Miami-Dade Fire Rescue - Blog

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue - Blog:(click here to read the whole article)

More Than Just a Number

By Captain Jose A. Nochea

On the 4th of September of this year during my Sunday CR tour at station 29, a group of us, including some from the fishing trip were at it again. We decided to have a special dinner for a special someone, and the guest list quickly grew. The guest of honor turned out to be retired chief Indy Morgado and his wife, along with Bob Palestrant, Manny Morales, and Danny Cardeso who was OPS south that day. The planning of the menu was decided early in the day to be cooked by Cesar Perez Abreu and myself. Caldo Gallego (Galicean Bean Soup), pork shoulder, rice, and plantains. Once we sat for the meal, it was again another golden moment in the making as we listened to the old timers tell stories about the old days at station 7 involving Indy as a newly promoted Captain and later as a CFO at Battalion 5-A. Manny Morales was probably the most colorful one, and all of the stories started with the words “Remember The Day That”.

As you read this article, I am sure that you are probably thinking of a number too, your number, the number of your station, the station that you identify yourself with sooner or later in your career if you stay out in the field long enough because these are not just numbers, they are symbols that identify each station with its own character that help maintain traditions of brotherhood among others. Each fire station is an extension of the great family of the department and it is also a symbol of pride for many. Go to almost any fire station around the county and you will find stickers on the trucks, T-shirts, and baseball caps that represent the style of that station with the number right in the middle of it all. These numbers are the ones that inspire the bond that most of us maintain with each other as we work together and then play together on our days off. Our station numbers are the first ones to come out when starting any conversation as we often tell war stories about those calls that some may call “a good call”, but are usually the really bad ones.

I just happened upon this blog today. I found it interesting. The story, which I have posted part of above, tells a lot about the Firefighters who work for Miami-Dade.

This got me to thinking about a question that someone asked me the other day. They asked me why is the morale of the Firefighters low here in the Roanoke Fire-EMS Department. Ok, loaded question right. So I was thinking as I read this post from Miami. I thought wow, I think I can count on one hand the amount of guys in this department right now who have been where they are stationed for more than 10 years. I have been here almost 7 years and have already been stationed at 4 different stations on 2 different shifts. There are Firefighters who have seen a different station about every year.

I don't think I need to explain this for you all to understand what I am getting at. What I will say is this: There is a certain level of Pride, Brotherhood, Honor, and Respect when a Company is kept together longer than a couple of months.


Check out this blog for Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.

Technorati tags: Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, Firefighter Pride