Value of Self-Reflection

When evaluating the gambit of skills needed to be a successful officer, there is one that is perhaps the most valuable and yet hardest to develop.  I am referring to self-reflection, which in itself seems easy to do however, skewed perceptions often leave our true self image twisted and distorted like a fun-house mirror.  In addition, many of us fail to realize that self reflection is not merely what we think of ourselves rather it is the ability to see ourselves in relation to the external world that exists outside our mind.  Without this ability we fail to understand the impact of our actions and truly understand who we are or how we fit within the group.  While self-esteem should remain internally driven, self-reflection needs to look at the bigger picture.

Understanding your strengths and weaknesses, in comparison to your environment, is key to identifying your role.  Not every leader is equipped to handle every situation.  Knowing where you fit and realizing what is within your comfort zone is beneficial to everyone involved.  False confidence by over or under estimating yourself leads to becoming vague rather than definite and decisive.  The vagueness is a defense mechanism so that when challenged the person can skew the decision/answer they gave to fit the new information, thus attempting to appear right.  You will gather more respect and build a better team if you take an honest look at yourself and admit when you have short-comings.  Also, in maintaining integrity, if you cannot be honest with yourself, how can anyone expect you to be honest with them?  I am my worst critic, and over the years have learned to accept outside opinion, relating to aspects of my performance to help balance out my true self-image.  This works both ways.  Whether others see you better or worse, than you see yourself, maintaining balance is key to improving as a leader.

So, now that we have explored the reasons for self-reflection, the question is how to accurately complete a self-survey to see the reflection.  First step is to put yourself in the right state of mind.  Although not a formal process, it is one that requires attention to detail and a look at the bigger picture.  You need to accept that you may not like the answers you come to while maintaining the ultimate goal, of being better, as your focus.  Next, look at your internal perspective.  What are your values?  What are your perceptions?  How comfortable are you with the situation?  What do you excel and struggle with?  What is your level of commitment?  When you have the answers to those questions, it is important to gather external perspectives.  These can come from formal evaluations, personal discussions, or by focusing on the non-verbal ques given off by those around you.  In this stage of the process I like to have a trusted mentor/friend/co-worker who isn’t afraid to tell it to me straight.  I often find myself asking these people questions like…. did I handle _____ appropriately?  What do you think about _____?  The final piece to this puzzle is something we practice our entire lives starting in early child-hood.  This is evaluating cause and effect.  Successful officers are able to see beyond the initial effect.  An example of this concept is spilling a glass of water.  Simple cause and effect would dictate that the glass is empty and there is a mess.  Extended cause and effect would evaluate the placement of the glass, the amount of fluid inside, the conditions that led to the spill, the spill itself, hazards and subsequent actions that might occur from the water, the result of not having water in a glass(thirst, etc.), the added effort and resources needed to clean up the spill, the actions and effort needed to refill the glass, and even ways to prevent the spill from reoccurring.  Self-reflection will help you realize that every action has extended effects.  In the complicated interactions between people the ripple, created by your actions, can effect those who may have no direct contact with you.

Some closing remarks……Always consider that no-one can see your intentions, therefore your actions are what define you to others.  Using self-reflection as a 360 degree understanding, you will become a better leader since it will allow you to see how you influence others.  Everything you do or say is analyzed and translated through the perceptions of others making it necessary to see things from other points-of-view.  Never assume you are the best or worst when compared to others, there is always someone who will prove you wrong.  Maintaining a balanced self-reflection is the key to unlocking your potential as a person and leader.

Reposting of: A Wake-Up Call by Chief Dennis L. Rubin

Last year, when I began this site, I opened with a reflection of the year and stated that I wanted to make a difference in our career field.  While I understood this process would not be instantaneous, I had hoped to reach out.  Throughout this journey I have met many fire service leaders, each with a different perspective, based on their experiences, who have helped inspire and guide me.  After a few e-mails back and forth, I received permission from Chief Rubin to republish some of his articles on Fire Officer Mentor with the understanding that we shared a common goal to reach out and help the fire service.

Before I post his article, I wanted to take a moment to share some of the concepts I took away from his words.  First off, the public eye is always watching what we do or don’t do.  Secondly, even the most routine of tasks in our line of work can be life-threatening.  Last but not least, officers must be willing to assume the blame when something goes wrong.  This entire article could be torn apart and criticized however, Chief Rubin took a negative and broadcast it to others as a learning experience.  We all make mistakes, lose focus, or get distracted.  Understanding that and empowering our people to identify hazards then act will provide an added safety net to a hazardous job.  With that being said, here is Chief Rubin’s article!

