CHIEF'S CORNER

“I have only just a minute, Only sixty seconds in it. Forced upon me, can’t refuse it. Didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it. But it’s up to me to use it. I must suffer if I lose it. Give account if I l abuse it. Just a tiny minute, but eternity is in it.” This poem, Just a Minute, was written by Dr. Benjamin E. Mays –  former Baptist Minister, Civil Rights Leader, the 6^th President of Morehouse College, a mentor of the late great Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson, and an advocate of nonviolence and civil resistance – as taught and practiced by Mahatma Gandhi. Above all, Dr. Benjamin E. Mays was a major influence in the life of the Honorable Representative of Maryland’s 7^th District, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings. 

I believe Congressman Elijah E. Cummings’ life and work is a living example of how we should work as members of the Baltimore City Fire Department and as an essential component of public service in the City of Baltimore.  

Congressman Cummings outlined Just a Minute to emphasize that we have a short amount of time to make a difference and we should use each minute as if it were our last minute to serve. I believe that treating every minute, of every opportunity – no matter how small – to serve as if were our last, is vital and imperative to have a purposeful organization whose only calling is to take care of others. During a speech given by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he stated:

"If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, sweep streets like Beethoven composed music, sweep streets like Leontyne Price sings before the Metropolitan Opera. Sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say: Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well."

In the same vein, I challenge the members of this organization to handle every work episode – whether it is responding to a working fire, a significant MVA, a water rescue, hazardous material incident or a perceived insignificant medical call for an unconscious or sick person, a possible overdose; day or night, or  a run report after a call, EMS report, payroll paperwork,-as if you were Michelangelo, the Italian Sculptor painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling, Beethoven composing Fur Elise, or Shakespeare composing “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”. 

We must understand that we are professional artists in the field of public safety, and our tools are compassion, competency, empathy and humility. Our canvass is a public emergency. We must make certain that we maintain a level of artistry that is consistent with our mission and our stellar reputation of “Pride Protecting People”.

Another outstanding example Congressman Cummings illustrated was befriending individuals who did not have the same ideology and perspective. In July 2019, Congressman Cummings defended Republican Congressman Mark Meadows and made certain that everyone knew he was one of his best friends. I am highlighting this aspect of Congressman Cummings’ character because in the field of EMS and fire service we have a propensity towards categorizing and isolating.  For example, labor and management by nature are supposed to be enemies. Labor has to be seen fighting with management in order to appear to be effective or management has to be dismissive of labor’s concerns because they are trivial and do not see the big picture. To that end, by establishing these absolutes, it’s often challenging to foster a relationship that leads to corporate cooperation on issues where both sides can agree. 

Another example of this is if someone does something untoward to us or when we disagree with someone– the EMS and fire service tend to place an organizational scarlet letter on the person. I have sat around the kitchen table at the fire hall as members converse about a person that is about to retire and recount a mistake that individual made in recruit school. We have a tendency not to be forgiving to people we do not have a relationship with (or a positive relationship) consider omitting this late part.

I believe we all can and must do better. As we close this 3^rd quarter of 2019 and begin looking at the final quarter and the sunset of 2019, let us all commit to be more empathetic and compassionate, while developing relationships with individuals of dissimilar backgrounds and perspectives. Lastly, let’s not condemn one another – rather focus on being understanding of each other’s differences. As always, I am so proud to be the Fire Chief of the Baltimore City Fire Department and to work alongside each of you in this amazing public service calling. I humbly thank each member for working to make the Baltimore City Fire Department second to none in serving this community.

Your brother in service to the City of Baltimore,

Fire Chief Niles R. Ford, PhD