Is Your Training Balanced?

It is getting to be that time of year. I don’t mean summertime; I am talking about conference time. Thousands converged on Indianapolis about a month ago, the South Carolina Firefighters Conference in Myrtle Beach is just around the corner, and there is also host of other conferences across the country that cover everything from extrication to ventilation. The training and networking at these conferences cannot be duplicated and it places a great deal of information at the fingertips of all the attendees.

While thumbing through trade journals and seeing other advertisements on the Internet I see ladder classes being taught by firefighters from the FDNY, fire ground size-up by seasoned veterans from Boston, and ventilation techniques being taught by some experienced “Truckies” from Philadelphia. There may also be a panel discussion conducted by highly revered fire chiefs from various departments across the country. This is all very important and critical training. I then thought about why is 95% of the training being dedicated to only 5% of what we actually do?

Now before fire comes spewing out of your ears and your head spins off your shoulders, let me explain. We should, as a profession attend and train at every opportunity with different instructors to increase the “tools” we can use to mitigate incidents and save our own lives. Emergency events are low frequency, high risk events, and training is the way to stay alive, but what are you doing to train for the 95% of the job you do as a fire officer, or mentoring fire officers? The other 95% is dealing with people. Properly managing the crew. Trying to balance the different personalities on your team to work as a group no matter what. Knowing who can do what and how well they can do it. Believe it or not, most people in groups get a great deal of satisfaction by feeling they are contributing to the goals of the group. Maslow has been stating it for years. They may not seems interested because “paperwork is for the chief”, but the reality is most people want to do well and get a level of satisfaction if given the opportunity.

Here are a few things I did (and was mentored to do) to help provide the need for responsibility and ownership of crews I have worked with in the past.

• Allow the crew to decide among themselves on items that impact them such as housework duties, fair rotation of riding positions, and in-house training subjects.

• Train personnel to complete daily staffing and training reports.

• Assign training subjects to personnel who have good knowledge of a subject. This is a “low stress, high success” route that helps build self-esteem.

• Use You Tube to search videos on personnel issues (use discretion and good judgment). Using your department policies, have an open discussion on how the situation could be handled.

• Use situations from other departments, such as the shooting gag conducted by a department in Georgia, discuss what the outcome was for that department and compare it to what your department polices are.

• Allow your crewmembers to fill out their own performance evaluation. You would not use the one they wrote but this allows them the opportunity to see and use the form before they become company officers themselves. It has been my experience that people will rate them selves lower than the supervisors does.

Every little bit helps. The more personnel are allowed to provide input, the more buy-in, the better the results. I am not saying let “the tail wag the dog”, just listen. Most importantly make sure they understand the parameters and they may not always like the final decision. They already know who is in charge; they just want to take part. The key is to balance the training now to have a balanced fire officer later.

Stay Safe and Trust!

Jimmy Ghi

How prepared are you?

I know it has been a while since my last post, but a newborn and final semester of a graduate program are fairly demanding.  I apologize and look forward to getting things back on track in the next month or so.  With that out of the way, I figured I would kick off with a subject that hits close to home for me.

Personal preparedness is something many people take for granted, especially fire officers.  This concept applies to more than your ability to perform at an emergency scene.  Whether preparing for the shift, promotion opportunity, or hardship we all lose focus and suffer from a lapse in preparedness.  The question then becomes… who is responsible for your preparedness?  This is a double edged sword in many cases, as one would hope your peers and supervisors would take it upon themselves to help you but it is ultimately your responsibility.  With that being said, we often need our peers and supervisors to help us prepare making the issue complicated.

When it comes to relying on others to prepare you, there are several ways to look at the situation.  First, in a perfect world, everyone would want their peers and subordinates to reach their potential, thus freely offering their assistance in preparing you.  That is probably not always the case making option two more likely.  In option two, you are highly motivated to improve yourself and need to find a mentor or teacher to help you reach the next level. They serve as a sounding board for ideas, allow neutral party “vent” sessions, and point you in the right direction when reaching a career crossroad.  In this scenario you can settle for what you have or network to find someone that will invest in you.  Many of my mentors and teachers have never been in my chain of command.  I started this website as an attempt to open channels for those without local opportunities to find someone who would help prepare them to step up and be the fire officer our career field desperately needs.  Other great places to find these solid foundations include: fire conferences, other departments, other agencies, higher education providers, and community service organizations.

