Duane “Dog” Chapman stars with his family and posse on A&E’s Dog The Bounty Hunter as a bounty hunter with a heart.  If you have seen the show, then you know that Dog typically captures his fugitive and then counsels them on how they can turn their life around just as Dog himself turned his life around from his days in a motorcycle gang.  Because it is reality T.V. you may think that it is all for show.

I can tell you firsthand, that the same passion and message that Dog delivers on television is the same message that he portrays in public.  He lives the message that he delivers and that is what makes it believable.  In his appearance, he talked for nearly an hour with an intensity that let you know that he was speaking from the heart and that his words were genuine.

Dog’s message is about second chances and turning your life around.  Many victims of fire do not get a second chance.  So, what can we learn from this Dog the Bounty Hunter?  We can learn compassion and to make sure that we are living the message that we are delivering as safety educators.  We can strive to give our audiences first chances.

How do we do that?  We do it by living the way that we want them to. We do it by making sure that we are practicing what we preach.

• Do we always wear our seatbelts in the car or on the rig?
• Do we have working smoke detectors in our homes?
• Do we have escape plans and do we practice them?

The list could go on.  Making sure that we take the time to follow our own advice will ensure that our message is genuine and believable.   Are you practicing what you preach?