I never thought that one day I’d consider myself old, but having passed my 49th birthday last November, I realize that I probably have more years behind me than I do in front of me. But to quote someone — I don’t remember who since that’s one of the first signs of aging! — “It’s not the age, it’s the attitude.” And after 49 years on this planet, I think I’ve developed one heck of a positive attitude.
I’d originally started my own blog after reading about how to do it from Penelope Trunk’s blog, The Brazen Careerist, at Yahoo! Finance. She wrote about starting a blog because you have something to say, you’re passionate about a subject, you want to share that passion with others of a similar ilk, you want to participate in today’s world, etc. I was inspired to start my own blog. I saw such a vehicle as a means to share what I’ve learned in my career with my colleagues around the world, thanks to the reach of the Internet.
Then Janet Wilmoth, FIRE CHIEF’s editorial director, contacted me about becoming a contributor for a new feature she wanted to start at the FIRE CHIEF Web site: a blog dedicated to fire and EMS leadership issues and any other topic I wanted to write about.
Needless to say, I was extremely flattered by her offer. I’ve been fortunate to have two pieces published in the magazine over the past couple of years; along the way I’ve developed a great fondness and respect for Janet and the voice that she’s brought to the fire & EMS discussion through her editorials in the magazine and her presence at major conferences and trade shows.
I was a great admirer of Bill Manning, the editor of Fire Engineering magazine for many years — who can ever forget his “Sea of Blue” speech that he delivered during the Memorial Service at the MCI Center in Washington for our fallen brothers and sisters who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks — for the passion that he brought to his editorials at that publication. After he left the magazine, I wondered if anyone would step forward and carry forth his banner. Janet Wilmoth has done so with his passion and devotion to those of us who are part of Bill’s “sea of blue.”
I’m not entirely sure about all the mechanics of writing a blog, but I do know why I want to be a part of this “new world” at FIRE CHIEF: I want this blog to be a forum where leaders and managers in this world, particularly those of us in the fire and EMS world who truly get it, can share their experiences and practical wisdom with others, particularly those who are coming up today.
