ACC Fire Academy Speech

Last night, I was honored to give the commencement address for the 36th class of the ACC Fire Academy. I am posting the transcript of that speech on this blog.

I would like to thank Brette Lea, ACC's executive director of Public Information and College Marketing, for her assistance in the creation of this speech. All of the ACC facts and much of the excellent wording in the speech come from Ms. Lea. The "goofy remarks", questionable grammar, and any other mistakes that may appear - that's all me.

Commencement Address
36th Class of the ACC Fire Academy
Taylor High School
10 MAY 2008, 19:00

• Good evening, on behalf of President Kinslow and the Board of Trustees of Austin Community College I bring you greetings and thanks for a job well done. This is a special occasion and it is my honor to be here today to celebrate you as future firefighters and graduates of the Austin Community College Fire Academy.

• As the primary trainer of first responders in the region, Austin Community College is proud of the Fire Protection Technology program and the nearly 1,000 graduates who have trained here over the past 18 years and are serving as firefighters in communities throughout Central Texas.
• However, before I get too serious, I’d like to start with a brief story that illustrates the willingness of firefighters to solve problems no matter what crisis might befall their way.
• As the story goes, a couple of firefighters are out in the woods hunting when one of them falls to the ground. He doesn't seem to be breathing, his eyes are rolled back in his head. His friend and professional colleague whips out a cell phone and dials 9-1-1. He gasps to the operator: “I think my friend is dead! What can I do?” The operator, in a calm soothing voice says: “Just take it easy. I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead.” There is a silence, then a shot is heard. The guy's voice comes back on the line and says: “OK, now what?"
• It’s at this point that I think Dr. Kinslow may regret encouraging me to use my ~quote~ “irreverent sense of humor”. However, not everything in my life is a joke and there are a few things that I take very seriously.
• One of the things that is important to me is my country and the pride I take in American accomplishments. In that spirit, I am proud to say that I stand here today at the nexus of two great American creations: Community College education and organized firefighting. In the 20th century after the World Wars, we, as a nation, began to evolve in our understanding of the need for post-High School education. No longer would higher education be accessible to only a few but all peoples in our great nation would have access to as much educational opportunity as they were able to put in the effort to complete. I am so proud of the community college system and specifically of Austin Community College. It is an honor to serve as one of your nine-elected Trustees.
• And then there is organized fire fighting. The history of modern organized fire fighting can be traced back to 1736 when Benjamin Franklin organized Philadelphia’s Union Fire Company. Yes, that Ben Franklin. The founding father who was scientist, beer lover, and by most accounts, quite the ladies man. Should it come as a surprise that he was a firefighter as well?
• And one doesn’t have to go back nearly 300 years to remember historically significant contributions made by firefighters in this country. On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, I remember waking up late – I’m a teacher at St. Edward’s University and that Tuesday my first class of the day was in the afternoon. I got up that morning and the first thing I did was check my e-mail messages. That’s how I first learned of the tragedy. I immediately turned on my television and saw an image that haunts me to this day. CBS news had a close-up shot of one of the towers and just as I turned the television on several people started jumping out of upper story windows. The channel zoomed out and Dan Rather quickly apologized. However, the image was there. An image of a tower in a fiery hell that people were going to leave, no matter what the cost. Well, as we learned, not everyone left. A few brave souls were actually entering the building. Those brave souls were fire fighters. Fire fighters doing what they were trained to. Making the ultimate sacrifice in order to try and save the lives of others.
• Now, one might think that the acts of 9/11 were acts of bravery but it wasn’t just on that one day that the firefighters were brave. In 1908, Edward F. Crocker, the chief of the Fire Department of New York said “firefighting is a hazardous occupation; it is dangerous on the face of it, tackling a burning building. The risks are plain.... Consequently, when a man becomes a fireman, his act of bravery has already been accomplished.”
• The Fire Academy’s vision is to develop professionals who provide our communities with emergency services for the 21st century. Their motto - “Desire to Serve, Ability to Perform, and Courage to Act” - sets the bar high.
• Today, we honor the 29 cadets who leaped over that bar and who are now ready to take on the challenges of being a firefighter. For the past 16 weeks, you have trained hard, in the classroom and in the field. More than 600 hours of hard work have gone toward learning how to respond to emergencies, extinguish fires, contain hazardous materials, and save lives.
• The classroom work challenged your mind, while the skill training was physically demanding. It wasn’t easy, but neither is the job.
• You have received some of the best training available in the state, and because of that training and your experiences here, you will be singled out as leaders at fire departments and in your community.
• When you leave here today and go to work at fire departments in Austin, Round Rock, Georgetown, Oak Hill, Del Valle, San Marcos… wherever you choose… men and women, girls and boys – and the occasional cat - will look up to you as a hero.
• This class of cadets is no stranger to performing heroic duties. I’m told we have several here today who have served our country in the military overseas, including in Iraq and Afghanistan. I want to thank you for your service to the country and I am glad you have chosen to continue serving on the frontlines of our communities by becoming a firefighter.
• You’re in good company. Some big names have served as firefighters over the years. In addition to the previously mentioned Benjamin Franklin; George Washington, Sam Adams (Founding Father, not the beer), John Hancock, and Paul Revere all served their country as firefighters.
• I am proud to say that ACC provides more firefighters to our communities than any other organization, and I am proud of your accomplishments
• I hope to never have a fire in my home, or get in a car accident that requires emergency services, but if I do, I am confident I will get the best service possible because of the positive influence this Academy has on firefighters in this region.
• To Captain Terry Hill and the entire Fire Academy team, I say Congratulations. Your total 300 years worth of experience, combined with an unmatched dedication to excellence, has paid off big.
• To the cadets, congratulations on successfully completing the ACC Fire Academy program and “thank you” for the vital contributions you are about to make to the citizens of Central Texas.