Top 10 Realizations of a New Fire Chief

I started this blog site six years ago.  It began with the intention to expand mentoring within the fire service although it has transitioned into a place where I relieve my frustrations and let others know that they are not alone in their fire service related concerns.  

I thought that it would be neat to look at my career, department, and life the way I did when I started this blog.   My first post was meant to be inspirational… looking at the past year and pledging to be a better officer the next year.  I want to maintain that attitude and while my life is vastly different now than it was six years ago,  I am committed to continual development and improvement.  

With that lets get to my to ten realizations learned over the past year as a Fire Chief. 

Number 10:  Never give up staff positions until you fully understand the situation.

While many will have their opinion on my biggest mistake as a new chief,  I firmly believe the biggest (to date) was to give up a second deputy position.  To be fair,  it hadn’t been filled for a long time and when I came in,  it was difficult knowing who I could trust and who was out to trip me up.  I fully expected to be able to add it back when the justification existed.   I have since realized that it is very difficult to add new positions and I would have been better off freezing it until I had time to fully analyze the situation.

Number 9:  Your badge and position come with its own history and failures that are now yours whether you deserve them or not.

I knew starting in a new department was a doubled edged sword.   While the people did not know of my past failures or issues,  they also did not know my reputation or track record of being a solid firefighter and caring leader.   What I did not realize is that the badge of chief came with its own history that was now mine to own.   Every mistake of previous administrators was stacked against me.   I promised to give everyone a clean slate when I arrived but I started off with every mismanaged decision,  every untruth ever told,  and every failed project.  It doesn’t seem like a big deal but when some of my predecessors didn’t have a great reputation,  I suddenly found every honest mistake I made being met with hyper criticism.   I hadn’t built the trust or history with this department that I once had.   If I had made the same mistake in my previous department,  it would be less critical as people knew who I was and how I operated.

Number 8:  Every decision made will positively affect some but negatively affect others.

I have always strived to find win / win scenarios when dealing with issues.   While I know that it is impossible to always find a win,  it didn’t stop me from trying.   What I quickly realized is that for every good intention decision,  it would negatively affect someone.   I hate to think this is a numbers game but  when dealing with over a hundred people it literally became a decision based on what’s best for everyone that would have the least number of negative impacts.   I guess if I didn’t care about people the decisions would be easier but I remember working for these managers.   Every decision easily defended based on cost savings,  efficiency,  or to meet a standard.  I don’t want to be a great manager,  rather a great leader.   I know I have managerial restraints but I also know that a balance can be maintained.   Is it difficult?   Hell yes it is!   Is it worth it?   Again,  a resounding yes!

Number 7:  Take time for yourself and develop a healthy work / life balance.

I struggle with this realization.   I remember telling my wife that the first year was going to be difficult as I had to play catch up and get to know everyone in the department.   That was truly an understatement of the reality.   I could work 24/7 and never get to the end of my work.   I refer you to my article on the top 10 things that keep a chief awake at night.   With so many issues,  it is hard to take any time off for those of us who take this job seriously.   While it is difficult advice to follow,  the deputy mayor constantly reminds me that things weren’t broken over night so they can’t be fixed over night.   I have taken up fishing, which my kids and wife love to do but still haven’t mastered a good balance.   This lesson learned is easier to talk about than to accomplish.

Number 6:  Own up to mistakes and pass on credit.

Notice I didn’t say own up to “Your” mistakes.   That advice is easy and will help build a leader’s credibility.  Go back to the understanding that when you are chief,  everything good or bad in you department is your responsibility.  Pass on the congratulations when your team performs well and take the hit for less than adequate performance.   While you should take the hit,  don’t forget to follow through with the issue to correct it and help the individual or individuals learn and grow.  I find myself accepting the blame associated with lesson number 9 a lot. 

Number 5:  Stay away from politics but don’t be blind to their existence.

I have read articles on both sides of the fence concerning Fire Chiefs and politics.   What I quickly realized is that I have no business being involved with it.   I am not blind to the fact that my job has political impact and influence however,  without knowing how far the players reach,  I found myself in a dangerous place.  What I focus on is being the best fire chief that I can be.  While I haven’t successfully navigated a political change,  I have watched others who have.   These chiefs have embraced politics but stayed out of the mix.   I’ll let you know how this lesson goes in the future!

