Jumpline magazine Spring 2025 - Flipbook - Page 22
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Chaplain’s Corner
Alex Trinchet
Sarah Perry
MDFR Chaplaincy
Lessons Learned,
Relearned and
Af昀椀rmed from the
Good Captain
Bill Gustin
“Whatever your hand 昀椀nds to do, do it with all your
might...” Ecclesiastes 9:10
Public Speaking: Bill’s ability as a
The following article is deeply personal and what
I would consider the top 5 lessons I personally
learned from Bill.
Humor: I 昀椀rst met Bill over 20 years ago. I
was just a rookie, and I’d been moved to Station
2 for the PM shift. Before I left, I was told I’d be
working with a legend in the 昀椀re department. When
I arrived at the station, Bill walked out of his dorm
to introduce himself, wearing nothing but 昀椀re bunker boots and white boxer shorts pulled all the way
up to his chest. I did everything I could not to look at what was
spilling out from those boxer shorts. Bill starts talking to me, and
I’m doing my best to hold in my laughter. The comedy of the
moment reminded me of the camaraderie in both the military and
the 昀椀re service. It was a refreshing feeling. That moment also
reminded me to take the job seriously, but never take myself too
seriously—always laugh, enjoy the profession, the people, and
the moments.
“A cheerful heart is good medicine…” Proverbs 17:22
Servant Leadership: My 昀椀rst 昀椀re with Bill wasn’t
anything dramatic—no 昀氀ashing lights or huge 昀氀ames. It was a
small electrical 昀椀re in a trailer that served as an of昀椀ce, with light
smoke showing. The 昀椀re was caught early, and there wasn’t
much damage. But what stood out was Bill’s passion and attention to detail, even for a small task. What struck me even more,
though, was when it came time to clean up. Bill was right there
with us, helping out. He led from both the front and the back,
making sure that everyone was okay and serving alongside the
crew. The concept of Servant leadership is a philosophy and
leadership style that prioritizes serving the needs of others, particularly employees over personal gain or control, fostering a collaborative and empowering environment where individuals can
grow and thrive. Bill’s ability to empower, lead, and serve others
exempli昀椀ed this leadership style in the best possible way.
“Do nothing out of sel昀椀sh ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves…” Philippians 2:3
Good at your Craft: Bill was unapologetic about
his passion for 昀椀re昀椀ghting. Everyone in the department has their
area of focus—whether it’s EMS, TRT, Dive, Hazmat, or something else. But Bill mastered the craft of 昀椀re昀椀ghting. He did this
by listening to others, learning and doing it himself, and teaching what he knew. Then he’d repeat the cycle—listening, doing,
teaching. That was his method throughout his entire career. He
showed everyone that to truly excel at something, you have to be
passionate about it. Bill set the standard for personal excellence,
leading by example and showing others that the best way to raise
the bar is by constantly doing your best.
public speaker was captivating. In his acceptance
speech for Instructor of the Year at FDIC, he publicly encouraged future recipients. He said, “Can I
say a few words for our future recipients? You’re
on the right track, because you’re out there right
now. I started, and you’ll start the same way. You
begin teaching in your own departments. That
can be the most challenging teaching because
you have to be yourself. You can’t pretend to be
someone you’re not or claim you did something
you didn’t do, because you’re going to get called
out. So go out there.” At the core of his message
was the importance of character, which he valued
above all else—far more than the content of the
material itself. Bill emphasized that you shouldn’t
“fake it till you make it” or spending more time in
promoting yourself than the time needed to master
the craft you’re promoting. His point was clear: do
the hard work behind the scenes, and in time, you’ll 昀椀nd yourself
standing at the front.
“Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings….” Proverbs 22:29
Gratitude: In one of his last videos, seen in the tribute
昀椀lm’s 昀椀nal section, “In His Own Words,” Bill shared: “God has
been good to me. I’m the luckiest guy. I’ve got two wonderful kids.
God blessed me with the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department
and the members of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. I am so blessed
to have hundreds of sons and dozens and dozens of daughters.
I thank God for this job and for Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. ”As we
live our lives, we are all faced with circumstances that can either
make us bitter or better—situations that challenge us to choose
between being grateful or spiteful. Especially as we grow older,
we have the opportunity to view our lives through the lens of the
past. We can choose to see life with gratitude, both for the journey we’ve had and for the moment we’re in. Bill, in essence, was
deeply grateful in that quote—grateful to God, to his two children,
to MDFR, and to the countless men and women in the 昀椀re service he had encountered throughout his career. A grateful mind
naturally leads to a grateful heart, and that attitude impacts us
emotionally and spiritually. Bill’s gratitude wasn’t just about what
he had, but about the people he’d done life with.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6
My prayer for all of us as we continue to walk through this dif昀椀cult
time, seeking peace in the storm, is the following:
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine
upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward
you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26
With a gratefull heart and in your service.
Alex T.
“Serving Those Who Serve”
Alex Trinchet
Lieutenant/Counselor/ Lead Chaplain, LMHC, EMT-P
Spring 2025 | JUMPLINE Magazine