It is easy to blame others for your lack of preparedness, and in some cases those people do share some of the blame however, no one will look out for you like you!  I have never relied on someone to take me to the next level or set me up for success.  Success is accomplished through hard work, foresight, and tenacity.  When opportunities present themselves, grab them and run with it.  Accept failure, learn from it, and grow as a person, leader, and officer.  The next time you are sitting around flipping through the TV channels, think of the lost opportunity in preparing for your future.  Whether taking college classes, reviewing strategies and tactics, or planning your career progression; you must invest in yourself if you want others to invest in you!  It is easy to fall into a rut and get comfortable where you are…. it takes courage to pursue something better.  The next time an opportunity comes up, don’t let your personal failure to prepare cause it to pass you by!

 

What’s your approach to supervision?

As we are all aware we are always learning.  Some times the learning experience happens quickly, such as realizing your should have used an oven mitt when taking the shish kabobs off the grill with your fingers, or is formal and well planned such as taking a college course.  My education in the fire service has never stopped, whether is was rapid, informal learning, or planned out.  One of the hardest things I had to learn was making the transition from a firefighter to a company officer.

You may be questioning why I am writing about supervision when this site is titled Fire Officer Mentor.  Mentoring cannot occur without supervision, and good supervision leads to good mentoring.  We have all learned about the many types of supervision, styles, theories, etc.  And we all have learned that not one style and theory fits all situations, but whether we like it or not we all operate from a base level.  Those base levels can be autocratic, democratic, or laissez-faire.  We have all worked under the company officer that wants hospital corners on your bunk, or the officer who does not have a daily structure, and then there are the ones in-between.

Based on my experiences I would like to share a couple of supervisory approaches.  I am not transposing these from any book or reference material.  I am putting my own labels on them.

The Fish Net Approach – With the fish net approach the supervisor snags the first person they see when an idea crosses their mind or they have a project that is close to the deadline and they have not started it yet.  The supervisor casts the net out, catching you then pulling you in. There you are, trapped and helpless, just as fish are in the fishing net. And just as in the fish net there are a variety of items, random things pulled up by the net.  The supervisor is looking for results.  They expect you to sift through the items and then make it work.  No real direction or instructions are provided, and the supervisor may not really even know what the catch is supposed to be.  The results may be a completed task, but it may not be the way the supervisor wants it and it may result in having to do the task again.

The Shot Gun Approach – The Shot Gun approach is similar to the Fish Net.  The difference is the supervisor knows what the results need to be they are just not sure who to pick for the task.  Maybe during a casual conversation with a small group the supervisor “blasts” out the idea or plan.  Some one in the group takes the “hit” (they volunteer to take on the task for recognition, peer pressure, etc.). The task may get completed properly or not.  That is the second part of the Shot Gun Approach.  Just as shooting a shotgun, you may or may not hit the target appropriately.  Again, the task may get completed but was the right person doing the task?  This may work out OK, unless the task had an emphasis on safety.

The Pile-On Approach – just like a bunch of NFL football players diving in and piling on to recover a fumble, the supervisor keeps piling on the tasks.  This may be good and bad. The supervisor may be piling on because they know they will get good results.  The bad part is other tasks suffer and priorities keep changing as more tasks get piled on.

Last One Picked for Gym Class Approach – I can remember when I was in school gym class it was well known I couldn’t even catch a cold, so I was always the one picked just so the teams would be even.  A supervisor may pick someone for a task because there is no one else to pick.  The results could end up being dismal.  Loss of productivity and a need to re-do the task by someone else.  The results for the employee are also dismal.  Their confidence has been shattered, making it even more difficult to properly develop the employee.

The Helicopter Pilot – This supervisor assigns a task then hops in their helicopter, hovering over your every move.  They are not micro managing because they are not spelling out how to get the task done.  They just hover, and hover, and hover, never really saying anything. It would be a blessing if they did micro manage. At least you would be getting some feedback.  They just land their helicopter when the task is done, tell you what went wrong then get back in their helicopter to hover over you again.  This approach causes anxiety in newer employees, and just flat out pisses off experienced employees.

Well, I have to be honest; I have been on both sides of these.  It took me a while to figure out just because someone is willing, does not mean they are able.  There are several keys to avoid being caught up in one of the above approaches:

• How critical is the project? What level of authority or perceived authority is needed?  Pick the person that can carry the ball, who understands the critical nature of the task and has the backbone and knowledge to exert the appropriate authority.
• Think about the results you want.  If the task is not completed properly, what is the impact on the shift and employee assigned?
• Don’t always pick the same person to do the same thing. If you can, spell out the results but the details provided should depend on the task and experience level of the person assigned. Give them “Point B” and step back.  They may surprise you with how well they do. Tell the employee to get back to you 1) If they have questions or need resources 2) run into obstacles 3) The task is completed.  Check back occasionally to show support.
• Use tasks to help develop the team early. Assign a team leader in the group and provide them the necessary management tools to see a task through.  Allow the team leader to suggest others that could help the project but be sure it is not the same few all of the time.
• Don’t be afraid to take a chance on someone.  Just make sure they have the support to accomplish the task.  I’ll stand in front of a fire chief all day explaining what happened if it means I could help develop a future mentor.