Number 4:  Remember the various levels of “team” you belong to and prioritize your loyalty correctly.

As you advance your career, it is easy to forget where your priorities lie.  For me I have learned to hold my family as my primary team.  I took this job only after soliciting family support.   You cannot be a good or great fire chief without support at home.  Missing family events is inevitable but you can’t sacrifice your family for your job all of the time.

My next priority team is at City Hall with my boss and peers.   While some may say I should consider my department as the next priority, wait till the end to see how I cope with this.  This level of team is where I can do the most good for my department.   Every department I have ever worked at felt like we were the proverbial “red headed step children” of whatever organization we belonged to.   While the fire service is different,  we owe it to the larger organization to fit in as well as we can.   I tell people that we cannot expect to sit at the table and get more than scraps if we do not fit into the bigger picture. 

My third team is fire department managerial staff.   Who wants to work for someone who doesn’t have their back and let them make decisions?   I have to support,  recognize, and give priority to those I trust to run things.

My final team in this example is the department as a whole.   Now comes the explanation as to how I can still keep them in mind with all of the other levels of team above them.   In order for me to keep my priorities straight and still be able to look out for my department as a whole,  I have to align each subset with the goals and direction of the higher level.  This includes communicating goals or directions that lower levels want to have accomplished so they can be included in higher priority team planning.

With this example,  I must ensure my family is willing to support me with the decisions I make,  my boss and peers need to know that I am considerate of their needs and direction,  my supervisory staff have to have a clear picture of what is going on,  and it all translates into working to make the department better for the team.

It is easy to lose sight of your priorities but refocusing will provide the best results.   It is impossible to please everyone,  but if you maintain your priorities you will be more consistent and be a good team player on all levels.

Number 3:  Do not be afraid of setting high standards.

Especially when walking into a new organization,  you need to clearly set yourself up for success.  I found myself walking the line between setting a higher bar and not making major changes.  It is difficult to expect people to immediately accept the new vision but I firmly believe firefighters are built to overcome any challenge set in front of them.   If you set the bar too low there will never be any major momentum.   The higher you set the goal the more you have to be prepared to navigate the resistances you will face.   Again,  don’t be afraid but don’t expect it to fall in place without a ton of personal effort.

Number 2:  Find a mentor because you shouldn’t complain down the chain and it is lonely at the top.

Following a core leadership principle where complaints go up and praise goes down the chain,  it is hard to handle the stresses you will face.   When the proverbial buck stops with you,  it is easy to take on more than you are capable of handling.  You need to find a support network full of people at the same level.   It is difficult to even talk to peers within your organization because fire departments are so different.  

It also became clear to me when my wife left town on a trip with the kids that I do not have a huge pool of friends anymore.   I don’t think you have to distance yourself from subordinates but if you choose to use work as your primary source of social interaction,  it is full of problems.   Again,  there has to be life after work,  generally of your friends are all from work,  you will never get to put down the helmet and not be chief.  

Mentors are a huge part of my success.   Varying degrees of experience and access to their leadership styles help keep me balanced when I’m facing issues.  It also helps when they call with their issue so I know the grass is the same on all sides of the fence.   Ultimately,  others can help you grow and learn.   Find a mentor and be a mentor!

Number 1:  Know who you are and what you stand for prior to becoming a chief!

My wife, mother,  and pretty much anyone who has known me for any amount of time will acknowledge that I am a strong-willed individual.   I can’t imagine doing this job if I wasn’t confident in who I am and what I stand for.   Every decision made, no matter how good the intentions are, will end up upsetting someone.   While it is ok to admit failures and regroup,  you cannot be completely wishy – washy.   Know where to draw the hard lines and at the end of the day make sure you can still look yourself in the mirror.  

I’m sure there are a ton of life lessons I will gain from this new experience but one thing is for sure,  I am grateful for this position and have come to fully understand the weight of the bugles.   Be safe and make sure you are learning everyday!

Remembering where you come from

Just in time for Veteran’s Day… the past few weeks have given me a lot of reasons to think back to where I began my fire service career… in the United States Air Force.  Thanks to those who helped me especially in the beginning…. without excellent leaders to help shape me,  there is no way I could have achieved so much!

Now onto the reason I’m writing tonight!

