Jumpline MAG_Sum_Fall 2025 - Flipbook - Page 37
Derrick Foster, CFO
When Did We Stop Being a Family?
the country, has the equipment, training, and resources to
respond to emergencies, but we also need to respond to
something just as urgent: the slow unraveling of our culture.
It’s not too late to 昀椀x it, but it is on us. Let’s stop waiting for
someone else to change the tone. Let’s be the ones who bring
the family back. Let’s not perpetuate vicious rumors about our
brothers and sisters. They are typically not factual and contribute
to a negative atmosphere.
As a relief chief, I’m exposed to a lot of stations while doing rounds,
talking with crews, and seeing their day-to-day culture 昀椀rst-hand.
I can honestly say, all is not lost. There are still Miami-Dade Fire
Rescue 昀椀rehouses that hold on to the best traditions and values of
the 昀椀re service, the ones we fell in love with when we 昀椀rst joined.
These stations still re昀氀ect the BrotHERhood, respect, and unity
that made this profession more than just a job. This didn’t just happen by chance. It is a direct re昀氀ection of strong leadership.
It starts with the station captain and senior 昀椀re昀椀ghters
who set the tone of the 昀椀rehouse. In these stations,
across the shifts, there’s zero con昀氀ict, zero rumors,
and just good ol’ friendly “trash talking.” The things
that build camaraderie and accountability, not division. You can feel mutual respect and pride the
minute you walk through the bay doors. Throughout our careers there were those captains that
were admired. We saw them as we were growing
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up in the 昀椀re service. Why was that? These captains created an
atmosphere where 昀椀re昀椀ghters want to be, want to work, and want
to give their best. It’s this kind of leadership that deserves recognition and replication.
Now, I know there are other stations that still have that same camaraderie and BrotHERhood. Unfortunately, I’m just not exposed
to them during my rotation throughout the county, but I have no
doubt they’re out there, quietly holding the line and maintaining the
values we all swore to uphold.
At the end of the day, the 昀椀re service is still one of life’s greatest
callings (and sacri昀椀ces) a person can answer. It’s only as strong
as the people within it. Culture isn’t built by policies or slogans,
it’s built upon the actions, relationships, and values we live by on
every shift. If we want to protect the tradition we love, we have
to do the hard work of looking inward, lifting each other
up, and leading with humility and strength.
Summer/Fall 2025 | JUMPLINE Magazine
Let’s be the generation that brings pride back
into every bay, unity back into every 昀椀rehouse, and purpose back into every call, because the future of this profession doesn’t
lie in what we say, it lies in what we do.
TOGETHER!
