Broughton's Honor Statement
Brother first…Duty always!
Brother first…duty always is an “honor statement.” An honor statement simply says what is important to all of us, as members of Broughton.
Brotherhood in the fire service means that on duty or off duty, rain or shine, we are there to help each other AND our fellow citizens under any circumstances, no matter what the potential risk or inconvenience.
The brotherhood of firefighting means more than having a sticker on your windshield or license plate on your vehicle or a pager on your hip. It means that when you need help, your brothers are ready, willing and able to respond. It also means that I would lie next to you and burn the ears off my head before I would ever leave you in a burning building!
Our honor statement, brother first…duty always, at its core, addresses the values of the fire service. No matter what, we must take care of each other and we will never forget the honor of serving our community. Protecting not only our brother, but also the community is an awesome responsibility. Our honor statement helps solidify this distinction with each of us every time those words are spoken!
Tradition and honor go hand in hand. The fire service, as a whole, is laden with tradition. What are our traditions? Well, how about that our blue trucks symbolize the Broughton tradition of being different and wanting to stand out when making a difference.
Honor in the fire service essentially and simply means having a sense of ethical conduct or being as good as your word and doing the right thing. In the fire service, honor is the glue that binds brothers together in helping our neighbor, regardless of social class, living conditions or geography. This translation of honor implies that we must demonstrate honor on the following two fronts: (1) within the fire service itself, and (2) in the service we provide to the citizens of our community.
Brother first…duty always! I can’t think of a more relevant honor statement for the members of Broughton Volunteer Fire Department, the best of the best!
