One question

If you ever want to know whether a police officer or a firefighter is dedicated to the job, or, if they are just in it until something better comes along, there is a very simple test. Just ask them this one question: “What are you most afraid of?”

If they are in this career for the long haul, if they feel that this job is a “calling”, if they are one of the lucky ones who has known for their entire life that they wanted to be a police officer or firefighter, then there is only one answer.

It has variations, but it is ALWAYS the same answer.

If, on the other hand, they are just doing this job until the FBI calls, or they get thru school, or because they passed a civil service test and were out of work at the time, or any of a hundred other reasons that I have heard over the years, then there will be a variety of answers about what they fear. 

These answers will run the gamut of social and economic concerns. There will be answers about failed or broken marriages, and all manner of other social circumstances. You will also hear answers about lack of career advancement, leadership challenges, fears of economic downturns, fears of layoffs and cutbacks, the list is endless.

Find a police officer or firefighter that is one of the family of brothers and sisters who believes that the highest and most honorable thing they can do with their life is to protect their community from the wolf; You find that person and you will never need to wonder if they are the real deal because they, every one of them, will answer the question, “What do you most fear?”, with the same reply.

Most likely they will pause for a beat, and then say that the thing they most fear is failure to act, failure to respond in the face of the enemy, due to fear.

I have had many occasions over the years to have this conversation with hero officers & firefighters and every singe one of them has said exactly the same thing. The situation was awful but they did not freeze, they did not panic.

 “I have always wondered what I would do if something bad ever happened, and now I know.” They will say words like that, and they will speak of the relief they felt, at having been tested by fire and coming through that test without having had fear cause them to freeze or fail. 

Not that they weren’t afraid, terrified even, nope that’s not the big deal. The big deal for them is that they acted, they did what had to be done, they put themselves in the fight being filled with fear at knowing that this fight was most likely a fight to the death, but believing that the fight was theirs to win.

You don’t have to believe me, do this test yourself. You will be amazed at how the real ones, the dedicated professionals, will answer that question.