This is the first column in the "Fire/Rescue Streetsense" series now appearing monthly at Fire Engineering magazine (see it hardcopy or at FireEngineering.com). It appeared in the June 2020 edition.
In the worldwide scramble to respond to the incredible threat of COVID-19, emergency services have risen to the occasion. Of course, we have. We always do.
Gratifying though it is to see our collective efforts heralded as heroic, the volume of the public's thanks can seem sort of odd. After all, addressing threats to our communities and helping in whatever ways we can are basically what we signed up to do, right? Certainly, the heavy lifting has been the burden of our emergency medical services (EMS) colleagues, those leaving the ambulance stations and firehouses specifically to deliver emergency medical care. Hats off especially to all of them.
Invisible, Unnerving, Unique Enemy
But all of us share the uncertainty of a lot of unknown territory ahead. Not until widespread testing and treatments and a vaccine are routinely available will we be able to relax. It may be months, even years—durations well beyond our usual rapid extinguishment of fires, cleanup of crashes, and handling of medical calls.
Instead of the vividness and drama of our traditional palpable challenges, we are being asked to battle a microscopic, invisible enemy, COVID-19—one with enough punch to take a person down swiftly and hard. We won't know for a long time which among us has had a symptom-free or light bout of the virus and thus has gained some antibody protection. Certainly, there will be multiple surges of infection. Immunity will be wonderful, once it builds to sufficient numbers. We just have to hope at this point that herd immunity will hold up over time, but who knows? And who knows whether the virus will mutate, leaving us back at square one. No one wants to return to this crazy ride again. This immense challenge to the entire human race is pretty unnerving.
These times leave us facing a different sort of life-and-death battle than what we typically face, one that demands a long-range view. The need for patience, fortitude, and endurance for the foreseeable future is real. The tricky part is that rescuer-personality people like us are action-oriente&, fix-it types. For our get-it-done-now psyches, this part may prove very challenging over time. Patience for things beyond our control is not collectively or typically our finest attribute.
Lessons for These Unusual Times
So, what can we learn here? How about using these unusual times to grab an opportunity to reflect on ways to endure with grace? Some possibilities include the following:
Hone the skill of patience—not just with patients, but with other, different tests: not knowing how long these uncertainties will persist; your response to inconsiderate drivers on the road; dealing with the accumulation of petty frustrations posed by daily life at work and at home. Now is a good opportunity to spend some time getting to know yourself better. Learn and improve ways to recognize when your patience is wearing thin. Develop strategies that will work for you in overcoming impatient moments.
Be mindful of how well others on your service are coping. They may seem a lot like you because they wear the same uniform you do, but not everyone copes with their frustrations and fears in the same ways as you. World views are shaped by innumerable factors, which makes us very different from one another even though we share the same work. Understand others so that, when necessary, you can tap your innate compassion and help them out.
Build up your team. It's funny, but how we collectively behave "off stage" from our public can be so different from our public persona as emergency providers, right? If you get back to the station and realize it is a "bitch and moan" culture behind closed doors, why not use these long months ahead to influence a change in the vibe? The longer we're all held hostage by this virus, it seems that the harder real teamwork could become. Decide to be a leader (regardless of your rank) and model the patience and endurance not to use these circumstances as an excuse for the bad habit of negativity. Be that person who finds a way to put a positive spin on things. It can make the endlessness of this terrible situation less dark.
Enduring hard things for a long duration—and doing it well—that's admirable. It's good for you, for your emergency colleagues and partners, and for the public we serve. Be that person.
Enduring hard things for a long duration—and doing it well—that's admirable. It's good for you, for your emergency colleagues and partners, and for the public we serve. Why not be that person?