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By Jamie Thompson
FireRescue1 Editor
 Photo Jamie Thompson Chief McGrail delivers the 2009 FDIC keynote speech. |
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INDIANAPOLIS — Firefighters should “never give up” in their quest to make their departments the best they can be, Wednesday’s FDIC keynote speaker said.
Denver District Chief Dave McGrail told the audience in Indianapolis that each year at the event he hears fresh stories of good firefighters having their spirit broken.
“It frustrates me and makes me angry that this is going on,” he said.
Chief McGrail requested attendees to go on a “rescue mission” to bring disenchanted brothers back into the fold, and to feel pride once again in the fire service.
“I want you to go out and find someone that has given up and I want you to bring them back,” he said.
“It’s not going to be easy — this is going to be technical rescue. But please identify someone to rescue.”
Chief McGrail said firefighters had to show many qualities to improve their corners of the fire service, not just tenacity but patience, too.
“I’ve got the tenacity down, I’m pretty good with that one,” he said.
“It’s important to have that, but in the process of trying to make your corner of the fire service better, you have to be patient.”
He told the audience they should think of their departments in three different ways:
- How it is now
- How it should be
- How it could be
“We can all identify what it is and what it should be,” Chief McGrail said. “But the difficult one is the way it can be.”