My Public Speaking Experience

Background

Experience Built Under Pressure

My public speaking experience has had its ups and downs throughout my teens and professional career. Now that I am older and have more experience, I am much more comfortable speaking in public than I was when I was younger.

I served in the U.S. Army National Guard from ages 17 to 25, and I am currently a firefighter/paramedic, a role I have held from age 20 to the present. Today, I speak publicly multiple times a year. Sometimes I am working with younger children and explaining what firefighters are and what they do. Other times I am teaching high school students at career fairs, leading EMT or fire classes, presenting EDITH lessons, or participating in community events.

Is it always good? I hope so, because many of the topics I speak about are important and carry real weight in emergency scenarios. I am no longer as fearful as I used to be. My main concern now is making sure the core message is received and delivered in a way that fits the audience.

Turning Point

The Academy Presentation

When I think back to the beginning of my career, I remember the end of my academy. Each candidate had to find and research a LODD, or Line of Duty Death. We had to discuss what happened, flow paths, how the incident applied to our department, what policies we would create to improve our department, and several other requirements.

Each candidate had a 20- to 30-minute time slot, followed by 5 to 10 minutes for questions. On the surface, that does not sound too bad. What made it difficult was this: the entire department was the audience.

This was around 2010-2011, so PowerPoint existed, but it was not what it is today. Was I fearful? Absolutely. I was a recruit presenting my limited logic to a group of highly trained, experienced firefighters.

Preparation

Overprepared on Purpose

For those unfamiliar with the fire service, image and first impressions are extremely important. Character and reputation matter. If you develop a bad name for yourself, your career can be affected for years.

Ultimately, the presentation went well. Because the final project was known early, I chose my LODD around week two or three and studied it intensely. I researched the incident, new tactics, new policies, and anything else that applied. I knew my LODD inside and out and was prepared for the questions that might come.

I stood in front of a mirror and presented my project probably 100 times. My family and girlfriend, now wife, put up with all of the awkward practice moments. I was overprepared, but that worked to my benefit because it was exactly what the department wanted to see.

My Why

The Reason Behind the Work

I am currently 36 years old with 15 years as a career firefighter. I am nearing the point where I either need to promote or retire. The magic number is 18 years for around 80% of my three highest grossing years. After about 21 to 25 years, staying in without promotion can become financially difficult. A bachelor's degree is required for promotion, which is the first reason behind my "why."

The second reason is that I am not sure if I want to continue beyond the 18- to 20-year mark. This career takes a toll physically and mentally. It is often said that "we are just trying to make it to retirement." That assumes you have not had a career-ending injury, lost your life, or developed some form of cancer. I have young children, and I want to see them grow up.