HARRY R. CARTER, Ph.D., MIFireE

Guest Column by Kathleen Carter

Well, this month something new is happening. My name is Kathleen Carter and I am the youngest daughter of Harry Carter. You may have heard stories about me being the "firefighting daughter" or "daddy’s little fire girl." And while that might be embarrassing to others, I am honored that my dad can talk about his children like most dads cannot. However, this time the tables have turned. I decided to write this article to replace one of my dad’s for the month but he does not know it until now. So surprise dad, hope you enjoy!

I wanted to surprise my dad for two main reasons. First, I wanted to congratulate my father on becoming the new International Society of Fire Service Instructors President. He has worked very hard on the Board and staff of ISFSI for the past twenty-five years. Therefore, I know that he will do a tremendous job. When my father puts his mind to do something it will most likely get done. Some things may take longer then others, but that’s how my dad works and we still love him.

The other reason that I wanted to surprise my father with this article is because the day after he takes his new position, as President, he will have a birthday. (I will not say how old but if you ask him, he might tell you). For that reason, I thought this article would be a great birthday present. Most children will never be able to do this for one of their parents, so I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity. Hopefully, he will like it and be happy with what I have written about him.

Whenever I do call upon my father for something, he is there. For example: the time that my mom and I were victims of a hit-and-run car accident, we called my dad and the police. My dad somehow arrived before the officer did. My mom and dad reassured me that it was not my fault and that everything was going to be okay. In the end, things were alright and I understood what my parents said about bad things happening to good people. They also said that you could not blame yourself for the mistakes of others.

Another time, a close friend of mine locked his keys in his truck and we could not get home. Hence, I called my dad to get my AAA card and give me the phone number to get someone to unlock the truck, however, my dad took it upon himself to call for us and rescue us. After awhile, someone came and unlocked his keys. It was embarrassing to call my dad but he just laughed for a while and then helped me.

There are too many reasons to explain why my dad is always there. He loves my family equally and he definitely shows it when we least expect it.

There were times when my dad could not be there, however, he was helping others in Newark, New Jersey as a professional firefighter for over twenty-five years. My father loved his job and he never wanted to retire back in 1999. It actually took him two times to officially retire from Newark. I once heard somewhere, "Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life." I believe my father heard that as well and took it seriously, because he absolutely loved that job and never would have been happier. Well, maybe if he had become a professional tuba player, he would have been happier because there is hardly any stress or risk of death in that field.

My dad is able to do what he loves. Then he has the opportunity to speak about those experiences while teaching and educating other firefighters and instructors throughout the country, and sometimes further than that, like my friends in Nova Scotia that I met at a conference.

Back in October, I had the opportunity to attend the ISFSI Fall Training Conference at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy and listen to my dad, for the first time, lecture like he does at most conferences. I just sat and watched other people stare at my dad’s every move. At most lecture classes in college, I have had a hard time staying awake throughout the whole period, but not one person had their eyes closed in this class lecture. Therefore, I felt it was fascinating to be there and watch my dad speak.

I can honestly say that I am not surprised that my father didn’t look at papers or read from note cards. Everything he speaks about has been past experiences or beliefs he has regarding the fire service or life. Some of those experiences have not been good ones, however, he always learns more about firefighting and himself.

My father once wrote an article about having persistence and used me as an example. To me, my dad has the persistence and dedication to follow through with anything. I believe that my father has taught my family these traits throughout our lives. In that article, my father wrote how I wanted to become a teacher of the deaf and hearing-impaired. I think that the dedication my dad showed me has kept my dedication to achieving this particular goal of mine. I’ve realized that there are good days as well as bad days, however, with persistence you will always make it through. The lessons that my dad has taught me will hopefully enable me to improve my life for the better. In a few years, I hope to accomplish my goal and become a teacher of the deaf and hearing-impaired.

Another thing that I love about my father is the fact that I can talk to him about anything. I have gone to him many times for advice or even guidance in my life and he has been there to help. One main topic that comes up between us is firefighting. We get into discussions about what needs to be done on the fire scene and how I do not know what to do because I don’t want to do the wrong thing. Then, he tells me what he knows that I can do without affecting the condition. He listens to what I say and always knows how to help me. Most kids do not feel comfortable talking to a parent but mine make it very easy. I feel that my relationships with my parents are good because they have never judged me without listening to the whole situation or looking at the whole picture from my point of view. I know that now and in the future they will always be there to help and go to for support. Thanks mom and dad!

Luckily, my older sister Ellen, my twin brother Todd and myself had both of our parents growing up. My dad spent a lot of time in the firehouse and my mom spent many hours in the hospital but they always managed to make time for us. My parents both believed strongly that family was the most important thing and came before anything else. I am grateful for them and the values and morals they taught us and will continue to teach us for the rest of our lives. I only hope that I can do as good a job as they did in raising us.

Well, I hope this article lets you know more about my father and understand why many people admire and respect him. I could never ask for a better role model and I am thankful for each day with my dad. He is the greatest and although I don’t tell him enough I do love him and hope he knows what an impact he has made on my life, as well as many others.

Kathleen "Katie" Carter is one of three children of Harry and Jacalyn Carter. She recently finished her first year of college at Kean University, where her major is Teacher of the Deaf and Hearing-Impaired. She has been a Certified Volunteer Firefighter in Adelphia (NJ) Fire Company for one year and had been a Junior Firefighter since the age of fourteen.

EDITORS NOTE: This column is un-edited from it's original publication and appears here in it's entirety. It was first published in the July 2001 issue of The Voice, the monthly magazine of the International Society of Fire Service Instructors. It appears here through the courtesy of Dr. Robert Fleming, Editor of The Voice.

The commentary in this column does not necessarily reflect those of Firehouse.Com, Firehouse Magazine, their employees or parent company Cygnus Business Media. Harry R. Carter, Ph.D., MIFireE, is an internationally known municipal fire protection consultant and contributing editor to Firehouse Magazine. He recently retired as a Battalion Commander with the Newark, New Jersey Fire Department. His commentary appears regularly on Firehouse.Com. For more commentary and information, visit Carter's web site at www.harrycarter.com Harry has published several books available for online ordering, including Firefighting Strategy and Tactics and Management in the Fire Service