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Dare To Be Different!

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 What gives any of us the right to feel or believe that we are entitled to be called a firefighter?

 

For some of us, we have held a steady job, been married, are raising children, are helping with community projects in our small, rather rural communities and all the while, we have been thinking about joining the local fire department to help out…so we do!

 

We are interviewed, accepted and are issued gear, along with a pager. Does this entitle us to call ourselves “firefighter” or to be regarded by others as a firefighter?

 

For others, getting on a paid fire department has been in the family for four generations and has been your childhood dream. It’s never been an option; it has been your destiny. Your goal is to serve in a large city where history has been witness to some monumental fires and extraordinary firefighters.

 

We get our name on the hiring list, go through the testing including CPAT, complete our interview and get confirmation that we have been hired. Does this entitle us to call ourselves “firefighter” or to be regarded by others as a firefighter?

 

It occurs to me after joining this website that there is a “Who’s Who” of current and former firefighters who are offering up a plethora of information on a wide range of subject matter. The training articles are second to none and the authors are likewise. The author’s style and tone of their articles do not discriminate nor differentiate between career, paid on call or volunteer firefighters. It is information that anyone who wants to improve their skills as a firefighter can do so. Do you think the authors of the blogs, news articles or training articles even care about what TYPE of firefighter you are? Oh sure; there will be articles on rural water supply that may only apply to a rural, volunteer department, but on the flip side, you will see articles on aerial truck operations that are interesting to guys like me, but are targeting metro firefighters. We can’t leave out our friends in wildland firefighting. They engage in some highly specialized tactics that warrant their own niche as well.

 

Did I say “type of firefighter”? I certainly did.

 

All MEN/WOMEN are created equal. Firefighters are NOT!

 

This may be contrary to what you believe or have been told, but it is an educated opinion that is supported by years of personal observation. We have seen nicely choreographed illustrations from authors who have been on both sides of the spectrum. They have been career firefighters who have gone on to volunteer. We have also seen the other swing where volunteer firefighters have become career. In both cases, the firefighter is taking SOMETHING from where they came to where they’re going. It might just be oodles of experience and the respect that experience will earn you with your peers.

 

Why does it matter so much to want respect or acknowledgement or acceptance from people that you don’t even know? Why would you presume to even EXPECT respect from someone that you don’t know, because isn’t one of the pillars of respect built on knowing the person? In my mind, you are being disrespectful by immediately wanting respect simply because you are on a fire department. When these people have not seen us perform our tasks, then how can we expect them to measure us all the way to a level of respect? We can’t and we shouldn’t, because it is wrong and very frustrating for those who don’t understand.

 

And on the other side of the coin, how can we say that we are the SAME as they are if we haven’t seen them perform their tasks, which are only in our realm of basic skills until they go to academy and start riding the trucks. It changes right then and there. We are no longer the same. Numbers of calls and time spent in classes and training cans DOES change all of that.

 

For me, it has never been about puffing my chest out around the paid guys. When I got my FF II certification, I knew that I was better for taking the training, but didn’t bother to gauge it against a career firefighter. It didn’t occur to me and frankly, it didn’t matter. I was trying to raise the bar for our fire department. As we progressed, so did respect between us, because we realized that our training would help hone our skills and keep us sharp. Respect could be measured in the amount of training that you did or didn’t do.

 

And with regards to training outside of the department with other departments? It was done with the intentions of LEARNING and not whether career guys were busting on us. It was about doing it right or doing it wrong and having to do it again. And if you had to do it again, then you shouldn’t complain that you were being picked on, but rather, shut up and do it right. What; because you are in turnout gear, you are entitled to get a free pass? You think that’s respect?

 

I want to see an end to the career/vollie debate. We all know what we are capable of doing. We know if we have the right to call ourselves “firefighters” and to have the privilege to wear the gear and to serve our communities. We cannot take anything for granted; least of all training and our interactions with other departments on a mass incident.

 

As far as respect?

 

Worry about getting it from your kids, your fire department and your community first. That should be all that matters anyway.