Fire Prevention Week for 2009 held more promise than just about any other one that I can recall over my career. There were the detailed plans for many demonstration events and a lot of additional work hours. There were many television appearances over the weekend, early-morning ones as well to talk about our city’s fire prevention activities. The extra effort seemed to be worth it to get very important information out to our community. There were, however, several major setbacks that would surprise and dampen the spirits of many in the department. As final preparations were being made for the annual fire prevention celebration, the department responded to a rowhouse fire late one afternoon. The first-in engine arrived just a few minutes after dispatch to report heavy smoke showing from the roof. Engine Company 5 moved in with a 1½-inch attack line to extinguish the room and contain the fire, while Truck Company 2 vented and laddered the home. Minutes after the fire was located and attacked, the companies made the discovery of an elderly woman who perished in the blaze. The fire is under investigation, with the likely cause being improperly discarded smoking materials. This situation may be the 17th fire fatality for the Nation’s Capital (currently the death is undetermined, awaiting the city medical examiner’s report). We spent most of the Saturday of that week meeting with the  deceased woman’s family and installing smoke detectors in the neighborhood that experienced this tremendous loss. A loss of human life is always a sad situation, but during Fire Prevention Week there is an added degree of difficulty. A Disturbing Near-Miss For about a month prior to Fire Prevention Week, our Community Relations Division had worked in cooperation with Gallaudet University to host a fullscale smoke detector and residential fire sprinkler demonstration. Using the Campus Fire Watch construction plans, two typical college  dormitory rooms were constructed. One of the rooms would serve the purpose of graphically showing the results of fire in a non-sprinklered building.  After the non-protected room reached flashover, the engine company standing by would extinguish the mock-up, so that the second room  could be ignited to demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the residential sprinkler system. Disaster nearly struck when the engine  company crew approached the dorm room mock-up to extinguish the blaze. At this point, approximately five minutes after ignition, the room reached flashover. The rapidly spreading flame front across the ceiling set the entire contents of the mock-up on fire. This was the point for the attack crew to extinguish the blaze. As the officer and two firefighters advanced the hoseline toward the mock-up, all seemed to go well at first. The fire was being knocked down and it seemed to be so routine, until the crew neared the opening of the prop. A makeshift “draft curtain” (a device to collect heat and smoke to cause automatic fire protection systems to function) was added to the front roof line of the mockup to retain the heat and smoke to allow the protection devices to function properly. The draft curtain was a thin sheet of Plexiglas material. The Plexiglas sheet had begun to liquefy and drip burning hydrocarbon material on the attacking crew. Within seconds, the three members were on fire. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing! To add to a very difficult situation was the fact that the three members were not aware that they were burning. This is a great testimony to having the best turnout gear and wearing it correctly; however, my guys were burning and they didn’t seem to react to impending disaster. The flames were on their upper torso and helmets for about 60 seconds, but it seemed like an eternity to me watching. One of the members became aware of the other two folks burning. It was at this point that he redirected the hoseline to extinguish the fire on our members. The situation was relatively minor, but the potential for harm was at the extreme level. The demonstration for the several hundred college students was very impactful. The viewers were also given the opportunity to witness the capability of the protection provided by our turnout gear. As well, the ever-present danger of being a firefighter was clearly demonstrated that day. All three firefighters were transported for observation to the Washington Hospital Center Burn Unit. Two of our members were checked over and, thank goodness, not injured. This was a real testimony to the quality of the turnouts and wearing all of the component parts properly. Our company officer was banged up a little. He received a facial burn close to his ear. Further, the top of his hand had a minor burn. Because of the location of these two wounds, the sergeant was held overnight at the burn center for  observation. He is doing well and is expected to make a full recovery returning back to full duty soon. To my surprise, the turnout gear and airpacks were cleaned, inspected and placed back into service. Only the one Nomex hood and glove that our officer was wearing was not usable. Both were “dissected” by our Safety Office to determine whether they performed satisfactorily, in that this was the one where the second-degree burns occurred. Our safety chief, Deputy Fire Chief William Flint, is conducting an investigation to help us learn from our mistakes. Look for this report to be added to our website soon or obtain a copy by contacting him at william.flint@dc.gov.

