TED Talk Tuesday #251: A life lesson from a volunteer firefighter

TED continues to spread ideas and help us all be better critical thinkers. Watching, listening and talking about TED Talks is a popular pastime for many in the CN&CO community. We visit TED.com regularly to clear our heads, have a laugh, learn or get inspired. TED Talks open our minds, spark new ways of thinking and can lead to some very interesting conversations and business opportunities. Each week we pick a favourite and publish it on a Tuesday, because we like how “TED Talk Tuesday” sounds. It’s also a way that the CN&CO team play their part in spreading ideas and helping to make the world a better place. This week’s TED Talk was chosen by Blake Dyason. Here’s what he has to say about it:

Volunteer firefighter Mark Bezos once gave a short and humorous TEDTalk that I recently stumbled upon. In it, he tells a story of an act of heroism that didn’t quite go as expected, but taught him a big lesson. It reminded me that even the smallest actions can make a meaningful and memorable difference.

Similarly, in 2021, I started TRAIL Search and Rescue, a hasty team of trail runners to support Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) in mountain rescues. At first, I imagined us saving lives by running to help injured or lost hikers. But in reality, we spend most of our time volunteering behind the scenes with everything from managing traffic and clearing a landing zone for the rescue helicopter to carrying equipment for the medics and technical rescue teams.

Through this experience, I’ve learned the value of small acts of kindness and how they can make a huge impact. We often think of heroism in grand gestures, but it’s the small things we do that make all the difference. A kind word or a helping hand can mean the world to someone in need.

In our role as TRAIL Search and Rescue, we may not always get to be the so-called heroes, but that doesn’t diminish the importance of our contribution and the same goes for the our actions at work.

So, I encourage everyone to offer a helping hand, be kind, share knowledge, skills, and resources whenever possible. You never know how much of a difference it will make.

Blake brings a lot of energy, passion and heart into everything he does. He is extremely passionate about our country, it’s people and the environment. He is based in Cape Town and is happiest when he is running around exploring the beauty of the mountains.