 Photo Bill Delaney Each platoon had their own version of coloring book. |
As many of you out there are aware, life can sometimes throw you surprises — some good and some bad. The fire and injury prevention arena seems to get its fair share of surprises and one could argue as to the numerical frequency as it relates to the good versus the bad.
About a week and a half ago, I experienced a very pleasant surprise as I was preparing to conduct a lecture to our Recruit Class 32 regarding our community outreach and education programs. It was one of those surprises that bring a smile to your face while at the same time causing your brain to be thinking, “Wow! I can’t believe this!”
I was working out last-minute details with our lead recruit instructor, Captain Stacey Jones, when he mentioned that he had a project that he assigned to the class prior to my lecture. He then proceeded to pull out a stack of made from scratch coloring books that each of our four recruit platoons had put together.
Each platoon had their own version of coloring book with a varying degree of drawings and messages. Some were original drawings while others took ready-made art. Not every picture had a safety message, which was fine as it was all good to me!
But it just all floored me, in a good way, on several levels. The subtle message that Captain Jones was sending to the recruits was that prevention is a part of your job. This particular message is already reinforced as Montgomery County Fire & Rescue is one of several jurisdictions in the Washington Metro Area that now requires all new members/recruits to complete the online NFA class Q118 Self-Study Course for Community Safety Educators (Q118) as part of their probationary requirements.
Took initiative
Another facet was the fact that Captain Jones took the initiative to incorporate this project into the recruit class. I say that from the standpoint of not knowing of too many lead fire service instructors that have the willingness and frankly guts to do what he did. Very innovative and progressive I say.
It was also very obvious that the majority of the recruits put some time and thought into the project. They took it seriously because it was a part of their training program (albeit a very small part). So they had that, then me coming in for a couple of hours to chat them up and, lastly, they needed to complete that online course or else they did not pass go (their probationary period) and collect full-time job security.
Why I am babbling about a bunch of coloring books? Because these newest members are impressionable, want to do well and are learning what it takes to do “the job.” These coloring books are about building a foundation with prevention as a cornerstone — something the vast majority of the fire service has yet to truly embrace. It is about attempting to elicit a cultural change within the entire fire service which is slowly, but surely, starting to happen. All of this in a very simple act.
To many who see the coloring books, I am sure they will think them to be rather rough looking and elementary. For me, I see the building of a foundation that will continue to grow the culture of fire and injury prevention.