Personal Reflections (by Chief Rubin)
This was a very difficult day for me, both personally and professionally. I need to state that I take full and complete responsibility for everything that happened during this fire prevention demonstration. Our members engaged in extinguishing activities performed properly
and within our protocols. In fact, I am deeply in the sergeant’s debt. He insisted that all members properly use their gear and because of his actions, the injuries were very minor. I express my appreciation to our Community Relations and Public Education Division for doing a  great job with the demonstration preparation and execution. So, you are asking, what failed and caused such a graphic near miss? I would submit to you that simple everyday complacency got the best of me that day. A few fire service leaders have contacted me to ask whether the subordinate members who set up the demonstration knew their jobs. The answer is of course! We have trained 300 to 400 recruits in the past three years without incident, so trust me when I say our department knows how to conduct live-fire training based on National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 1403. It is not a question of trusting the preparation work, but better described as verifying that all items were handled correctly. Several items were forgotten or missed, such as a back-up line with a crew and an incident safety officer. I should have taken the time to verify that all aspects were covered before I stepped up to the podium. I did not do that and I do regret not confirming that all aspects of the 1403 were covered. Some folks (mostly bloggers) are going to be critical of me and describe this action as micro-management, and perhaps it may be. However, my role at an emergency incident is to verify everything that I can as soon as I can. At the demonstration, I should have taken the time before starting. Another difficult lesson, but with a reasonable positive outcome. Again, my apologies for allowing this to happen. Pay attention at all times and remember your life may depend on your attention to details.

For more information please visit http://www.chiefrubin.com/

Are you abusing your position?

 

This subject is one that I never thought would have to be discussed in the fire service however, I have heard more than one complaint in the past few months that would classify as abuse.  Once someone receives their gold badge, there is an inherent responsibility that must be assumed for your crew.  Although you are responsible for their personal safety and professional growth, they are not your slaves.  They are not placed in your care to do the things you no longer want to do, especially if it is of a personal nature.

When it comes to an employee questioning something an officer has told them there is a tendency for  officers use the “because I’m the officer” defense.  This defense is a cop-out and should be backed by policy, procedure, or guideline.  Expecting your firefighter to cook for you, clean up your messes (beyond daily station duties), arrange or checkout your PPE, babysit your kids, or wash your car is an obvious abuse of your position.  Other abuses are less obvious and often justified as “training opportunities” or “character building.”  Making your firefighter do your reports or finding meaningless tasks for them to accomplish is unacceptable.

The arrangement, checkout, or cleaning of PPE is a personal responsibility.  You cannot expect nor make it mandatory for someone else to take care of your Personal Protective Equipment.  Furthermore, if something is missing, broken, or dangerous to use; you cannot punish or get upset at them.  If they put your gear on the truck, it was a courtesy and you are still responsible for it.

When it came time for my crew to learn the report system, in preparation for advancement, the steps for teaching were clear.  Have them watch me do it, help them do it, watch them do it, and eventually let them do it (with spot checking).  If they are able to do it on their own, it is not their responsibility to do your work.  In my case, if someone wanted to do it for practice or because they were good at it, I would help do their work and still follow up with what they did.

Getting a gold badge does not give you a free pass to kick your feet up and relax.  The truth is that the badge is meant to represent that you are capable of doing more than those without the extra bugles.  I prefer to think of line officers as lead firefighters.  With that mindset, it is easier to keep things in perspective and prevents poor management practices.

The final types of abuse can directly or indirectly be the officer’s fault.  Mental, emotional, physical, or sexual abuse/harassment can destroy a department.  If an officer is allowing the abuse/harassment to occur or even worse, participating in the problem, there are serious consequences that can happen.  Beyond embarrassing the department, officer, crew, or employee; the stress can destroy someone’s life.  We are charged with sending everyone home in the same or better condition than they arrived to work in.  This covers all aspects.  Monitor your people and be the professional they need you to be.  Beyond having a happy and productive crew, you will also find that your job becomes easier.

If you are not apart of the solution, you are a part of the problem!

 

 

Reflections of a Chief

Today another good man and chief received the full honors of a Fire Department procession.  He was loved by all, which was evident by the support of the local departments.  For me, it was more personal than professional.

Throughout my career, I have witnessed many horrible things.  From my time in Afghanistan to just working on the streets of Charleston, several visions will continue to haunt me in my sleep.  While most of these were put off until I had the ability to deal with them, I realized after my first encounter with Chief Winn, that they were not something I had to handle alone.