Take your time when assigning tasks.  Use them to develop not just task related skills, but supervisory and management skills.  Show faith and confidence in those you work with helps set the tone for good mentoring.

Stay Safe!

 

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.

Regaining Long-Lost Employees

While working on the book I am writing, I approached the subject of the different types of employees we find in our departments.  With a high concentration of Type A personalities, as found in most fire departments, there is one employee in particular that merits some additional attention.  I imagine that we all know someone like the person I am about to describe and each one of them, while similar, will have a broad spectrum of reasons for being that way.  This type of person is known as a disenfranchised employee (DE).  Many business leadership books list the DE as someone who used to care, perhaps was a star employee, and is now hurting the agency.  In the business world this accounts for lack in productivity, poor work environments, and a slew of problems that eat at a company’s bottom line.  In the fire service these people represent a growing number of “burned-out” employees that can put people in danger.

The old school way of thinking would dismiss these people, toss them to the side, with remarks pertaining to their inability to “make it” as a firefighter.  While this seems like the easiest and fastest fix, it fails to understand the merits of the individual and account for the cost associated with their training and experience.  In many cases, the brightest burning stars are the quickest to burnout.  The first question that needs to be asked is “what caused them to change?”  Identifying the personal or professional issues that caused the change is the first step to re-engaging the individual.  Word of caution though, we are not mental health professionals and do not need to act like it.  You do not have to dive into the personal life of your employees the analyze what went wrong.  A simple understanding of their situation will suffice.  Some common personal causes are: divorce, money problems, unhappy home-life, sick or dying family members, or lack of support at home. There is very little that we can do about these types of issues beyond acknowledging the problem and offering an employee assistance program. The more common issues that we can handle revolve around professional causes. Some of these include: lack of acknowledgment, not being validated, failure to progress, constantly being limited or micromanaged, lack of personal accountability within an organization, and having a perception of being mistreated.  While many of these problems are employee specific, there is also something to be said for noticing trends.  When multiple personnel show signs of being DE, there is often a bigger problem within the organization.

The question remains, “How do you re-engage someone who has become a DE?”  On a personal level, they need to have a reason to be connected to the organization.  No one, especially firefighters deal well with feeling like they are not needed.  Employees much like fire need specific components to grow.  I like to think of it as a spark, fuel, and air.  Finding a role that utilizes their specific talents is the fastest way to create a spark.  On its own, the spark is not enough to breathe new life into the employee.  The next component is fuel.  Just like a fire you cannot add too much or too little fuel if you expect growth.  The fuel is a two part formula that includes continuing projects to provide opportunities for success and positive reinforcement with honest feedback.  The final component is one that takes an experienced leader to understand.  Air in its simplest form means that the leader needs to give the DE room to succeed without leaving them feeling abandoned again.    Best case scenario, this career CPR will bring a DE back however, if wide-scale problems are present, individual action will not be enough.

On an organizational level, several DE’s are a sign of poor leadership/management practices.  Drops in morale, lack of advancement opportunities, failure to hold people accountable, and micromanaging supervisors are generally the root of the problem.  The effects are further compounded when the DE is a supervisor.  Our attitude as a leader is highly infectious.  Poor attitudes seem to be even more contagious than positive attitudes making it more difficult for positive attitudes to survive.  The biggest question in this scenario is how do you as a company officer fix DE problems that may stem from higher levels of management?  This is one of those “easier to explain than to do” scenarios.

You have to be persistently positive.  Find ways to give DE’s spark, fuel, and air while pushing for management changes.  Help to reestablish the organizational image.  Throughout an organization’s progression, the failure to pass on core values and pride will lead to senior personnel becoming DE and prevent newer employees from ever truly engaging.  Give credit where credit is due, stop “blanket policy” fixes, and treat people with respect.  No one wants to be a number, they need to be accepted and validated as important members of the group.   Failure to re-engage these employees will further support the perception that employees are numbers as they either leave or are let go and are replaced by newer, less experienced personnel.  This scenario is one that can be more rewarding than a traditional conflict resolution since you are not only fixing a problem but bringing back someone who use to be a strong performer.

