A Job, or our Profession?

Throughout the world, the Fire Department of the City of New York is known as “the greatest job in the world.” People all over New York and the rest of the country are captivated by the idea of a NYC firefighter. We truly do represent New York’s Bravest, receiving overwhelming respect, and celebrity like praise. Full of a rich history, our very inception dates back to even before there was the New York City as we know it today, giving it a timeline that is brimming with tradition and folklore. Tradition is mostly what this department is about. Everything that is done today, was done so in the past, and transferred by word of mouth to future generations of firefighting, in the hopes that they too will pass on invaluable information to protect NYC and the people living within it.

But is it the “greatest job in the world” or the “greatest profession”. I for one have had many jobs. I’ve worked as a laborer, a carpenter, a bartender, waiter, served “fish & chips” from chip-vans, gathered potatoes, and worked on concerts and music videos. All compensated me adequately, and all in their time were enjoyable. But none came with tradition, none came with the history, none came with the knowledge for which some had paid with their lives and none brought out the pride with which I announce that “I am a member of the FDNY.”

Our training is unequaled, especially since the completion of our remarkable training academy. To walk down the very hallways past the “steam engines” that are such a part of our cities history. To walk past the pictures of those that have gone before us, their continence beaming with pride from these dated images.

I vividly remember my swearing in ceremony. I remember sitting in the auditorium, looking up at the stage, my new family enjoying the moment with me. I looked over at the illuminated enlarged insignia that rests on the wall at stage left. And it hit me. I am now one of these men. I now am a member of the greatest Fire Department in the history of the world. Sitting beside me that day was a young man whom I hadn’t known before but became instant friends with. He had been an apprentice carpenter, and I a carpentry foreman. He was engaged and soon to be married. And boy was he smiling.

A few years later, I had the privilege of attending his 30th birthday. After graduation, he was assigned to a house in Astoria but was now in the midst of the rotation and loving it. He was telling me stories, and time and time again expressing the love he had for our vocation. We laughed, enjoyed company and upon our goodbyes, vowed to talk again before the holidays. But that never occurred. James Bohan was killed tragically in a blaze on December 18, 1998. I was devastated but I found comfort in knowing that he died doing what he loved best…being a member of the FDNY.

So, the question is, is it a job or profession? I for one KNOW that it is a profession and we are all but custodians of this wonderful tradition. And as with all whose duties are custodial, we HAVE to leave it in the same or better condition than when we were the proud stewards. We owe it to the “job”, we owe it to our “brothers.”