Something that often is said as someone promotes is to never forget where they came from.  These words circle my head as I make decisions as the chief.  I use it as a reminder to  hopefully avoid the other times it is used by those under me.   These bad uses come in various forms and in some cases are founded….”He forgot where he came from”  words that can cut someone who has pride in their career.   It is used when leaders forget that their orders come with legitimate consequences for those who have to follow.  It is mentioned when leaders fail to consider how they would have liked the same order when they were in a lower position.   Finally it is used to describe someone who gives orders or direction based on self – service.  

At a recent department event, someone told me that all of the changes to increase training,  enhance safety,  and make the department better were just an attempt to build a resume.   They said I should remember where I came from and consider if I would like all of the changes.   It caused me to step back and question my conviction…. was I being too demanding?  Did I give anyone the perception that I was in this job to move on to the next bigger and better thing?   I have been deep in self reflection since this occurred.

By remembering where I came from it dawned on me that the way I was raised in the fire service, the issues I am dealing with would not have been tolerated by any level of officer in the department.

I came from a true military environment that wouldn’t accept disrespect, anything less than excellence,  or fire house gossip.   We had dinner together,  families visited the station for holidays, and we looked out for each other like true family.  I took pride in my apparatus,  station,  and the profession.   No one had to tell me to train, clean and maintain the equipment, or build a solid team…  I knew lives depended on me,  my training, the equipment,  and our ability to work together as a well disciplined team. 

The question remains…. what has changed over the span of my career where I am constantly dealing with issues related to people who don’t take this job seriously,  fail to appreciate what they have,  and are more interested in stirring the proverbial pot than being the best firefighter they can be?   I haven’t changed my attitude or ambition to leave my mark on the profession.  I am still motivated to make the world better than I found it.  I treat others the way I want to be treated and look at opposing views before making decisions.  It dawned on me as I was racking my brain on this that the only thing that has changed is my tolerance for this bad behavior.   Education and experience has taught me to establish reachable goals when dealing with others.   In some cases this has forced me to accept less than what I believe is true excellence.  

There are a ton of careers that accept mediocre…. most of which do not have life and death consequences associated with them.   

My favorite quote to quickly explain public perception of firefighters comes from John Eversole,  “Our department takes 1,120 calls every day. Do you know how many of the calls the public expects perfection on? 1,120. Nobody calls the fire department and says, ‘Send me two dumb-ass firemen in a pickup truck.’ In three minutes they want five brain-surgeon decathlon champions to come and solve all their problems.”

I don’t know how to fix every problem but I have to thank the person that tried to use the “remember where you came from” as an argument to devalue my efforts.   Self reflection often provides answers and in this case, has strengthened my resolve to make the department better,  stop accepting mediocrity,  and promote the values that I was raised with in the fire service!   Integrity First…. Service Before Self…. and Excellence in All We Do!

Things that keep a Chief awake at night.

Source: Things that keep a Chief awake at night.

Longest week ever

If you have followed this blog for any amount of time,  it is easy to see that I use it as an outlet to express myself so my mind will wind down and hopefully let me sleep.   Tonight is no different…

This week has been longer than usual for me.   It wasn’t the endless onslaught of meetings,  working through ongoing maintenance issues,  or drafting what seems like hundreds of emails that made it so long… rather it was the emotional roller coaster that this week has been.

When I got home, having already missed pizza Friday with my family,  my extremely perceptive four year old asked me why I looked sad.  My wife and I have open communication with our kids and try to tell them in age appropriate terms what is going on.   It was in this moment that I realized I couldn’t put into words why I felt drained and “sad.”  I simply told him that I had a long week and today was especially long.  

After putting him to bed my mind started drifting through the events of the week.  I think the scars left by 9/11 on the fire service are self explanatory and even the visit with a firefighter in the hospital are easily understood as he is someone I have come to know.  

While any funeral is difficult to attend, the retiree who was being honored today is someone I barely knew…. why is it so prominent in my mind?  

It is true that the only direct memories I have are of the last few weeks of his life in the hospital and a handful of retiree events that gave us a reason to come together within the past year.  The reason I am sad over the loss of a man I barely knew is simple.  While I never had the privilege of working with the man being honored,  there are a lot of things I do know about him.   Over three decades of service with our department lets me know that this retiree loved his career and serving others.   This dedication to a cause greater than one’s self is honorable in every sense of the word.