I want to close with one of my favorite quotes….. “If you are not apart of the solution, you are apart of the problem.”

 

What kind of link are you?

Imagine your department as a chain, starting at the top with a well anchored fire chief and working its way down one link at a time.  This analogy isn’t too far from the truth when looking at  most departments.  The only difference is that some are longer chains while others may only be a few links long.  The old saying “you are only as strong as your weakest link” definitely applies.  The real question is…. “what kind of link are you?” Are you strong and supportive of those under you or weak and flexible?  Do you align with the links above you or try to chose your own direction?  With my limited experience using chains, I know that twisted chains tend to fail when they are put under stress.

Many of the problems within a department can be blamed on problems within the chain of command.  While weaknesses at the bottom of a chain (firefighter) can cause problems, weaknesses in the upper tiers are guaranteed to end in disaster.  When there are problems at any level it can immediately be identified on a fire ground however, the day-to-day weaknesses hide these issues until they fester and become infectious to the entire department.  The sad realization is that the issues remain hidden because we all choose to ignore them.  Even the newest member to the department can see the signs of a weak chain.  Does the senior staff fully support the decisions of the chief?  Do the company officers fully support the decisions of the senior staff?  When I was in the military there was a strict unwritten rule that complaints go up the chain never down.  How often do we see a breach of this concept?  Chief says I want A, B, & C done, Battalion chief tells the shift chief wants A, B, & C done but he doesn’t agree with A & B, followed by firehouse discussion with a company officer who says they disagree with C.  This entire process caused every link from the top down to lose strength.

Many people interject the argument that being a “yes-man” destroys integrity and creates a mindless department.  While blindly following orders can lead to “helpless” departments, the challenge process must be professional and respectful.  If I don’t agree with something the professional thing to do is send my concerns up the chain along with possible solutions.  Without the accompanied solutions the possibly valid issue gets dismissed as whining.  Failure to handle the problems correctly often leads to complaints being ignored and subsequent “trash talking” down the chain of command.  If you truly want to have the strongest chain possible, stop undercutting the stability of the links above and below you.  Whether at the top, middle, or bottom of the chain….your department needs you to be as strong as you can be.  Don’t be the weakest link and the reason your chain fails!

 

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/

Thoughts on trade theory and the fire service.

While studying for my International Business class, I began to look at globalization and trade theories which attempt to explain the best practice for making the most while lowering cost.  Throughout my studies, I try to look at ways in which the material I am learning for business can be applied to the fire service.  Although I am sure I am not the first to look at the subject of reducing costs without reducing services, I like to think this idea has merit.

Without confusing the politics and nature of the theories as they relate to globalization, the one theory that interested me the most in relation to the fire service is a free-trade theory known as absolute advantage.  Basically, this theory states that some countries can produce certain goods more efficiently and by focusing on what they are good at they can afford to import other products they are less efficient at producing.  Here is the point where everyone reading this is scratching their head and wondering how it applies to the fire service.

Translation:  If each department focuses on something (rescue, HAZMAT, ect.), while creating automatic aid agreements to share their specialty/receive specialties with neighboring departments; then the result is a more diverse, more efficient, and better quality of service to the entire area.  Many departments try to be a one-stop shop which can spread resources, manning, and money pretty thin.  If interdepartmental organizations are created so that the burden of expense can be spread out over the members, the benefits can outweigh the cost.  The current economy has every politician and decision maker looking for ways to cut costs.  If your department is trying to be a stand alone group of specialties, it is not only wasteful when looking at the bigger picture it can also lead to some severe safety concerns.

Consider the number of hours it takes to obtain, recertify, and stay proficient with each skill set firefighters are expected to perform.  At a certain point, it becomes impossible to maintain proficiency with every single thing.  If you are like me then your “I Love Me Folder” is full of pieces of paper that certify me as proficient in the class I took.  The number of hours required to maintain firefighting, emergency medical, specialized rescue, and command proficiency is outrageous.  Now imagine the benefits of focusing on the basics and one or two extras.  I can either maintain mastery on a few things or barely skate by with many.  At the point in time when someone’s life is in jeopardy, would you want someone who skates by and fumbles with a task or jumps right in with the refined skills

As the fire service continues to progress, the need to combine resources, share across borders, and downsize government will grow exponentially.  After centuries of expanding, the only hope for government agencies including the fire service is to find ways to cut costs without placing our people in danger or reducing the level of service.  Bridging departments and expanding brotherhood/sisterhood relationships is the key to survival and excellence.

