Editor: Chief Steve Moody

Today, the Butler County Rescue squad had a number of rescue equipment vendors demo their wares.

They were gracious enough to let me observe too.  I  learned a lot about rescue tools, but a leadership story is what I would like to share.

Here is the story.

One of the rescue vendors today was a young man by the name Josh Rogers.  Josh works as a rescue equipment salesman, but he also works as a full-time firefighter paramedic.  He started his emergency service career in Ford County, but a little over a year ago he went to work for the Salina Fire Department.

Josh explained that he really loves his job in Salina.  He also explained that part of that love is driven by the respect he has for his supervisor – EMS Chief Shane Pearson.

Josh explained that Shane is a unique person – a true leader in every respect of the word.

Josh said that Shane helped develop a program that lets paramedics advance without having to stairstep through a conventional military style rank structure.  There are grade levels for paramedic that are associated with pay grade increases.  Josh explained that this makes it so you don’t have to wait for a promotional system to open up by somebody’s departure.

Now, I know a bit about the history of the Salina Fire Department.   You see I was a 28 year veteran of the department and wrote a book called “The History of the Salina Fire Department.”  So, I knew what the Salina Fire Department was like before what Josh was describing.     It’s a very unique concept.

But, it was another part of his story that was worthy of sharing with you.

Josh explained that this past Christmas one of the EMS Crew Leaders was scheduled to work that day.  There’s nothing unusual about an emergency service worker working Christmas Day.  Somebody has to work the day.

But, this particular crew leader had something unusual going on in his life.  The crew leader’s mother was dying.  This was going to be the last opportunity the crew leader would have to spend Christmas with his mother.

So, Shane called the crew leader and told him – didn’t ask him – to take Christmas day off.  You might ask, “How did he give him the day off?”  Shane worked it.

Josh explained that Shane wasn’t told to do this.  And, he was actually very elusive to even sharing any part of the story with others.  Shane simply worked the shift.

Josh got very emotional when he told the story.  He explained that it made his stomach uneasy just talking about it.  Josh said, “I would go to the end of the earth for that man.”

Leadership is vital to any group of people.  Organizations spend thousands of dollars educating their people in leadership.  Shane Pearson’s Christmas Day Story.

I would suggest you tell this story in your next leadership class.

p.s. I am honored to have worked with Shane and also honored to call him “Friend.”   

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