Seeing several generations of current and former firefighters,  along with family and friends gathered at his service let me know he was loved,  respected,  and worthy of coming together to celebrate his life while mourning the loss of his presence.  The tears and hugs exchanged spoke volumes as to the man’s ability to bring people together in a positive way.

Listening to stories of his famous one liners and tales of his exploits on the fireground painted a picture of a man who took his job seriously but not too seriously.  The fact that every story being shared ended with the same short pause at the end, where the laughter faded,  and everyone including the story teller immediately realized that they would not create any new stories with this man tells me that the spirit of this firefighter will live on even through the sadness of his departure.  

My week has been long because no matter what got done,  what meetings I attended,  or what documents got drafted,  it ended with a radio transmission announcing the last call for Retired Captain David Oney and the ringing of a bell three times that signifies his tasks are completed, his duties were well done, he has served his last alarm,  and he is returning home.

At the end of this long day there is a quote that I think is appropriate and may provide some comfort….

“Firemen never die, they just burn forever in the hearts of the people whose lives they saved.”

Susan Diane Murphree

Stay safe and take a moment to appreciate your fellow brothers, sisters,  retirees,  and those who have answered their last call!

Things that keep a Chief awake at night.

As I lay in bed, tossing and turning, it dawned on me that I have had more restless nights as a fire chief than I ever did while running calls as a company officer. I am not what you would call a “worrier” or overly anxious however, several times per month I catch myself having a night like tonight where I cannot turn off my brain and stay up till my alarm goes off. Generally these late night sessions are replaying the events of the day or thinking about how I am going to approach a looming challenge. Tonight I really want to go to bed before my alarm goes off so I thought I would try to write out what I think about as I lay here tossing and turning…what I came up with is the top ten things that keep a Chief awake at night:

1. Did I do enough to make the department better / safer than it was the day before?

I grew up in the fire service with the idea that a fire chief is the one person ultimately responsible for making sure everyone goes home. Nearly every single LODD can point back to a missing policy, procedure, or training deficiency. In between the personnel issues, budget responsibilities, future planning, and other administrative functions; did I focus on the ultimate goal of making the department better and safer? With so many aspects of the job, many of which can kill someone, did I prioritize corrections or attention to the most pertinent item?

2. What am I not doing/seeing that may end up costing someone their life?

This is one item that I have talked with my mentors about over and over again. When you walk in to work knowing there are so many things that need your attention, what am I not seeing that may cost someone their life? I know that there is no one that can catch every single issue and what this often boils down to is reassuring myself that I have the right people in key positions to catch things I miss.

3. Did I learn something today and apply what I previously learned?

I have always believed that a leader must be a habitual student. I also believe in what John Maxwell describes as the leadership lid; where the leaders under you can only develop as much as you have developed. Am I pushing myself to grow as much as I am pushing others around me?

4. Did I build up or tear down someone with a recent decision, change, or comment?

Every decision, change, or comment comes with the added weight of my position. I know that the simplest joke may be taken as a serious statement of a members performance. I also know that every decision I make while with the best intentions may end up negatively impacting those under me. The burden of making decisions for the greater good that may adversely affect someone is one of the most difficult things I have had to adjust to in my new position.

5. Did I do enough to make sure my department is prepared for whatever they might face?

Basically, did I set my people up for success? Did I make sure the right people are in the right positions? Did I ensure their training is appropriate, pertinent, and realistic? Did I give them the right tools to do their job efficiently and safely?

6. Are the plans and goals in the best interest of my firefighters, citizens, and stakeholders?

It is easy to get caught up in political issues, personal agendas, or even resume building. Let’s face it, most Chief positions are not long term jobs. It is easy to push for a better ISO rating or accreditation to make yourself look good however, does it benefit the firefighters, citizens, and all of the stakeholders? I know bench marks, goals, and even professional credentialing processes such as accreditation can be extremely beneficial but it has to be aligned with the administration’s vision and goals.

7. Did I prepare enough, plan enough, and/or research enough to ensure I am competent to make a stand on items I should be standing up for/against?

