Justin Lewis - Firefighter Self Rescue: The Evolution of Service

Firefighter
Self Rescue

The Evolution of Service

JUSTIN LEWIS

iUniverse, Inc.

Bloomington

Firefighter Self Rescue

The Evolution of Service

Copyright 2012 by Justin Lewis.

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ISBN: 978-1-4759-0712-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4759-0715-5 (ebk)

iUniverse rev. date: 07/31/2012

Contents

I would love to tell you that the content in this book was all mine, but for those of you who know me, you realize that this simply isnt the truth! A vast majority of the content in this book is stuff that Ive learned from other people... So I would like to take the time to acknowledge them.

First, my friend Marc Accetta : It is from you that I have learned to Expect Excellence in my life, and for that I cannot thank you enough!

Paula Sprunger : with out your professionalism this book would still be just a bunch of meaningless words on some random pieces of paper... thank you!

Jamie Utt : You are one crazy talented individual. Your work on www.firefighterselfrescue.com and Firefighter Self Rescue the book is greatly appreciated!

Eric Thompson : your belief in me and mankind is transformational. Your ability to recognize the value in others that they do not often see in themselves is a true gift. The Brilliance Project is such a powerful movement, I am honored that you allowed me to be a part of it. Helping others unleash their brilliance on the world is a beautiful process to be a part of.

The rest of these people have had a huge influence on me although Ive never met them: Zig Ziglar, John C. Maxwell, Robert Kiyosaki, Gary Vaynerchuk, Richard Mackowitz, Og Mandino, Stephan Covey, Scott Berkun, Brenden Burchard, and many more. If more people would read your books, this world would be a better place!

Last and most important is my family ! I was raised by two sets of parents who did the absolute very best with what they had. This is all that child can ever ask for! I thank you guys for all your love and support youve given to me and my wife and kids... we need it! You all continue to go above and beyond! My sister Crystal : thanks for continuing to show me what hard work is all about!

I need to also thank my in-laws first for supplying me with their beautiful daughter, and second for your continued support of our family. You guys have also gone above and beyond for our family... Thank you!

Through my life, Ive had many families that have taken me in at one point and time and treated me as one of your own. To name a few: The Franks, The Grissoms, The Jones, The Felixs, The Hendersons, the Mccamics, the Artietas, the Judays . You all have beautiful families and even though you dont know it, you all have been role models to me!

My two kids Jack and Lucy : I could not have been more blessed by having you two in my life. Jack, the energy and love you have for life already at the age of five is fantastic. I hope that you allow it to guide you through your life forever! Lucy, the only thing that matches your beauty is the sweetness of your heart! Heaven to me is being able to watch you two grow and learn and love. I love you guys more than life itself!

To my wife Amy : Thank you for being who you are. Your loyalty is unmatched! Thanks for putting up with me and my Blue thought-style; I know its not always easy. Not in my dreams did I ever think that I would find such a wonderful wife and mother for our kids. The kids and I are very luck to have you. I love you!

There have been many other family members, friends, coaches, and teachers that have help mold and shape me along the way... Thank you!

Belief must precede all action; to commit your virtues to serving your community is one of the most admirable expressions in all of mankind. All Emergency/First Responders pursue their calling with the belief that their influence can and will improve the lives of the people within their community. I watched firsthand how a team of paramedics can masterfully control a desperate situation as they carried my 3 year old daughters limp body out of my home and placed her on the stretcher for transport. During the emotional chaos that erupted in my home throughout the seven minutes of this event, the police and fire personnels influence has forever been programmed into my mind like a scene from The Matrix. The action of those highly-trained service professionals provided my family with strength at a time when it had been taken away from us. Later that night while I was holding my daughter on the hospital bed in the ER, for one of the first times in my life, I started to understand how precious life really was. It is easy to get caught up in the grind and disregard the daily reminders that usually seem like distractions until the universe calls down the thunder to remind us what truly matters.

I have always had a tremendous amount of admiration for civic-centric leaders. As a professional speaker, author, business owner, and consultant who has collaborated with professionals from every background and area of expertise, I am rarely surprised by the actions of others. When I am hired by a client, my role is to discover, develop, and help deliver value from within an organization or an individual. It can be challenging to uncover the story below the story from the outside looking in. What I love about Firefighter Self Rescue is that it addresses the truths of your industry. This book was written by a firefighter for firefighters and first responders with the intent to serve the people who invest so much of themselves into serving others. Talk about fighting the good fight!

I always envisioned firefighters living the good life, spending their time playing basketball, whiffle ball, working out, and doing calendar shoots. I mean, aside from envious police officers, who doesnt love firemen? I was shocked when Justin shared with me the concerns he has for the entire fire industry and then backed up his claims with some mind-boggling statistics. It is clear that there needs to be a paradigm shift, or as the saying goes, Its gut check time. I have discriminating taste when it comes to viewing someone as a leader, and I confidently profess to you that Justin Lewis is a leader who embodies all the principals that he articulates throughout Firefighter Self Rescue .

I measure leaders by how many leaders they develop, not by how many followers they lead. Over our relationship of more than twenty years, I have watched Justin do the things that have set him apart from the crowd. I first recognized this quality in him when we were eighteen years old and college roommates/teammates. I was one of the two scholarship recruits signed by our new coach (the other is a 10+ year Major Leaguer), and Justin was a recruited walk on. In fact, I was instrumental in Justin coming to this college with me. During fall ball, I had a false sense of confidence and a lack of strength necessary to earn a spot on the roster. I was asked to redshirt while Justin had done all the things necessary to earn a starting position. The kicker is that we played the same position. He would consistently show up early to hit in the cage and stay late to lift weights.