Some Essays by Douglas Tennant

Recently, I was at a solemn public function that involved the playing of our national anthem, a formal ‘moment of silence’ and some meditative/prayerful time. The venue was packed shoulder to shoulder and many folks knew most of those in attendance, but there were obviously some from out of town. The lack of community civility during the ceremony was disrespectful and in my opinion rude. While the displays were not malicious in nature they certainly showed a lack of situational awareness and communal civic minded manners. Where ever has our community civility gone to? At the function I mentioned above, many adults ignored the playing of the national anthem and kept right on saying hello to those they had not seen in a while and continued to put cream and sugar into their tea and coffee. Few were singing our national song and most were not turned to face the prominently displayed Canadian flag. Sheesh – would it hurt you to at least turn and face one of our most visible national symbo...

Jesus’ Vision for us and the ‘Other’ By Douglas Tennant – November 4, 2018 A message for Greenwood United Church, Pembroke Ontario The biblical story of Ruth which I read for us earlier is a not a story about separation or differentness. It is not a story about the ‘Other’ or someone who looks and acts so different from us as to make us feel uncomfortable or even scared of them. It is a story about inclusivity. According to the United Church Gathering , that story was written thousands of years ago to correct a sense of entitlement and self-righteousness that was growing within ancient Israel. You see it was forbidden back then to marry outsiders especially those foreigners and second-class people of the surrounding tribes who may have been arriving in Israel in caravan upon caravan. I love this story from a personal viewpoint. Indeed, when Jeannie and I got married we included this story as a scripture reading at our wedding. So this is a family story and it starts off...

Originally published in the North Renfrew Times November 21, 2018 Community Hubs - by Doug Tennant A healthy local community is not built just upon an efficient and well-equipped hospital. Hospitals are important to a community as are fire halls, and police and paramedic stations. We also need a well-oiled and functioning municipal government and a vibrant commercial and industrial base upon which our residents can depend for jobs. However, the most important cornerstone for a healthy and stable community is the local public library. Andrew Carnegie knew the value of a free public library for a healthy community and he showed it by funding the building of over 2500 local libraries in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The closest Carnegie library to North Renfrew is in Pembroke, which was built in 1907 with a grant from Mr. Carnegie. We have four public libraries in North Renfrew offering an amazing spectrum of services for free to our residents. If you live in North Renf...

It’s time to take action against PTSD December 08, 2014 Written by Douglas Tennant Originally published in Firefighting in Canada Clara Hughes, Canadian Olympic cyclist and speed skater, came to my town during the summer and huge crowds came out to welcome her and listen to her speak. Hughes’ visit was a planned stop on Clara’s Big Ride, an annual bike ride across the country to encourage healthy conversations about mental illness – including post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  PTSD? Isn’t that a severe mental illness for which only soldiers, police officers and paramedics are at risk? Me – suffer from traumatic events? I don’t think so. After all, I’m a firefighter. Yes, I still ride in the officer seat and wear a SCBA at calls, but I am tough. Firefighters don’t suffer from mental illness and we certainly aren’t affected by what we see, smell, hear, feel and otherwise sense at emergency scenes.  PTSD is defined by the Ontario government as an anxiety disord...

You lead as you are – advice from a master April 24, 2014 Written by Douglas Tennant Originally published in Firefighting in Canada You lead as you are. I learned this adage from a dear friend and mentor of mine – retired Cambridge, Ont., fire chief Terry Allen. It took me a while to really appreciate what Terry was getting at with this short but very profound observation, especially as it pertained to the fire service. As I have come to understand it, Terry was advising those who made the effort to listen and appreciate his statement, that we are all leaders in some way or another around the fire hall. It is thus up to each of us to take stock and determine how we will take on the responsibility to lead as and, ultimately, how we are.  No matter the composition of your fire service (full time, part time, volunteer) there are leaders in every rank and stage of their respective careers in the fire station. From the newest recruit to the oldest-serving member, you will...

Editors' pick 2015: Think before you tweet Think before you tweet – a lesson on social media March 01, 2015 Written by Doug Tennant Originally published in Firefighting in Canada I did it twice the other day and I liked it. It was easy, somewhat fun and I did it in private, but I did not follow through; I hit the delete button and went back to work. I couldn’t follow through because one of my father’s adages – he served in the fire service for 40 years – screamed in my head while I composed the tweet: if you can’t say anything positive about someone then don’t say anything at all. So I hit the delete button. There’s a similar saying when it comes to snail mail; write the nasty letter, then put it in your desk drawer for a day and see if you still want to send it the next morning. Social media is a powerful, instant and non-retrievable tool in our work and personal spheres. It is relatively easy and usually gratifying to tweet and post our thoughts, pictures and com...

Leadership from within – a strategic plan May 13, 2015 Written by Doug Tennant Originally published in Firefighting in Canada Social media is rampant with adages and short, insightful sayings about leadership and management. Put the magazine down or minimize the  Fire Fighting in Canada  website and go to LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter to browse through them for a few minutes. I like most of the adages; they have the tendency to stick in my mind as I reflect upon what the day brings to me – especially as I interact with colleagues and the public. A recent one that stuck with me is: Managers light a fire under people – leaders light a fire within them. I am not sure who coined this phrase, but for me it summarises what managers and leaders should be doing. Many of these popular and meaningful social media sayings deal with refreshing or building effective relationships with others in your workplace. These insights are powerful, rich in imagery and enable you to...

Mind the leadership gap September 22, 2015 Written by Doug Tennant Originally published in Firefighting in Canada There is a struggle these days at the top level of fire-service management. The struggle is internal; chiefs must decide whether to concentrate on public safety or support the political/fiscal war on spending.  I hear rumblings that the cost of emergency services is increasing too fast. We need to cut costs; taxpayers can not afford to continue to pay high prices for fire protection. I also hear the concerns from the public when a toddler dies in a house fire. Such was the case in January 2014 when a two-year-old died in a house fire in Langley, B.C., Shortly after a fire in May of 2015, Fire Chief Rick Ennis, chair of the Missouri Fire Sprinkler Coalition, asked on social media, “Why are we not giving the [recent] fire death of a two year old in a new home the attention it deserves?” I personally and professionally know the pressures and stresses of...

Research the impact of diversity in fire November 16, 2015   Written by Doug Tennant    Firefighting in Canada Originally published in Firefighting in Canada A leader knows that it’s the people – the firefighters in all branches of a department – who make a fire service creative, adaptable and responsive in saving lives, preventing injuries and reducing property damage. Three lines of defence – public education, prevention and emergency response – against the ravages of fire are the raison d’etre for any fire service. Those defences are effective solely due to the interaction of firefighters, usually working as a team, with the public. A fire service cannot stand still, relying on the adage that we are successful because we are the fire service and everyone loves us. Firefighters must remain diligent and constantly strive to find creative and innovative ways to reduce injuries and death due to fire. The only safe fire is the one that does not start ...