Abstract
Aim: The presentation of preliminary considerations on the ethos of the profession of firefighter.
Introduction: In addition to appropriate procedures and standards, the competences of persons who create an institution are an essential element of their good functioning. In the context of the profession of firefighter, which serves an important social mission, axiological competences, which properly condition the effectiveness of all other competences, are taking on particular significance. The shaping of the ethos of duty, which determines its model and aspirations, is their source and point of reference. One should note the important place of valorisation of the ethos of firefighter among the most important factors which build the potential of this profession. The correlation between work and living in accordance with the moral rules of individuals and professional groups is determined by the term “ethos”. This notion became especially important during the dynamic development of knighthood. It became, in a sense, a synonym for a set of moral concepts, attitudes and behaviour. It highlights the unconditional devotion to the undertaken obligations. Ethos is something more than adopting a specific attitude which is highly regarded in moral terms. It approximates something which can be regarded as typical morals of an individual and even more closely resembles the social norm constituting an indicator of average moral behaviour of the members of the group in specific historical circumstances. The level of firefighter’s ethos, therefore, ultimately reflects the level of average moral behaviour of individual representatives of this service. Professional ethos is never shaped over a short period of time. It is often created slowly, with specific effort, by entire generations. One can indicate here an incredibly strong interrelation. Members of a given professional group not only establish the ethos, they are moulded by it into morally adult people through their work and lifestyle. Only by actually becoming involved in the implementation of ethos can one build a model lifestyle, which invariably, in the case of the profession of firefigher, is based on inner strength, courage, sacrifice and professional competence.
Conclusions: The effective pursuit of the profession of firefighter must have its axiological foundation. Therefore, shaping the ethos of the knights of St. Florian should be regarded as an important element of the theory and pragmatics of this profession.
Keywords: ethos, firefighter, morality, ideal, values, duty