After holding the hand of a dying 16 year old in the back of an ambulance, I returned to my station to find Chief Winn and his associates waiting for me and my crew.  Years of experience had led me to the conclusion that they were the Critical Incident Stress Management team sent to see how we were doing after a tough call.  What I did not know at the time was that they had heard about the call through informal channels and volunteered to show up.  The smallest gesture of giving me someone to talk to has helped more than imaginable.

Many of the tough calls I have been on, including a 76 person mass casualty event in Afghanistan, still bother me from time to time. Even after the mandatory Critical Incident Stress Debriefing, I was bothered by the images of dead people.  The one difference between the 16 year old and all of the other bad calls is that I don’t remember the specific details or the kids face anymore.  While many people can argue as to why, I like to think it was Chief Winn’s intervention that allowed me to process everything and let it go.  In a career that exposes you to many gruesome and sometimes despicable things, eliminating one of the “ghosts” is a huge deal.  Knowing Chief Winn has made me a better and stronger person.  Prior to him touching my life, I always blew off the debriefings and defusing sessions as a necessary thing to be checked off.  The traditional concept of being the “big tough firefighter” stood in the way of seeking the help I needed.  Being a company officer, it is sometimes hard to see the long lasting effects of the decisions we make.  Turning down help for you or your crew is never the smart thing to do.  We are charged with the responsibility of sending our people home the same way or perhaps better than they arrived to work.  This includes mind and body.

For me, saying good bye to Chief Winn was more than a professional gesture that was deserved by his years of service; it was saying thank you for supporting me when I didn’t even know I needed it.  My story is one out of many that attests to the life of a hero and like other heroes, the stories told of someone’s deeds will make them live on in the hearts and minds of others forever!

Thank you for your service and for helping me!

Just because you have the green light on your vehicle doesn’t mean you are in “Command”.

  I love writing on here because I can be honest. And since I don’t write for a published magazine I don’t have to be PC.  Those of you who know me, know I am a “no nonsense – call it like I see” it type of person.

Being an incident commander takes an experienced, level headed thinker; someone who can stay ahead of the incident curve, someone who has a complete grasp of what is occurring, about to occur and may occur.   The Incident Commander (IC) shouldn’t be too proud to develop plan B or even C, step back and look at the big picture.  He or She should be able to effectively manage a scene through not only observations from the ICP (Incident Command Post) but also through reports from his/her resource leaders.   Taking command of scene operations and effectively managing resources takes more than the ability to click on the green strobe and use fancy terms such as sector or division.  Do you truly know what you are doing and why you are in Command?  Should you be in Command?  Captains and Lieutenants, when placed in this role will you have all the tools in your tool box to effectively operate?

I’d like to touch on a few things I have seen over the years in different parts of the country during my brief career.  This isn’t meant to criticize any group but rather to help correct some errors I see taking place and to help the next generation assume these roles without learning from poor examples.

1. If your department just recently (last 10 years) adopted a more formal Fire Ground Command system (FGC) after the 2004 Presidential Directive than there may be a few in your department that think you are on the cutting edge and setting a trend.  Don’t be fooled, the ICS model has been around for more than 30 years and been being effectively used in its present form for over 20.  For more information on this Google “FIRESCOPE” and “Why was ICS developed”

2.  Be an effective communicator.  If you can’t talk on the radio, maybe its time you gave it up or sought some training.  Nothing like instilling faith in your guys by having them hear the IC stutter and stammer for words and forget what a skylight is called.  Develop a professional radio voice and manner of speaking.  This not only sounds cleaner and more professional, but communicates more effectively.  We have all been on the scene where radio traffic is overwhelming and air time is at a prime.  If you can say it in 5 words, dont use 50.   Remember the duck- calm on the surface and paddling like hell below. And yes, this takes training and practice.

3.  Know your recourses.  Know what will be or what is coming to your alarm.  Know what they carry, their staffing and what they are good at.  Your $70,000 Tahoe with its LED’s, Laptops and Phone’s wont put out the fire or mitigate the incident.

