By Michael Marra
Have you ever walked into work and felt like you’re just the next number being called? Like you’re not a firefighter with experience, pride and skin in the game but rather just another warm body getting plugged into a spot on the board?
“Now serving #47.”
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That’s what it feels like when management starts treating us like tickets at a deli counter. You get moved without a conversation. Swapped out of your company without a heads-up. Asked to cover a shift with no thought to your schedule, your crew or your morale. No explanation, no respect — just next.
We’re not meat on a slicer. We’re not disposable. We’re firefighters. And if leadership can’t see that, then it’s on us — both the members on the floor and those in mid-level spots — to fix it.
What you can do as a firefighter
I’ve been there. We all have. Feeling like your voice doesn’t matter, like no one’s looking out for you. But you can’t let that be the end of it.
First, remember why you signed up. You didn’t join to be a number; you joined for the mission, for the brotherhood, and because you give a damn. That still matters.
Second, take care of your crew. If the top’s not doing it, then the bay is where it starts. Make your firehouse the kind of place where your team wants to be. Share knowledge, support each other and hold the line.
Third, speak up. I’m not saying start flipping tables. I’m saying don’t stay silent when something’s wrong. Have the conversation. Go through your union or your chain of command, but say something.
And finally, stay sharp. Train like someone’s life depends on it — because it does. Be the firefighter they can’t ignore.
Perception matters
But here’s something we don’t talk about enough: How you look at the situation matters. Quit thinking “Why me?” when bad shit happens. We all get dealt rough hands — bad shifts, bad bosses, unfair decisions. But maybe start asking “Why me?” when great things happen. Because the truth is, you’re not a victim. You only think you are.
Most of the pain and burnout in this job doesn’t just come from what happens to us; it comes from how we dwell on it. If you’re always locked in on the negative, the unfair, the bad call or bad officer or bad schedule, you’ll start to believe that’s all there is. Don’t fall into that trap.
Shift your mindset. Start paying attention to what’s good. The crew you trust. The job you love. The fact that you get to make a difference every time that alarm hits.
Your life, your career — it’s a blessing. And when you start thinking that way, you’ll start showing up differently, for yourself and for your team.
What mid-level officers need to step up and do
Now, if you wear a bugle — especially a single or double — you’ve got a choice. You can either be a pass-through for decisions or you can be a shield.
Be the shield.
You’re close enough to the guys to know when they’re frustrated, and close enough to the brass to speak up. So do it. Advocate for your people. Explain the “why” when things get shuffled around. Don’t just say, “because chief said so.” Be honest. Treat your crew like professionals, and they’ll respect you for it.
Furthermore, build pride in your crew. Give them a reason to want to be at that station. Make it a place where firefighters feel like they belong. That’s what builds buy-in. Not a memo. Not a policy change. Pride, purpose and people.
Final thoughts
We’re not deli numbers. We’re firefighters. We train hard, we risk big, and we show up when no one else will. If management can’t see that, then it’s on us, especially those in the middle, to bring that humanity back into the firehouse.
The fire service is built on pride, not process. On brotherhood, not bureaucracy. On names, not numbers. So quit waiting for someone else to fix the culture. Start by fixing how you treat the guy next to you—and how you treat yourself.
You are not just #47. You’re the reason the line exists.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael Marra is a 24-year career firefighter with the Department of Defense. He currently serves as a captain with the Joint Base Fire Department in New Jersey and volunteers with the Wayside Fire Company in Tinton Falls, New Jersey.