Most chiefs (whether they realize it or not) are considered a subject matter expert. Their arguments, support, and positioning has a lot of weight…unless they prove themselves to be incompetent, unable to defend their stance, or appear to have no confidence during their presentation. Especially before major presentations, this one item accounts for a lot of lost sleep. I constantly go over what I’m presenting, arguments, counter arguments, facts, figures, and depending on the crowd past history of questions. The last thing I want to have happen is to give someone a reason to doubt what I am saying.

8. Did my actions, words, and deeds bring honor to my position, the department, and the profession of firefighting?

Some may say I take my job as a firefighter too seriously but I joined this service with the understanding that I was branded for life with the title of firefighter. Everything I do, good or bad, will reflect on my brothers and sisters in the service. This core principle elevated to the next level when I became a fire chief. Everything I do reflects on the fire service, my department, and the title of Chief. There is nothing more embarrassing than reading the front page of a newspaper where a fire chief is caught doing something inappropriate. I wouldn’t say I live in fear of ending up on the front page but I definitely have a healthy dose of respect for what it would do to my career, department, and the fire service.

9. Am I leading by example and seeing the standards high enough?

While I am not a “worrier” this is one thing I always think about. The best example of this came after I made the decision to make physical fitness mandatory. After being told I would never walk again, without braces on my feet, I lost my way in regards to my physical condition. I know I can still do the job but I am definitely not the shining example of fitness. I follow my own requirement and work out every single day but have not seen any results. Looking at me, I am not the example of what I want my department to be. It won’t stop me from trying but it definitely keeps me up at night.

In regards to standards, I always strive to set high standards but not so high that no one can reach them. As with most things in life balance is needed and I think firefighters are built to reach higher than the average person. Our job does not tolerate failure and when a challenge is placed in front of us, it is in our personality to overcome it at any cost.

10. Are my people safe while I am at home?

As a company officer it is easier to take responsibility for your crew and while off duty not become overly concerned about everyone else. As the chief I am constantly checking the call notifications to see what my firefighters are dealing with…thinking about the other nine items and how it plays into their overall safety. Since I can’t be everywhere I am back to trusting those in key positions to take their job seriously and maintain the goal of making sure everyone goes home.

There are a million other things that keep me awake at night but with these ten written down, I am hopeful that I might actually get some sleep before the alarm goes off in four and a half hours.

Be safe!

Life lesson on perspective

A very long time ago my mother insisted on teaching me a principle life lesson and twice in the past few days I had a clear parable to describe it within the fire service.   This core principle, in finding happiness in life, was to change what could be changed,  accept what could not,  and to understand the difference between the two.

All too many times we find ourselves stuck in a situation (or at least have the perception of being trapped) where we cannot see a clear path out.  The truth is we hold more power to affect change than we care to admit.   I have found myself in many situations where I kept running into walls and to be honest got pretty discouraged with my job, life,  or whatever I was attempting to do.

It wasn’t until a good friend of mine sent me a picture of a cat staring at a cage door with no top on the cage that I realized the biggest thing I could change was my perspective.   Every time I feel trapped or discouraged,  the best thing to do is to change my perspective.  Take a new approach,  look at issues from someone else’s perspective, or ask for an outside  opinion.  All of these are things that are well within my power to change.  If I focus on changing someone’s mind,  pursuing a grand plan without support,  or becoming a habitual antagonist; I am not changing something within my sphere of influence.   While certain positions have a greater reach,  the hard truth is that no matter how much you try, the are some things you physically,  mentally,  emotionally,  or spiritually do not have the ability to change.  In the end my mother had it right,  the only thing you have 100% control over is you and what’s in your head.

To describe this concept,  there are the two examples I have come across recently.   The first is a good friend of mine who is a company officer.   He like a lot of my friends, serve as a sounding board to me and in return I am a sounding board for them.  He has entered a situation where he does not see a bright future, where he is at, and is starting to build his education,  credentials, and resume.  While there is nothing wrong with seeking to better yourself,  I firmly believe it had to be done for the right reasons.

In any case,  he had begun to develop leadership vision which is the ability to see a path to a greater goal.  Many of us gain or lose this vision based upon our mental state.  Before you say I’m crazy,  let me elaborate on this concept.

When in a good place both personally and professionally,  many of us start to have this positive outlook.   Opportunity exists everywhere,  the world becomes our oyster, and it becomes frustrating when we start identifying missed opportunities.  On the other hand,  when life becomes unbalanced or flat out discouraging we become like that cat where all we can see are the barriers in front of us.

