PTB - "Protect the Brothers"
If we don't get the job done people might die and our brothers and sisters might also die. So we always lay it on the line and leave a little behind at every fire. I say that in a dark smoky hallway I can't tell the race, creed, or sex of my fellow firefighter, I just know that they are with me. I don't care who or what you are as long as you are a firefighter and want to protect your brothers and sisters
Captain Mike Dugan
Ladder Co. 123
FDNY
EGH - "Everybody Goes Home"
"Although 'EGH, Everybody Goes Home' is not always possible, it is part of what we strive for. It is why we train, it is why we read, it is why we interact with each other. We need to share knowledge. The more we share, the more we pass on what we have learned, the safer we will be. The fewer funerals we will have to go to, the more of our brothers and sisters that will go home. Because it is all about protecting each other". (Pressler, 2002)
Author unknown
possibly Old Gallagher
RFB - "Remember Fallen Brothers"
"The Fire Service, as a whole, is collectively still trying to recover from the effects of September 11th. The 343 members of the FDNY who made the supreme sacrifice that day will always be in our hearts and forever on our minds. As part of our FOOL's "signature," R-F-B, "Remember Fallen Brothers," these heros should never and will never be forgotten. This should include ALL of our fallen Brothers, no matter where they are from, or the matter in which they died. Their names have been added to a long list of those that have laid down their lives so that others may live." (Pressler, 2002)
Lieutenant Michael Ciampo
FDNY
KTF - "Keep The Faith"
"Keep the Faith. With all that has happened we must believe. We must have faith in ourselves and in the others that think like us. They can transfer us, they can make you cut your mustache, they can tell you what you can't wear on your helmet, but never let them break your spirit!" (Pressler, 2002)
Captain James L. Jester
Ocean City, MD
DTRT - "Do The Right Thing"
"With everything going on in our lives, both personal and professional, this maybe sometimes hard to do. We are always pulled in several directions when there are tough decisions to be made. Even after weighting all the possibilities or options, decisions are sometimes still very hard to make. But, under closer examination, there usually is a "right thing." It may take personal sacrifice, it may not be what you really would want to do, but it is the correct thing to do."
Lieutenant Bob Pressler
FDNY
Retired
"Duty - Pride - Tradition"
"Duty" is defined as at one's post or work, a task or chore one is expected to perform. It is answering the bell and being asked to perform tasks that challenge our physical and mental toughness under extreme conditions. It is our duty to prepare for these tasks through training, leadership, and "Esprit De Corp." It is our moral obligation to be doers in the fire service, to prepare for, come at and meet the enemy... "Battle Ready." The fire ground is a battleground. It is the "Duty" of the firefighter to form a barrier with his/her body against the fire. Quote: "That pain may cease, he yields his flesh to pain." (Joyce Kilmer KIA in France in 1918)
"Pride" is defined as a state of feeling of being proud, a reflection of credit upon oneself. Pride is feeling good after a job well done! It is a feeling of goose bumps as you recount your actions; by going somewhere nobody else can go. By making a rescue and saving a life by being a part of a unit that successfully achieves it's goal. Pride is wiping a tear from your eye and swallowing a lump in your throat, as you are hugged and kissed by a loved one, thankful you have returned safe and sound. Pride is a glow in your kids as they brag about you being a firefighter. Pride is wearing your uniform, proud of your colors, proud of your co-workers and fire department. Being a member of "The Noblest Breed."
"Tradition" is defined as the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, and information from generation to generation. A long established of inherited way of thinking or acting. "Courage in the face of danger is a tradition of the fire service." Firefighters of the past stand by us today, passing on their legacy and dedication to us, and our fire departments. Tradition is the maintenance and connection of values with our heros, pacesetters, and examples set by our idols! It is our foundation.
"Duty-Pride-Tradition" gives an individual the desire to serve, the ability to perform, and the courage to act.
"Duty" is DOING it.
"Pride" is WEARING it.
"Tradition" is LIVING it.
Double E & Mac
South Side FOOLS
Chicago, IL