Helping Our Own

Nearly every post on this rag has had some sort of fire service or fire department theme.  While today's post relates to us, it could be written about the bank worker or the garbage man.  Please bear with me but take it to heart.  During the past month, our city has been offering supplemental accident and illness insurance to our people.  The emails were vague and it took some reading to find about it but it was a great benefit for the people that work for our fine city.  Many deleted the email, many said they didn't care, and many thought it was just another way to "cut" pay.  I saw it as an opportunity to help our own.

I knew I would sign up for it from the beginning, but many needed some convincing.  As a company officer it is my job to ensure that my folks (where I sub each day) know what ways the city offers to take care of them and their families.  Too many firefighters forget that insurance and benefits are just as important as the training we do to stay up on our skills.  If one doesn't stay up on these things, their families will suffer in the worst way possible.  We only discuss benefits when we get hired and when we retire, but what about the middle 25-30 years?  Sure, we might change a few things during open enrollment, but we fail to examine some of the other items that the city/county/department we work or volunteer for may offer to look out for their own.  Have you ever looked at our likelihood to have cancer, have a cardiac event, or have a traumatic accident?  Well if you haven't, at least one will occur to all of us, some will get to experience all three some only two, but no one will avoid all three.   We will all break a bone, roll an ankle, cut ourselves, or some how hurt ourselves on or off duty that will cause medical treatment.  Firefighters need to be taken care signing up for these programs that are offered by organizations.  If you are a member of a fire department especially if you are an officer, watch out for others, look at what benefits your organization offers and take advantage of them.

Please explore what your department offers you and sit down with your family and discuss them.  We need to do a better job of preparing for the times we need to use the benefits than we currently do.  We stick together in times of need, let's stick together before those times.  Make sure we look out for one another, and advocate for those who may not know whats out there to look at what's available to them.