By Jamie Thompson
FireRescue1 News Editor
 Photo Jamie Thompson Mike Gagliano delivers his keynote remarks at FDIC 2008 in Indianapolis, Wednesday. |
INDIANAPOLIS — Seattle Fire Captain Mike Gagliano’s advice to any firefighter suffering bouts of doubt or disillusionment with their job is simple: “Remember who you are.”
In a keynote speech to FDIC in Indianapolis Wednesday, Gagliano tried to reinvigorate fire department members whose passion for the job has waned.
Addressing the audience directly, he said, “You’re the true leaders of the fire service. I hope you’re not forgetting the dreams you had when you joined your fire department.
“I hope you’re not letting anything take that away or steal it from you.”
Gagliano, a 22-year veteran, is the captain of training at the Seattle Fire Department and a member of its operational skills enhancement development team.
He opened his speech by recalling the moment he received the letter from the department that would tell him if his application was successful or not.
“I knew this was going to be either really good or really bad — it turned out to be one of the most memorable days of my life,” he said.
Keeping his speech topical, Gagliano touched upon Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s recent TV commercial, which posed the question of who would be best to answer a 3 am call.
For Gagliano, it was obvious.
“At 3 am, I’m telling you that the citizens of the world are praying to God that on the other end of the line when they are having the worst day of their life is a well-trained fire company ready to respond,” he said. “Experience tells them that they are the faces … that will make it better.”
As his speech came to a close, Gagliano issued a rallying call for every senior fire department member to take the initiative in restoring collective pride in the fire service — and to bring up the next generation of firefighters.
“They are looking for leaders who have not forgotten it’s a sacred privilege to lead firefighters,” he said.
“They are looking for mentors, the same mentors you had who invested in you that made you who you are.”