Rescue Mode/Live It!

A rescue is generally proceeded by a call.
The phone rings at Emergency Services. The operator does a quick interview to find out what the needs are. The order goes out to those that need to respond.

Now imagine that happening in your head. It's a different way of looking at life, other people and ourselves.

Make a decision that you want to help others. Then set up an Emergency Services HQ in your head. The call happens when you see someone close to you that's in need. Could be a friend who's sick. Could be a stranger that's fallen on hard times. Could be a family member that needs some advice.

It involves being alert to what others are experiencing in their lives. If you're like me, that takes practice. I tend to be oblivious to what's happening around me and it has taken a while to create this mindset of being on the watch for people hurting. When you see a need, that's your invitation to get involved.

Find out what the needs are. Depending on who you're helping, you may need to be discreet. And also, the help doesn't have to be announced. An anonymous gift of help can be the best option. The thanks you receive is seeing someone blessed in the middle of trouble.

By the way, I imagine firemen, policemen and EMS attendants do get thanks, but they don't do what they do for the thanks. They do it because they've chosen a profession that can be significant in the lives of others. It's a great attitude to take through life.

In the midst of all this, don't forget the hidden blessing. Relationship is the best part of being human. As men, we tend to have that John Wayne concept of helping. Storm in like a hero, ride off into the sunset. There's a better way. Use the opportunity to create deeper relationships--friendships. They will pay dividends in unexpected ways.

And finally, consider the fact that you may be the one in need at some point. People that you've helped in the past will reciprocate. Be ready to accept that help. It's part of the give and take flow of life. In ways unexplainable, you are helping others when you accept help from them.

Take care. And be careful out there.

Rescue Mode/Go Deep

Making a difference in other people's lives.
What would need to change about my life so I'd be ready, able, and willing to jump in when someone needs help?

When I look back at my brother's experience as a life guard, I see three distinctives that contributed to his ability to spot danger and successfully intervene:

• There's preparation and practice. Before being certified as a lifeguard, my brother took a lot of courses, practiced techniques in the pool, and passed a lot of tests that qualified him for the position. He was prepared to recognize dangers and respond properly.


• There's a watchful eye that is ever-alert to the warning signs of danger. Have you seen lifeguards scour the landscape at poolside? They are intent on finding any issues before they become critical. (They also take breaks from time-to-time in order to be able to concentrate when they are on duty.)


• There's a willingness to act. Once the danger has been spotted, there can't be any hesitation. Acting quickly to intervene can make all the difference. Years after my brother's lifeguard experience, that willingness to act was still part of his makeup. He was in a restaurant with his family and a baby at the next table began choking. The parents started to panic. My brother asked to help, put the baby into the proper position to clear his throat passage. The obstruction was removed and the baby was fine. I marvel not just at the knowledge and experience that came into play at that moment, but my brother's willingness to step into an uncomfortable, emotionally charged situation involving strangers. Yet, the parents were so glad he did.

So, if I'm looking to be a person who stands ready to help others, there are some conscious moves I can make to be prepared and to have the proper mindset.

When we see people in need, at times, we don't intervene because we wouldn't know what to do if we did. At other times, we just don't have our radar up--we're self-absorbed or simply don't have an eye out for signs of trouble. And then at other times, when we do see someone in need, we just can't overcome a sense of discomfort with intervening in another person's life.

All three are areas we can address and change. Imagine what you can do and let's compare notes on Friday.

Rescue Mode/Think About It

Are you like me?
I hear the word "rescue" and I think of the brave men who rushed into the World Trade Center on 9-11. Or, the soldiers who entered enemy territory in Iraq to free their comrade. Or the EMS ambulance driver that drove through a busy intersection on his way to treat a heart attack victim.

I think of my father who saved a man's life using CPR. I think of my brother who, as a lifeguard, pulled a drowning boy from the pool and resuscitated him.

But I don't think of me. Sitting behind a desk most of the day, I can hear the sirens of fire engines responding to a call and I wonder where they're headed and who is hurting. But I don't tend to think of myself in the role of rescuer.

I want to change that.

One mindset that has to change for me is that not everyone that needs rescuing needs a policeman, fireman, or an EMS crew. The walking wounded are all around us. But either we're too absorbed in our own lives to notice, or we just haven't trained ourselves to see the hurt in the world around us.

What would happen if I began to see myself as a person who could make a difference in other people's lives? How would I walk through life differently? What would change?

What about you?