My friend is in a place where things are unbalanced.   He is starting to change his perspective and is losing the vision.   There are so many paths to reach a goal which is why I prefer to think about the end goal.  When you are able to do that,  the selfish “me” mentality dissolves, the antagonistic fight because I know I’m right becomes disarmed, and you are left with a clearer perspective on options to reach your end goal.

If this friend of mine could step back he would see that he isn’t trapped by his current situation,  rather he now has a new freedom to explore his options, make the changes necessary to reach new goals,  and not only shape his own future but the future of his artifical barrier.   Even if it turns out the barrier truly exists,  he will be in a better place to see options and make the world his own.

The second story comes from my new situation.   It is invigorating to be surrounded by so much motivation and willingness to move in any direction as long as its away from their current position.   While there are a lot of issues, that are common within the fire service here,  most of them fail to see the positives around them.   The focus on the day to day problems have become so intense, with some of them, that they fail to see how good they are, how much progress could be made,  and the root of their legitimate issues.  With a new perspective they could see that their issues are a part of a much larger systemic event, that there is still much to be proud of,  and that the typical approach to fixing things may not suffice.  What this boils down to is the only thing you can truly ever change is your perspective.   Once you do that you can be a leader.

I often find leadership inspiration from movies and there is one that fits this article well.   In the movie Braveheart, there is a scene where the king is discussing a plan to send the princess to negotiate with William Wallace (Mel Gibson).  The prince says to the king that she may be killed in which the king replies that would be quite a pity as it would give him a strong alliance with France.  While we are not royalty,  fire officers are the leaders of a combat force making the next line of the movie the most pertinent.   The king then looks at his son and says “as King you have to be able to see the good in any situation.”

Every negative has a positive as every positive has a negative.   If your department has high turnover then you also have an opportunity to quickly redevelop the organizational image.   The inability to change is often due to the human nature of being unwilling or unable to let go of the past.   The point is,  to be a great leader you cannot let setbacks dull your vision.   Staying balanced,  positive,  and making the best out of every situation allows you to navigate troubled waters while keeping your eye on the end goal.

In both stories,  people became handicapped by their perspective.   If you do not have the ability to put yourself in a new perspective, it is imperative to find someone that you trust, who is removed from your situation,  and can help you turn your attention from the cage door.   Every culture has their reference to this idea,  whether referring to the opening and closing doors or taking the path of least resistance, we are never truly trapped anywhere.

If you ever find yourself stuck,  take off the blinders and identify a new approach.  I like to think of it like forcible entry,  try before you pry and with the right tools,  training, and motivation there is no barrier that can stop a firefighter.

Remembering the Charleston 9

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This time of the year is especially tough for the people of Charleston, South Carolina.  Today is the anniversary of the “Emmanuel 9”, where nine people died in a senseless act of violence and tomorrow is the anniversary of the “Charleston 9” where nine firefighters died in the Sofa Super Store fire.  

As I look back on both situations,  I could easily get swept up in the grief of remembering these life altering events however; this year I chose to honor their lives by looking at what it has led to.

Since this is a fire based blog, I want to focus on the Charleston 9 but it wouldn’t be right to pretend the Emmanuel 9 didn’t exist due to the proximity and similarities.   Before I begin writing about the Charleston 9, let me touch on the Emmanuel 9.  As shocking and horrific as this event was,  the best thing that came from it was a tightly united community.   It could have easily become another tear in the fabric of society but I witnessed a community come together to mourn and begin the healing process. 

It helped restore my hope in humanity…

In the days following the Charleston 9, there was a lot of confusion,  pain,  and general emptiness within the community,  especially for those of us who worked in emergency services.   For the second time in my career,  people, including the general public,  widely recognized the risks associated with the job.  As someone who was relatively new in the Charleston metropolitan area fire service,  I was not as close to these brave men, who paid the ultimate price, as many of my brothers and sisters but we all came together as one family.   Additionally, we all hugged our families a little tighter long after the funeral had ended. 

Even years later,  as I would drive by the memorial site on my way to work,  it was hard to not think about that night. 

As we approach the anniversary this year,  I find myself hundreds of miles away, in a different state, far from the memorial site.  My mind keeps drifting as I know many of my brothers and sisters in Charleston are still actively mourning the loss of their coworkers, friends,  and family members.  Rather than focus on that hurt and pain,  I really tried to look what their sacrifice did for not only Charleston but the fire service in general.  