 

Then, you can look at how you measure up with others who are in the fire service. Use it to weigh your strengths and weaknesses, then share your strengths and strengthen your weaknesses. If you set out like you have nothing to prove and conduct yourself with a reserved and quiet humility, respect will sneak up on you before you know it. You may not hear it, but you WILL feel it.

 

Ask yourself if you want to be the same as all of the other firefighters or do you want to be different?

 

Dare to be different!

 

Tell yourself that you’re entitled to pursue the possibilities that exist in becoming the best firefighter that you can be for your family and your community.

 

Respect the honor, tradition, history and the dangers associated with firefighting.

 

Work on your life-saving skills and forget about saving the world.

 

Study hard and train hard. Word will spread. Respect will grow.

 

There you go; all because you dared to be different!

 

TCSS.

Art

 

This article is protected by federal copyright laws under The Adventures of Jake and Vinnie© umbrella. It cannot be reproduced in any form without the expressed permission of Art Goodrich aka ChiefReason. Visit me at www.chiefreasonart.com.

Posted by chiefreason on September 16, 2009 • Filed under: My Size Up • Tagged: , , ,

Just Follow My Lead

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First Published 8/23/03

 

My day job is as a safety director for a large company. My duties encompass all of the loss control issues, including worker injuries.

 

Because of my specialty, I am a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE). As a benefit, I get a monthly copy of Professional Safety magazine. In the July issue, there was an article entitled Risk Taking Among Firefighters-Identifying Key Attributes For An Incident Commander.

 

Many of us have participated in discussions about those traits that we look for in our fire service leaders. Though the article limits its scope to incident commanders, I believe that the same holds true for all officers-company officers and chief officers alike. And I think that it all comes down to your firefighters. They will not LET you lead them if they don’t respect you and therefore, trust in you.

 

I would like to discuss the key components of this very interesting article. Interesting, in that; in my world as safety director, risk taking is unacceptable behavior that must be modified to reduce the likelihood of injury. But in a firefighter’s world, an acceptable risk is, well, acceptable. And therein lies the rub!

 

The author of the article, David L. Fender, is not from the firefighting community, so his views are taken from the professional safety perspective.

 

Fender begins with: Key factors in firefighter injury and death involves the risks that firefighters are willing to take in the performance of their tasks and supervisor control of risk taking. This study used focus groups made up of paid and volunteer firefighters to define the content domain of the knowledge, attitudes and practices of firefighters towards risk taking in firefighting. Results indicated that firefighters are willing to take a higher level of personal risk and may be willing to violate their training and procedures in order to save lives. The principal factors that affected whether firefighters obeyed an incident commander, even in cases of life and death, were how well they knew the individual and whether they trusted his knowledge, judgment and expertise. To keep risk taking at an acceptable level, researchers recommend that incident commanders possess the following attributes: be knowledgeable, trustworthy, self-confident, levelheaded and have mutual trust with the crew.

 

I have always said that firefighters will, at that critical moment where a life is at stake, take everything that they have learned, ponder it ever so briefly and make their decision; not from the head, but from the gut! They will at that moment risk their life for another’s.

 

In a letter to the editor of Fire Engineering magazine in 1997, retired fire officer W. A. Witt wrote: Safety must be stressed at all times, but there are times when we have to do what has to be done.

 

As firefighters, we understand what Witt is saying, but in “doing what has to be done”, it can sometimes expose us to unnecessary risks or at the very least, risks that did not need to be taken. The most recent example of risk taking that resulted in the supreme sacrifice of 343 of New York City’s bravest is, of course, the response to the World Trade Towers on September 11, 2001. The debate will go on forever. I won’t debate it, because quite frankly, I wasn’t there and can only imagine what went through the minds of everyone who responded after the terrorist attacks.

 

What is known about emergencies is that there are always unknowns, so there cannot be a “cookie cutter” response. You should have written procedures. Will you follow them to the letter? Doubtful. BUT, they must be the template for your response; especially your command structure.

