Fire & EMS Leader Pro The job of old firefighters is to teach young firefighters how to become old firefighters!
By: Kenny Mitchell, Guest Author, Lieutenant (Ret.)
Monday, July 8th, I had the honor with seven other brothers to escort our mentor, leader, friend, and brother firefighter, the late Lieutenant (Ret.) Bobby “Pop” Knight to his final resting spot. To be asked to walk alongside these other seven men with our brother tucked safely in the middle was an honor I’ll never forget. It was a highly emotional moment in my life. It was profoundly powerful and again reminded me how short this journey is.
The word brotherhood is thrown around in the fire service all day long. This day reminded me of what the word really means. This is a dangerous profession, and we would die for each other and there are many times we do.
I ask you today to put aside the pettiness between us as brothers and sisters. The pettiness between shifts. The pettiness that separates operations from daywork. The pettiness of destroying someone’s reputation over a rumor. The pettiness that comes from an occupation that breeds alpha personalities and competitiveness that often ends friendships.
Let’s all celebrate with each other now like we do when a brother or sister leaves us. Let’s lift each other more. Let’s crush those rumors at the kitchen table before they pick up speed and end with “tell a friend, telephone, tell a firefighter, never let the truth get in the way of a good story.”
A firefighter funeral is a sendoff that most have never seen. However, when a civilian sees this show of brotherly force, it is an image they never forget.
I love this profession so much. I gave so much of myself physically and mentally for nearly 22 years. The men and women beside me did the exact same. Once a firefighter, always a firefighter. It’s a job few understand.
Rest easy Lieutenant Knight.
About the Author
Lieutenant (Ret.) Kenny Mitchell, Jr., retired in April 2024 after a 22-year career with first the Virginia Beach (Va.) Fire Department and later the Chesterfield (Va.) Fire & EMS Department.
Mitchell is the founder of Operation Yellow Tape (OYT) an organization that’s mission is to break the stigma that prevents too many firefighters from seeking professional assistance with their mental health struggles. OYT offers resources, education, and events to empower first responders and their families to seek help, build resilience, and find the support they deserve.
Follow Mitchell on Instagram @KennyMitchellFire on IG, LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/kenny-mitchell-oyt, and check out his website at KennyMitchellJr.com for more information OYT including how to bring some much needed mental health awareness training to those serving your community, organization and department, and most importantly, to you!