4. Know the incident.  If you are looking through the windshield and at anytime you don’t know what your looking at, call for help.  There is no shame in calling for resources or even another IC who has more experience, but there is shame if a lack of foresight has put any brothers or sisters in danger.  At any point I should be able to open that passenger door of your command vehicle sit with you and ask you 3 simple questions:  What do expect in 10 min, what will your actions be by then (actions of crews) and what if that benchmark isn’t reached? (Plan B)  If it doesn’t go your way are you going to just throw resources at it? Or reevaluate and asses current strategy and tactics.    I like the old military term: FART.  Fall back and reassess tactics.

5. Use effective division of labor.  The whole idea behind this thing is to create a chain of command and unity of command, so set up your incidents so that everyone reports to a supervisor.   If you have interior operations taking place, set up an interior division.   Let me touch on this a bit, as I see this as one not used enough.  I am not a big fan of divisions on the exterior of the structure.   Yes they can see smoke, but what about interior conditions?  The best resource for this is someone inside – hence: Interior Division. Charlie side is great for Safety and perhaps if you have an exposure or potential for extension I can see a division, however to be communicating with this guy (or gal) about interior conditions and making decisions based of his information alone isn’t correct.   This is a great source for keeping an eye on smoke, don’t get me wrong.  But do they know how to read it?

Ok, back to Interior Division- This generally would be your second due captain through the door.  Reason for this is, your first due captain is probably working.  He or she doesn’t have time to deal with managing resources.  In addition to that, in ICS, additional structure is only added when needed.  So if you are managing one resource there is no reason for additional structure; now you send 2 companies in plus 2 from your first due Ladder for search,  now you have the need for that line of communication inside.

This is huge and I can’t stress it enough.  If you don’t do this on the simplest of incidents, you won’t on the larger or your small incident will get large and you will already be behind.

6. Listen to your guys.   Yes you are the Chief, everyone knows it.  They can see your brilliant white shirt from across the incident, you have nothing to prove.  Yes, you have the final say.  But you also have experienced guys inside or on the Charlie side.  Listen to them and use them.  If you are on a HazMat scene and you’re a Chief who only has awareness level and your Captain is a tech- Guess who knows more! That’s not to challenge you as a commanding officer or a leader; but if you choose to ignore those resources, you better believe they will begin to doubt and challenge you.

7.. Understand tactics and strategies.  Keep up with the latest strategies and tactics used by resources.  Not just the ones defined in your SOG’s but alternative ones as well.  If a company told you they were on scene with a confirmed rescue and were going to VES on the Charlie / Delta corner, would you know what that was?

8. Don’t fall into the trap of following a script.  Many departments in an effort to work well together in a boundary drop or automatic aid agreement have developed SOG’s dealing with operations.  These are extremely helpful but can also be a trap and make the IC lazy and unable to deviate when needed.

9. Continue to learn and develop yourself as an IC.  I am trying really hard to stay away from leadership in this article and focus on operations; but the 2 are so close at times.  A good leader will have trust of his crew on and off scene.  A good and effective leader will know there is always room for improvement and will seek to better at his/her job.  Learning, studying, reading magazines, networking and lastly implementing changes on the scene or training ground.   If you don’t believe me with regard to interior division, try it on your next job.  You may be retiring soon and feel like “you cant teach old dogs new tricks” but you obviously feel its important enough to still come to work; why not continue to develop yourself into a better IC and Chief for your guys.  You never know who you could teach or influence and even more importantly, learn from.

FDIC Report finally completed

Fire Department Instructor Conference 2012

Here is the fruits of my labor.  Although it was written to my department, I hope that everyone takes the time to read it.  I presented the information with every attempt to leave personal bias out of the information.  With that being said, I need to say that I do not agree with all of the material being presented.  Hope you enjoy!

Complacency Kills

In most cases, complacency will result in the death of a business due to a lack of innovation and progression in a competitive market however, in the business of the fire service complacency can result in actual death.  This complacency does not have to occur on the fire-ground itself, in fact most of the complacent acts begin long before the bell goes off.  Consider yourself to be in the same line of work as a soldier in a war-zone since both have the same deadly consequences.  Do you think the soldier’s first time checking out his rifle occurs during a firefight?  I bet not!  Do you think the first time a soldier trains on strategies and tactics is as he is entering a building full of insurgents?  I bet not!

The truth is, that we are given ample opportunities to prevent death by complacency prior to the emergency tones going off.  The basics of our job is what kills people.  Firefighter doesn’t check out airpack, air pack fails, firefighter dies.  That is the direct line of complacency killing someone.  The less noticeable line occurs through years of “checking boxes” in regards to inspections, training and other mundane tasks.  This type of complacency becomes a tradition that is passed down through the generations of firefighters.  It may not kill you or your crew but a generation or two down the line, it will.