If you went into the emergency services of Charleston today, it would be impossible to imagine a time where the various services didn’t work together as one fluid unit.  The mentality of “it won’t happen to me” was instantaneously erased from our minds as we all realized that no matter how well we thought we were doing our jobs,  there was always room for improvement.  Debriefings after incidents or training became a standardized expectation, people began seeking better ways of doing what we do,  and the imaginary jurisdictional lines became nearly invisible.   In simplest terms, losing nine firefighters forced us all to quickly progress and focus on changing our culture. 

On a national level many people used the case studies and NIOSH reports to develop protocols and procedures when working in bigger box stores or wide area search.   The importance of accountability was emphasized and increasing the number of firefighters available on scene quickly gained traction.   Overall,  the fire service honored these men by focusing on how they could prevent it from happening again.  

On a personal level… everything from watching the events unfold on TV, to  attending the funerals,  and bearing witness to the subsequent public dissection of the Charleston City Fire Department left a lasting impression. 

I never want to make the long walk to someone’s door step, stand in front of a community, or look at the face of a firefighter’s child to tell them that I failed in making sure their loved one came back to them. 

This year I chose to honor the Charleston 9 by not only remembering their sacrifice along with the hole they left in the Charleston community but to ensure I do everything I can to make sure my people go home to their loved ones.  

As one officer to another,  do not wait until you have a LODD to focus on improving.  Everyday is a new chance to become better, train harder, and prepare your crews to make better decisions.   Status quo has never gotten anyone anywhere and in the end we all have the responsibility to make sure our brothers and sisters go home in the same (or better) condition than they arrived. 

Remembering our fallen brothers and sisters,  learning from the past, and leading for the future is how I chose to honor the Charleston 9… what will you do?

Focusing on what is important.

With the constant barrage of tasks, the world seems to demand, we are all pushed to multi task to the point of being overwhelmed.  While the ability to multi task has been viewed as a great skill to have,  latest studies reveal that multi tasking is actually less productive in the long run.  Current studies suggest a structured day that allows you to focus on one task at a time.   In the business world this equates to minimizing distracting emails, phone calls,  or meetings while working.   Focusing on one task for an hour or two straight, yields more progress than eight hours of multi tasking.

How does this apply to you as an officer in the fire service?  Simple,  as the fire service adapts and takes on more tasks,  we are diluting our talents and ability to be great at what we do.   As the officer you must be able to focus yourself and your crew to increase effectiveness.  While we may not be able to shed off the extra responsibilities, our communities expect, or avoid the ever varying call types we respond to; we can use proper time and resource management to minimize our distractions.   Establishing a schedule for annual training,  monthly activities,  and daily events will help crews focus on one portion of the job at a time.   Proper scheduling coupled with value added training will greatly increase the effectiveness of our duty time.   I would much rather spend one hour of my time doing realistic training on one subject than four hours of check the box PowerPoints.  

The same focus can be applied to our progression/ succession plans.   While I support well rounded people, who have a broad experience/ education level,  finding what someone loves to do or has a natural talent for will create a motivated and passionate team.  When you offer career counseling,  identifying passion or skill can help you tap into someone’s potential.   This identification is the beginning of empowering your people because it doesn’t matter how much power you give someone if they have no where to go.  

Ultimately,  focusing yourself as the leader is the easiest way to focus your crew.   Focused crews become focused shifts and that paves the way for a focused department.  Stay safe!

The Dangers of Closed Minds

“When you maintain a closed mind you are not keeping other people from getting in, rather you are preventing yourself from getting out.”  -Jason Moore

I have been indulging in John Maxwell’s library of leadership material.  During which, I have learned a lot about an organization’s leadership lid and the issues that affect a leaders growth potential.  One thing that bothered me about the whole thought of being limited by the leadership ability of my superiors was that I truly believe in 360 degree leadership.  Under 360 degree leadership you are essentially able to help guide and direct from any position in the organization.  What I came to understand, during a thought provoking conversation with some friends and coworkers, this morning at breakfast is that even with 360 degree leadership,  you cannot exceed the lid of those above you.   A great 360 leader can help elevate everyone around them, including superiors, but if the top stops progress then those under them will also eventually stop.

