Understanding the Value of Storytelling

From my first moments working in wildland fire, I understood that we are a storytelling culture. I attended Guard School the same week I “celebrated” my 18th birthday. The only cadre members I remember from that week were members of the Zigzag Hotshots. They told stories that captivated my young impressionable mind. Through their words and story sharing, I began to understand how my choices and the choices of those leading me could directly affect the safety of everyone involved. I was drawn into the adventure of the job as they relayed details of what I might expect as I began life as a wildland firefighter. I was learning from their experience. When someone shares their story, we cannot help but become active participants in the events. Listening, judging, and processing each detail to determine if we would have read the context clues in the same way, ultimately arriving at the same actions. Or would we have done something different? Either way, through this process we develop our own experience. 

At its core, storytelling is the basis for learning and healing.

Through storytelling we build slides from which we can draw if ever we find ourselves in a similar situation. In essence, a well told story can elicit a reaction so strong that learning can happen. With no story, there is no dialogue. With no dialogue, internal or external, there is no learning. 

Beyond learning, storytelling helps develop a sense of community through building comradery and establishment of culture. How often have you found yourself reliving shifts of the past with friends by telling tales of hard but fun times, unbelievable accomplishments achieved together, or by recounting the worst of the miserable times with affection knowing you persevered together? 

Stories establish norms, create perceived heroes and villains, celebrate good times, and help process difficult times. At its core, storytelling is the basis for learning and healing. 

In this issue of Two More Chains, we focus on entrapment stories told through decades of incident reports and reviews. We will also hear from someone who was on Storm King Mountain near Glenwood Springs, Colorado on July 6, 1994 and what it means to him to tell his story. 

Decades after I heard those initial fire stories, I find myself understanding the value of storytelling on a whole new level. Consider the words on the following pages in this Two More Chains as you ponder the role of storytelling in our culture and your own development.

Kelly Woods, Director Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center. Reprinted from "Two More Chains, Summer 2021 ▲ Vol. 10 Issue 2