 

So; what motivates you? Why did you become a firefighter and why do you do what you do? In Buckman’s address to the International Association of Fire Chiefs in 1993, he identified three factors: achievement, affiliation and power. The very things that we take great pride in may cause us to take great risks. Fender writes that according to L. Davis: Firefighters-both paid and volunteer-join firefighting organizations for many reasons. Some want to help fulfill the need for community safety and security or in rural areas, to help neighbors. Others are attracted by the excitement, thrill and adventure. Others see firefighting as an opportunity to transform themselves into a ‘macho, death-defying hero’. Davis also describes other motivations including the hot-rod syndrome, which involves the thrill of operating fire apparatus….still others desire recognition from the community. R.D. Beaton states that firefighters frequently develop strong kinships and friendships with fellow firefighters. Corneil’s examination of traumatic stress among firefighters found that social support from coworkers had a strong protective effect from stress disorders. Additionally, teamwork and reliance on fellow firefighters in life-and-death situations provide strong reasons to support their fellow firefighters and to take risks to help them. Another factor involved in firefighter deaths and serious injuries is trust in leadership, which affects whether they follow orders from those leaders.

 

So, we know that firefighting is a risky business. How do company officers or incident commanders identify unnecessary risks and control the taking of necessary risks only? The primary safety concern in any occupation is personal safety first. It is stressed over and over again in firefighter training. What causes us to place our safety second? The focus groups that were used in this article yielded some interesting results on how firefighters felt about taking personal risk, when they were willing to take higher personal risk and the relationship of risk taking to supervision.

 

Common themes shared by career and volunteers regarding firefighting were:

  • Recognize the generally high risk and risk of death
  • Many unknowns in firefighting
  • Unusual hours
  • Sense of pride
  • Saving lives is satisfying
  • Helping people is satisfying
  • Sense of teamwork (career)
  • Lack of respect from public (volunteer)
  • Lack of respect from government entities (career)
  • Teamwork very important
  • Saving lives is primary objective, then property
  • No building is worth a human life
  • Dream to be a firefighter
  • Take the most risk to save a life
  • Take more risk for younger victims (mixed opinion)
  • Take the least amount of risk to save property
  • Always assume the worst at the scene
  • Highest risk taking involves saving lives
  • Highest routine risk taken is driving to incident.

 

Common themes between career and volunteers regarding obeying incident commanders were:

  • Incident commander is responsible; follow their orders
  • Incident commander is responsible for the safety of everyone at the scene
  • Must trust the incident commander and do what they say-lives depend on it
  • Would disobey if a life could be saved
  • Only disobey incident commander for a very good reason

 

More likely to obey an incident commander if they are:

  • Experienced
  • Knowledgeable
  • Respected as an individual
  • Trustworthy
  • Self confident
  • Level-headed
  • Willing to listen

 

More likely to disobey incident commander because of:

  • Lack of experience
  • Not part of team
  • Has a quick temper
  • Non communicator
  • Made too many past mistakes
  • Indecisive
  • Lack confidence in them
  • Inattention to detail
  • Too willing to put crew in danger

 

The author of the article states that: When a firefighter does not trust the leader’s judgment, the command structure begins to disintegrate. The firefighter starts to think on his own, disregarding the incident commander or even the good of the team and tragedy can result. Although incident commanders may prefer ‘blind obedience’ from their crew, due to Human Nature, mutual trust is more achievable. The study results and tragedies such as Mann Gulch and South Canyon all indicate that trust in leadership is critical in firefighting situations. R. A. Angulo states that based on his experience firefighters must have trust and confidence in their leadership BEFORE they will do what they are told; particularly when they think that life is at risk.

 

Fender concludes his article with the following: Based on the results of this study and other research, a command structure with the following attributes is more likely to achieve the best effort and most appropriate risk taking in firefighting operations:

1)    Knowledge and experience of the incident commander. The incident commander needs to be experienced and the firefighters need to know and have confidence in them.

2)    Trustworthiness. The incident commander must inspire trust in their crew. Trust is only gained over time and through working together.

3)    Mutual trust. Incident commanders must admit that they do not know everything and be willing to listen to others. Training together will boost this trust.

4)    Self-confidence. The incident commander must be aware of what they do or do not know and must ask for help when needed. When one is self-confident, there is no shame in asking for another opinion or double-checking when the information is critical.

