Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG 15 Off-Duty – Life Beyond the Fire Service Passion. Drive. Ambition. T hese are all strong qualities for those in the world of fire rescue. These qualities push you to train hard, learn more, and give this career your best. But what about the rest of your life? What kind of focus, what kind of energy do you give away from the station? My prayer for you is that you love what you do; that you find great satisfaction in knowing you make a difference every day. I also pray that you have a life – during the days you’re off-duty and during your future retirement. It’s this off-duty life that needs some of your attention. In fact, I believe the quality of this life is dependent upon your answers to these questions. How do you define yourself? How do you see yourself? Yes, you are a firefighter. You’re the type of person that pushes ahead under extreme conditions, has high expectations and is a strong decision maker. For this, I’m very grateful. But you are more than a firefighter. In fact, there will be a day when you are no longer a firefighter. But on that day, you will still be a son or daughter, a father or mother, a husband or wife, a member of your community. It’s this rest of life, this off-duty life, that can sometimes get overlooked. This is what Bobby Negedly was referring to in a Facebook post dated February 23, 2017. You may recognize Bobby’s last name. His younger brother was Chief Matthew Negedly of the Orlando Fire Department. Bobby wrote about what he called the “Otherhood,” that is, those people in your life that are not inside the brotherhood of the fire service. Bobby gave me permission to share some of his post. I am Matthew’s actual brother, who was and is, obviously, very hurt and affected by his decision to end his own life on November 29, 2016. I am his older brother by 6 years and I remember the day he came home from the hospital as a newborn, long before he became a part of your brotherhood. He was a son, a brother, an uncle and a nephew, before he became a part of your brotherhood. He became a husband and father while part of your brotherhood. Your brotherhood was an important part of who he became, who he was, who he will always be. However, that’s not ALL that he was. He was still a part of what I will call the “otherhood.” The others in his life who, at times, came second or took a “back seat” to the importance of the brotherhood and his commitment to the fire service – his wife, his kids, his parents, his actual brothers. Who makes up the “otherhood” of your life? Who are those that, while not wearing bunker gear, are there for you every day? Do they know you love them? Do they know you are aware of the sacrifices they make to allow you to do what you do? Don’t give your passion, drive, and ambition only to the fire service. Invest in your off-duty life; invest in the “otherhood.” You can find out more about Chaplain Joe and Fire Rescue Support by visiting www.firerescuesupport.com. Joseph A. LaCognata • Fire Rescue Support • Fire Service Chaplaincy A Ministry of Presence By Joseph A. LaCognata, Chaplain, Fire Rescue Support