Photo by Tony Greco.
By Leigh Hubbard
If you’re a fire instructor—either by choice or by “forced family fun”—you are vitally important to the cultural integrity of your department. You certainly aren’t waking up every day expecting a heroic outcome or accolades galore from your leadership. You simply wake up and head to the office to instill value to the training system you graciously serve knowing you are part of a team that serves to salvage property and save lives.
The fire service instructor is, in many cases, the most underrecognized hero. His impact spans much farther than the day-to-day call logs show. A department’s entire attitude can be traced back to the halls of training. The instructors within the department are establishing the training climate, and their attitude is directly proportional to impacts the attitude of those whom they are teaching. Training shouldn’t just be about improved knowledge or skill; it should be an improved attitude toward the subject matter and training process. This is a task of great proportion.
As a fire instructor, you are investing in knowledge. You don’t have to be a genius to know that knowledge is power; it is the best investment any department can make in its employees. The fire instructor ensures that the interest rate on the return on this investment is impactful to the overall success of the employees.
As a fire instructor, you are the mentor for the next generation. I recently heard a legendary chief say, “The best thing you can do to invest in your career is become an instructor, and if you don’t want to instruct, you’re in the wrong line of business.” We’ve all heard inspiring stories of success in the training department; I suspect there are hundreds more to tell. Most of them are never heard, but they center around the next generation of fire service leader. The fire instructor is dedicated to ensuring that underachievers fly and that overachievers stay grounded.
RELATED: Angulo on FDIC Instructors: Must-Share Moments ‖ Crothers: Growing as an Instructor ‖ Humpday Hangout: Focus on Training
As a fire instructor, you’re making the mundane extraordinary. When was the last time you heard someone say, “I love going to school?” The fire instructor strives to invent ingenious creative ways to make what otherwise might be complex or dull subjects exciting. They invest their passion for service into their classes so that those they are training being trained are craving more.
As a fire instructor, you can and will prevail despite the challenges. You are the master of resourcefulness in the fire service. You’re doing more with less. Budget constraints and time limitations make your job more difficult challenging, yet you’re always finding a way to ensure that the department doesn’t suffer. Your own education doesn’t stop. You’re invested in personal professional development, and you find creative and impactful ways to improve your teaching methodologies.
As a fire instructor, you unleash “superheroes.” Yes, even superheroes need mentors. The fire instructor is quietly building the everyday men and women who are training to be superheroes. They get none of the glory, and that’s okay; they aren’t in it for the glory! They aren’t waking up craving the sound of the bell or the smell of yesterday’s fire. They covet the satisfaction of knowing their superheroes are working smarter, training harder, and having an impact!
The resounding truth is that the fire instructor may very well be the most impactful team player of the department. Those charged with selecting and supporting this person should invest wisely intheir that choice, be resourceful in laying his foundation, and celebrate the superheroes the fire instructor is assemblesing for the department.
Leigh Hubbard is the executive director of the International Society of Fire Service Instructors in Centreville, Virginia. Her executive leadership of the Society has included making strides in membership recruitment and retention and the successful launch of multiple international programs including the Live Fire Instructor credential, the development and oversight of the Principles of Modern Fire Attack initiative, and the Training Officer Credential Designation.