5)    Levelheaded. The incident commander should remain calm and stay in control. They should not be afraid of making decisions and should be ready to re-think decisions when conditions change. It is not a sign of weakness to change an order when required.

 

As a practitioner of safety and a former chief officer of a volunteer fire department, I cannot in good conscience, advocate risk taking. But off the record, I understand why we do. I believe that there are decisions made that use our best judgment at that moment in time. Call it a calculated risk, if you will. You cannot be faulted for making your decisions based on all of the information that you have and have weighed it against the expected outcome.

 

Though I do not endorse the article, I do not dismiss it, either. I have brought it before an esteemed group of fire service leaders for their discussion. So please; discuss it!

 

As I finish this, I have posted a news article that is ironic, given its timing. The news article is entitled Moline firefighters lack confidence in chief. Read and compare.

 

As always, I welcome your thoughts.

 

And stay safe above all else!

 

The article as submitted is published under The Adventures of Jake and Vinnie© umbrella and is the intellectual property of Art Goodrich a.k.a. xchief22 and ChiefReason. It is protected by federal copyright laws and cannot be re-printed in any form without expressed permission from the author.

Posted by chiefreason on January 18, 2009 • Filed under: My Size Up • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

RESPECT Is Over-Rated!

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First Published 10/24/08

I want respect and I want it yesterday!

 

Well, as the song says, “you can’t always get what you want”.

 

Recently, another P vs. V thread was shut down. Web Chief always shuts them down because, like me, he KNOWS that they will end up in the toilet with the obligatory name-calling and catter-walling!

 

What is interesting to note is that, you can discuss the different issues of the different fire services and even co-mingle them a little, but as soon as you draw the line in the sand…BOOM; thread gone. Once the “doo-dah vs. hee-haw” is delineated, the thread’s days-possibly hours-are numbered. And that is not meant as a criticism, but I don’t like to see productive threads eliminated simply because we couldn’t keep the debate respectful. Hmmm; there’s that word.

 

I view the fire service and the people who populate it from a very broad spectrum. I have been involved at the local level for some 28 plus years. I have attended many conferences over those years, where I had an opportunity to interact with various fire service personalities-some highly regarded and some who thought a lot of themselves.

 

I have been participating in fire service discussions on the national/international level via the Internet since 2001. It is with this medium that I have developed a very harmonious and homogenous relationship. I can sit in the solitude of my bunker, read up on the most recent, impacting issue and then articulate my observations to the various fire service websites. For me, that’s three websites that I visit regularly. I may go to some of the others if someone has posted a link to an article or comment of interest.

 

When I first hit the Internet on a website that Web Chief co-founded, I was routinely beaten by some of the more colorful users of the time. I will never forget Mongofire99. He was from the Dallas/Fort Worth area and he taught me the importance of preparing for the debate. Captain Gonzo taught me about respectful debate. Hmmm; there’s that word again. So; I developed my skills over the next few years and you now see the end product of all of the time that I have spent researching the articles, the issues, the products, the personalities, history, tradition and related topics.

 

I believe that people who engage in discussion who do not research the other side of the issue isn’t interested in resolving differences. They want to simply voice their opinion and go to the next thread, building their post count along the way. They seem to believe that “you’re full of crap” is a deeply moving and thought-provoking reply to an intense discussion of some relevance to our safety, livelihood and passion to serve.

 

I use to think that the insults and name-calling came from deep within a person, until I saw them in numerous discussions saying the same things. Then, it dawned on me that they had no desire to learn; only to BURN the ones that they disagreed with. And they inject a firefighter’s “pedigree” if it suits them. It is as if they believe that they are so important that I am speaking DIRECTLY to them when I post my observations, because their reply is more often than not pointed directly to me.

 

And here, my friends, is where RESPECT comes in.

 

It is my opinion that you cannot gain respect for what we do, until we have sat at the table and listened to the “old guys” talk about the “old days”. We cannot possibly know where our departments are going if we have no idea of where we’ve been. We can’t solve the money problems or anything else, unless we have studied the politics over the years and the process to get and to spend tax money. Therefore, we have to have some respect for the process. Simply whining about money isn’t going to get us more money.