In the world of firefighting, especially within a leadership role,  if you are not constantly raising your leadership lid, then those under you are going to become stifled.

The most important aspect in this journey is to maintain an open mind.   If you close your mind then you fail to grow.   Train everyday to make you and your crew reach the maximum potential and don’t be the limiting factor within your organization.

Supplementing a “Slow Department’s”Experience

If your department or organization is like mine then you may be looking at a situation that would have scared the crap out of our predecessors.  This issue is promotion due to necessity rather than a true representation of experience needed to be successful.  From my limited perspective, of the local area surrounding my department, I see many of us forced into finding someone who can check the NFPA standard or certification boxes on the job description whether they have real experience or not.  An affectionate term one of our captains has given to these people is “paper firemen.”  All certifications and education but no true experience.  It is almost a complete 180 from our predecessors who were truly baptized by fire and may not have ever met the standards.  While I fully support an educated fire service, as with all things there must be a balance.  Just because I have read every book about thermal dynamics and fire strategy / tactics, without experience to back that knowledge, I am effectively blind to the truth.

I shudder to think of someone being an officer (or engineer) without having several (preferably more than you can count with your socks off) true working structure fires under their belt however; being a manager, I know I only have two options in an experienced deprived department.  I either can destroy the morale of my people and hire from the outside, or work with what I have.

Since I view turning to the outside, as an organizational or leadership failure to provide for the continuity of the team; I cannot accept defeat due to the lack of call volume.  So the question remains:  How do you provide necessary experience in a department that lacks the call volume to provide it?

In simplest terms, the only way to supplement (notice I did not say replace) experience is to increase the validity of the training and education.  While I did not see a ton of “true working fire” as an Airman in the United States Air Force Fire Protection, I did have the pleasure of attending a world class fire school and multiple monthly training fires. While many will argue that training fires today are too controlled, making them useless in preparing someone for the “real thing,” compared to not having any live fire training it provides better results.  All of those training sessions provided more than a little heat to a hose drill.  They developed a sense of ease with elevated temperatures, eliminated the primal adrenaline response to fire, removed apprehensions about gear and equipment limitations, educated me on thermal layering, showed me my physical limitations to heat, and provided a controlled environment to practice strategies/tactics. In the absence of the “real thing” providing legitimate training is the best concept.

This concept can be applied to any task we know our people need.  Who wouldn’t want to cut up a car for extrication training rather than read a book or worse yet death by powerpoint?  What I am trying to point out is that the training has to be as real as possible to have an added value and without that added value, education/training cannot be translated to experience.  The smaller or slower your department is, the more you must focus on innovative ways to seek out experience. One note on this methodology, the more “real” the training is the more it can hurt someone if not done properly.  Extra caution should be taken to ensure the safety of the training!

Let’s look at a few examples of adding value to what would typically be routine training:

Rather than raising ground ladders at the station or training tower, go into your local area and ask residents if you can raise a ladder to their home in exchange for cleaning their gutters.  You’ve just added a new environment to make people aware of hazards, created an opportunity to provide a good community interaction, and had to deal with challenges not typically faced at the training ground (trees, roots, wires, gutters, ect).  One ladder thrown in the same spot does not equal the experience of throwing multiple ladders in varying environments.  This added value translates to usable experience on the “real thing.”

Do you always go to a vacant parking lot to pull hose lines?  Why not go into your local area and randomly ask a citizen if you could pull a hoseline to their front door?  You would be surprised how well you will be received when you offer to practice protecting THEIR property.  Again, compared to a check the box scenario in a parking lot, this value added training provided learning experience based on hazards, obstructions, distance between the road and doorway, and other limitations due to environment.

When discussing building construction, stop at someone’s house and have the crew evaluate the outside signs indicating interior layout (window size/placement, stair positioning, plumbing vents, ect).  Once they make their guess on where the bedrooms and other functional areas are, ask the resident to conduct a free in home inspection.  Again, when you show an interest in THEIR property or THEIR lives the training in rarely ever turned down.

In a world that has become safer, we are still the guardians of those who will need us.  Being in a slow department can easily lead to complacency which is a fatal mistake.  Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.  Rather than seek outside experience to alleviate the coming issue of promoting people without experience, drain every drop of experience out of your training by adding value to it!