraderie, dedication and purpose that I believe carries over to today’s firefighters and EMTs. My department has lost three of its past chiefs during my eight years with the department. Each of these gentlemen — John Wirtz, Andy Fladung and John Benken — contributed their time and talent to help make Wyoming Fire–EMS what it is today. They may not be household names like Franklin or Jefferson, but they are a part of the pride that comes from belonging to a department. They are a part of our department’s heritage.

As the current chief, part of my job is to continue that pride through motivation, but I am never surprised when that pride and motivation comes from within our own members. For example, this spring we’ve been on the receiving end of several severe storms with torrential rains, wind shears and floods. These events have been nothing like the devastation in Joplin, Mo., or in Mobile and Tuscaloosa, Ala., and our hearts go out to those who have lost so much, and to our brother and sister firefighters who responded and have given so much in service to their communities. Our lot has not been like the wildfires in Texas and across the western states that raged for weeks due to the lack of rain in those areas. No, we’ve experienced nothing quite so devastating, yet our springtime storms left a swath of damage and power interruptions similar to that which occurred to us during the Hurricane Ike aftermath in 2008.

During one such day, our department operated with 24 volunteer members handling a variety of responses throughout the overnight hours. This included storm-related civilian injuries; two structure fire responses, storm damage assessments; and assistance at myriad property damage incidents. These members lost countless hours of sleep, but then reported to their regular jobs, and when finished, again marked themselves in service for duty. I can hardly imagine how it was and still is for those in the Joplin, Mobile or Tuscaloosa areas, but I’m sure that they have given their all to help their neighbors in this time of devastation.

While I don’t have a vote in the matter, I’d like to see one of the national fire-service organizations collectively recognize these departments in Missouri and Alabama for their continued dedication under the worst possible conditions. In doing so, the fire service would not only honor them, but honor all our brothers and sisters who gave so freely of themselves this past spring. And in turn, to all of the firefighters across the country as they wait for the next fire, the next storm, the next medical emergency or the next extrication. That dedication truly exhibits the pride that is the heritage of the fire service.

Robert R. Rielage Chief Robert R. Rielage, CFO, EFO, MIFireE, is the chief of Wyoming (Ohio) Fire–EMS, a 78-member combination fire department bordering Cincinnati. He previously served as the fire marshal of the state of Ohio.

Related Stories

• Putting the Pieces of Motivation Together
• Maslow, Growth Theory Help Determine Hierarchy of Public Servants
• Podcast: Byers Offers Tips to Motivate Firefighters