 

Marketing yourself and your department

Current times have made many organizations desperate to reach out to their customers and prove their worth.  While our customers may not realize they need us, we should be taking the extra effort to prove to them they do.  Part of this we accomplish on a daily basis by getting on the apparatus and helping people however, the other part is one that is often overlooked.  The truth is that many businesses and organizations would kill for the chance to have the following the fire service has.  Based on tradition, history, and perceived image alone; the fire service has easy access to most forums.  Churches, businesses, schools, and any other place you can think of typically welcomes firefighters with open arms and hospitality.  The question remains….. Why don’t we take advantage of that?

All too often we get in the mindset that we are only being paid to ride the trucks and put out fires.  The realistic truth is that we are some of the most respected public servants in the world.  The term servant implies that we serve others.  While I may not be a genius, this concept suggests that I go out of my way to do things for the people I work for.  The point is that our first meeting with the individuals that make up the public we serve shouldn’t be at their emergency.  They should know our faces and see that we provide valuable services to them and their loved ones.  This is where marketing yourself and your department kicks in.  Most business/marketing strategies begin by finding out who your customers are and identifying how you can meet a need.  The underlined message is that we are there for them in any emergency but what we often fail to convey is that we are there all of the time 24/7/365.  I have heard of community out-reach programs where members of the fire department bag groceries or coach a children’s sports team.  That works for those departments however, there is no cookie cutter example of reaching out.

In addition to knowing your customers, it is also important to prioritize our interactions since everything has a price tag and money is short.  Quite often, it is the littlest gestures that show we care the most.  Offering to provide an apparatus to make a child’s birthday party or stopping to change someone’s flat tire shows that we are concerned about more than devastating emergencies.  While I don’t condone taking response units out of service thus limiting the community’s protection, establishment of volunteers within a paid department can help accomplish both activities without reducing coverage.  So now the important question arises…. What are YOU willing to do to sell yourself and your department?  Are you there for the glory and a pay check or do you truly care about the people in your community?  In the end it takes more than one person to make this marketing process successful but like many other journeys, it has to begin with the first step!

 

Your Role in Employee Retention

 

Many departments across the nation have been feeling the pain of tightened purse strings.  When government entities feel the need to cut sections from a budget, our career field is one of the few that look appealing since the better we do our jobs, the less it seems like we are needed.  With this fact in mind, there are certain retention factors (salary, benefits, promotions) that are out of our hands however, the biggest factor is greatly influenced by line supervisors.

What is this magical retention factor?  Job satisfaction.  While we are not here to sugar coat everything and  make people believe the problems don’t exist, there should be a certain amount of political foresight before we open our mouths.  A negative officer makes a negative house.  If you only focus on the negative, those under you will be influenced to do the same.

When considering the negativity we are often expected to break to the people under us (lack of salary increases, position/hiring freezes, or even layoffs) it is hard to find a positive spin.  The best thing you as an officer can do is begin to think like a chief.  It is easy to criticize a decision when you only look at the little picture however, understanding what was gained or what wasn’t lost by the decision allows for the positive to come out.  For instance, you are given the news that there will be no pay raises this year.  You can either grumble to the crew that we are all getting screwed or in some cases point out that by accepting the lack of a raise, no one is going to lose their job this year.  I guarantee the newest guy on the department will be relieved as will some of those getting close to retirement.  The point is that the way you handle the bad news will have an immense impact on the way everyone reacts.

Beyond playing the political game of putting a positive spin on things, there are many other factors that the officer has direct control over.  Mainly, the way you treat your crew.  Job dissatisfaction is the number one reason people search for other employment opportunities.  Obvious things you can do to help job satisfaction include:  treating your people with respect, fostering  the brotherhood mentality, providing training for advancement, and providing positive feedback.  Some of the less obvious things include:  listening to complaints, following up with concerns, being your crew’s advocate, and providing empowerment opportunities.

In many of my human resource classes, there was a section that talked about motivation in the employment setting.  The number one thing most people put down in discussion boards as the best motivator was money.  The truth about money is that it is a temporary satisfier.  What I mean by that statement is when money is relied on as a motivator, you will never be able to pay enough.  Working overseas as a contract firefighter making six-figures a year seems like a dream.  Even with a six figure salary, the complaint about pay raises was present.  That in itself proves that you cannot rely on money to maintain your employee pool.  The officers below Fire Chief have to assume some responsibility for working within the confines of things they can change to make people want to stay.  Let’s face it, the job sells itself, it is up to us to sell the department as a place people want to be!