This week I stepped way outside my comfort zone and spoke with Tulare County Fire Chief, Charlie Norman.
I can confidently say that many nurses do not fully understand what firefighters do. We often see them in the ambulance bay and in our communities, but do we really take the time to SEE them?
Do we know where the budget for fire services comes from? Do we understand how firefighters advance in their ranks? Sadly, do we realize that firefighter deaths by suicide exceed those who die in the line of duty?
Charlie addressed these important issues and more. He explained the long and challenging journey of bringing paramedicine to our County, his path to becoming fire chief, and his relationships with city and county officials because as he said, everything in life comes down to relationships.
As fire chief, Charlie prioritizes firefighter mental health, recruitment and retention, having a diverse fire crew, and serving the community.
Charlie embodies the core values of integrity, respect, loyalty, teamwork, and compassion. He says everything he learned in kindergarten he can apply to life: keep your hands to yourself, be nice to people and if you don’t have anything good to say, keep your mouth closed.
And what does he look for in recruits? Character. Yes, they need to be able to pull a hose, bandage a patient, and competently administer medications, but if their character is lacking, they don’t belong in the fire service. I’d say with Charlie in charge, everything will be ok. In the five-minute snippet: my granddaughter’s question answered by the expert. For Charlie's bio, please visit my website (link below).
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