As an officer, there should be a generous portion of energy expended to combat the complacency that occurs when people are required to do the same thing over and over.  Getting involved, incorporating different aspects of training, and requiring your crew to maintain proficiency are all ways to combat this epidemic.  Ultimately, whether on an emergency scene or sitting at the breakfast table with your crew, complacency has the potential of death!

Accountability…it’s more than a word on the fireground.

Every professional magazine or book harps on the word accountability, however typically only one form of the word is identified.  Accountability on the fireground is ensuring you know where the people are so that as a fire service leader you are able to properly maintain the scene.  In regards to the words other uses, many times it is left in the dictionary and never used like it should be.

Beyond the fireground accountability is more encompassing of the work we do on a day-to-day basis.  It involves using cause and effect to truly look at what your people are doing and how efficiently they are completing their tasks.  It should be in place to protect the taxpayers trust that we responsibly use the money obtained from their hard-earned paychecks.  Ultimately, it means that every single person has someone to answer to for the things they have done, both good and bad.

Generally speaking this word comes up when it revolves around big-ticket items.  If someone does an exceptional job maintaining or damages a fire apparatus, all levels of management step up and say something.  Why doesn’t that same attitude apply to the other aspects?  When we put on the uniform, we are accepting a lot of responsibility.  Even the lowest ranking member is accepting the responsibility to maintain a positive image of the department. To prove that point, look at any media agency to find a story about a firefighter, former firefighter, volunteer firefighter, or retired firefighter.  I don’t read about John Smith, a plumber for Acme plumbing did ____ however, once affiliated with the fire service, it is a life long tag.

In addition to the responsibility to maintain a positive image, many firefighters are responsible for large sums of taxpayer money in the form of tools and equipment.  As the company officer are you using the tools to properly ensure the accountability of that equipment?  Are you using itemized checklists, maintenance schedules, inventory lists (more accurate than an engineers memory), calendars to track sick days and call-outs, or other tangible means to track how accountable your people are?  Moving beyond the leadership side towards a managerial side, the use of documentation is a control program to hold people accountable.  Don’t rely on memory or other fallible methods to track performance.  That leads to inconclusive or inadequate evaluations which by-the-way is another accountability tool.  One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was to keep a personal journal of events that occur.  Just like a station log book, if you have an evaluation to do or a question about when something was put into effect, turning back the pages can answer many of our questions.

Basically, as you progress through the ranks, you will need to utilize the tools of the trade to ensure you are holding your people accountable and like many passionate books/articles mention, don’t forget to apply that word to the fireground as well.

Reactive or Proactive: making the choice

Many aspects of our job force us to be reactive to situations we are placed in.  To some extent, all of the preparation in the world can still leave the most proactive officer shifting into being reactive however; the point of becoming reactive means the situation, person, scenario, etc is in control and you are playing catch-up.  From a stand-point of fire ground operations or other emergency scene preparedness, the biggest factor that determines which mode you will be operating in is based on your personal readiness.  Are you stepping back to give an accurate size-up?  Do you keep the “blinders” off so you maintain situational awareness?  Have you conducted and participated in realistic training to prepare you and your crew for “Murphy Law” situations?

The examples of being proactive versus reactive on an emergency scene are plentiful but I chose a simple one to illustrate the point:  You and your crew have been ordered to conduct overhaul inside a structure that was 25% involved.  As you enter the structure you notice several structural members with moderate fire damage but things seem to be stable.  A reactive officer won’t pass the information on and will wait until someone cause a partial collapse by accidentally knocking out a good structural support before making the decision to exit the building.  In this instance, your lack of judgement and communication left you and your crew at the mercy of the structure itself.  Using the same scenario, the proactive officer will make sure everyone including command knows the situation, if deemed necessary to still enter will take the time to ensure the structure is shored up so it cannot fall.  The proactive approach placed the control of the outcome more within your control.

The same principle is just as important when considering the way you handle personnel, training, discipline and other duties assigned to officers.  If you turn a blind eye to the issues pretending like they don’t exist, eventually they will be in control of your station, personnel and department.  Keep the open perspective, consistently apply the size-up principles (overall picture) to your life and job, and never let a problem fester.  Many small problems have destroyed good organizations because being reactive leads to many slippery slopes.