 

We will not get the respect of our peers if we find a litany of excuses when it comes time to attach the carabiners and go over the side of the tower or to bottle up and go into a smoke filled room or to hook a hydrant and to get water out of the engine.

 

We should not expect to get respect while others are busting their butts at a fire school, battering and bruising themselves, earning their stripes/earning their right to call each other “firefighter” while some of us are over at the “trinket” table buying the newest “I’m a REAL Hero” T-shirt. The back is feeling much better, thank you.

 

We cannot possibly have gained respect through the knowledge that we have acquired if we have only been “on the job” for a few short months. I admire enthusiasm in our newbies, but don’t confuse “enthusiasm” with “egotism”. We shouldn’t believe that, since we have done it once, we are the expert on it. Anyone in the business knows and respects the number of times an evolution must be done to “perfect” it. Have enough respect for the job to know that monkeys can’t do it. Hell; even monkeys know you can’t master most tasks on the first try. It takes practice, practice, practice.

 

And finally; we should have enough respect for our virtual brothers and sisters to know that they don’t want respect handed to them on a platter. There should be no uncomfortable silence when a point is made. Jokes, pranks and humor should be left to those who have established their “style” and will not be taken out of context. Even that is done out of respect for others. We should remember that good-natured ribbing on any given day can turn ugly, if the recipient isn’t exactly having a good day.

 

Respect is earned and not given. Well, at least the Marines think so.

There is this notion among some of us who believe that, as soon as you are accepted onto a fire department that respect is automatic. So, we come blowing onto the Internet scene armed with our textbook take on a range of fire ground activities and as soon as it becomes evident that there “appears” to be a lack of EXPERIENCE, the passion at the other end explodes into indignation and “I thought we were all BROTHERS” tirades.

 

The fire service has often been described as a “para-military” organization. I believe that is true. And you go nowhere in the military, unless you master every task, one at a time and then do it again. You cannot earn your stripes any other way. You have to get into the face of your fellow soldiers and challenge them to do the same as you, because if you don’t, you ALL pay the price as a unit.

 

In my mind, every unit should yield the next leaders to a man. If you are in just to get by until you retire, then the others should make sure that you wash out in your first 6 weeks. If you don’t get the commitment out of each man that they will bring you back if you can’t bring yourself back, then you don’t have the heart or the desire to succeed. And you certainly won’t get respect.

 

I happen to believe that leaders can be developed very quickly when using the right approach. I don’t believe that “years of experience” necessarily makes the best leaders. But, just like the military, there is no reason why you can’t be a leader within 2 years after enlistment, if you dedicate yourself to it. The same can be said for the fire service. I respect anyone who will accelerate their learning curve through strong commitment to hard work. I want to see the next generation succeed and not fail. I want to see them work to lead and not to clock in and go hide.

 

We live in a world where almost everything that we do has immediate results. With the advent of computers, Internet and cell phones, we can expect our information very quickly. Unfortunately, some think respect should be as quick.

 

Sorry; that’s something that technology isn’t going to fix. That process that we know as garnering respect is going to have to be done the old fashioned way.

 

And if that methodology makes me out-dated or out of touch, well then, I can respect that.

 

Respect IS over-rated IF we believe that it can be handed out like a Hallmark card and we all know that they have one of those for EVERY occasion.

 

TCSS.

Posted by chiefreason on January 12, 2009 • Filed under: My Size Up • Tagged: , ,

We Don’t Do It That Way…Anymore!

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First Published 4/29/08

 

As we say “hello” to May, I wanted to give you all something to chew on.

 

So often in the fire service, we hear “we don’t do it that way”.

 

Well, I’m here to tell you that we don’t do it that way anymore and the perfect example of this statement is in how we treat our new people-recruits, if you will.

 

Think about it and you will agree that the people my age-current leaders-can bear some of the responsibility for this.

 

Now, all of you bright and youthful ones stay with me here. Read on while I talk to my generation about YOUR generation.

 

Leaders; as parents, did we not treat our children differently than we were treated as children?

 

Didn’t we make the conscious effort to do so, because we didn’t want them to have to go through the same, rough times as we did while growing up?

 

If we made mistakes that bore certain consequences, we made every effort to teach our children NOT to make the same mistakes as we did, because WE didn’t like the consequences.

 

We taught our son to develop a certain, mental toughness and to develop a respect for laws, his peers, his teachers, other authority figures, and the value of money, hard work and God, among others.

 

We taught him that there were certain privileges that were not guaranteed, but had to be earned. He learned to understand that these privileges were triggered by first earning trust and that as parents; we wouldn’t give him the easy way out, because “trust” was very important and very fragile.

 

Once we had HIS trust, he knew that he didn’t have to lie and could come to us for anything, except the easy way out!

 

He learned that, if he didn’t want to make the same mistakes, he had to listen, learn and make the best decisions.

 

So, my question to everyone is: how is that any different than teaching new recruits?

 

Teaching the next generation of recruits fire suppression tasks or auto extrication evolutions is as easy as “show and tell”!

 

But, how do you engage them to step up, trust the tools, trust what they are learning and to apply it in an emergency setting, IF they are the constant target of criticism, demeaning remarks or are given busy work disguised as “paying their dues”?

 

How can we earn THEIR respect, if we don’t go to middle ground and throw out the “my way or the highway” mentality?

 

Yeah; it’s all life-saving, cutting edge stuff, but if your students are sitting there stewing about their latest embarrassment, then how receptive are they?

 

They are young; that is true, but they are not “kids” anymore. When they crossed the threshold to the door of the fire station, they walked into a world that, on most days, would shock the unsuspecting and paralyze the unprepared.

 

It is a world that we have lived in and survived in. We did so and still do, because our mentors, though not adverse to practical jokes, were not malicious and were most likely offering some levity to ease our stress.

 

We were passionately introduced to our current toolboxes of knowledge and skill by people who wanted us to succeed and not to wash out. They allowed us to grow and all the while, made sure that they had our backs AND our fronts!

 

For some of us, it felt like it couldn’t come fast enough, but learning a thorough grasp of the sciences was not only prudent but necessary. It is this concept that we MUST pass on to the new generation of recruits.

 

WE learned by watching, listening and then by doing! Today’s recruits have so many different mediums from which to gather information, that they absorb it and then go out and do it!

 

THAT is what has really changed; the “velocity” of the delivery of the information. We don’t “see” them learning, because much of what they learn is from outside the classroom. As leaders, we just have to make certain that the source of the information is credible; then trust it.

 

When you think about it, the learning experience just got streamlined; leaving more time to practice skill sets. After all, we should all be teaching the same, basic principles. How that is delivered should be left to the students and their instructors.

 

Classroom or on-line; if it accomplishes the goal, which is to learn, then the new recruits are farther ahead of the curve when it comes time to start fire academy or practical skills at a station house.

 

I realize that there may be a concern that some “institutions” are taking money and giving out “paper”. However; if you set up your department’s computers to enroll in classes taught through your state fire academies, then you are almost guaranteed that the information is useful and necessary.

 

In closing, let me say that, when you treat others as you would want to be treated, the respect will float both ways.

 

Never dismiss the opportunity to hear what the newest generation has learned from a recent class. Though YOU may not have learned to do it that way, “that way” might not be the way that it’s done anymore!

 

In this business, we stop learning when we stop listening.

 

I have been involved in the fire service for over 27 years and I still consider myself a “student”…a very old student!

 

I am motivated and invigorated by the latest innovations; especially where it can have the potential to save more firefighter lives.

 

The very bright future of our fire service can only succeed, if we believe we-the leaders-have done everything that we can to grow and nurture the next generation of firefighters.

 

Leaders have to be the catalysts for change, because if we’re not, then the “same, old way” will produce the same, old results!

 

Now; I want to hear from YOU!

 

TCSS.

  

The article as submitted is published under The Adventures of Jake and Vinnie© umbrella and is the intellectual property of Art Goodrich a.k.a. xchief22 and ChiefReason. It is protected by federal copyright laws and cannot be re-printed in any form without expressed permission from the author.

Posted by chiefreason on January 12, 2009 • Filed under: My Size Up • Tagged: , , ,