By Michael Gurr
Company officers today are faced with a multitude of problems and concerns that must be addressed daily. They must juggle many tasks and wear different hats. The fire service is no longer one-dimensional: the day’ of just coming into work and winging it are over.
Education has made its way into the fire service, mostly for the better. Most departments require fire officer classes or a college degree to be a line officer. Today’s officers have more schooling and education than ever, but we seem to have lost a step or two in common sense and good judgment.
Twenty or 30 years ago company officers had knowledge and skills, and were respected for commanding aggressive fire companies. Today, we seem to analyze things to the point of inaction! I am all about operating safely, but what happened to the days when you had total confidence in your officer and his decisions?
We have all worked for different officers before we moved up the ranks. Think back and recall the good, the bad, and the ugly and learn from it. I can honestly say that I only had one or two officers that I would do anything for. If they said, “Tie off and go over the side of a building,” I would have done so at the drop of a dime. If they said, “Let’s get the roof of this building,” I would be right there, no questions asked.
These few officers earned this level of respect from me because of their integrity–they had their act together and were leaders. Anyone can talk a good game around the kitchen table, or even stand back on calls and say how they would do things differently. But what do they do when it’s time for them to step up to the plate? How do they perform when they are first due? How do they command others in critical situations? How do they recover when the game plan has to be changed? Can they learn from mistakes and errors, or do they let pride and ego get in the way?
That said, how does a company officer become better? First, you have to admit to yourself that you don’t know everything. Then you need to rededicate yourself to the job you took. You are responsible for your crew’s actions. Start from the beginning. Get back to basics. Get out there and get some hands-on training with the tools and equipment. Too many officers get made and then stop touching and using tools. If one of your crew members has a problem starting a saw on the roof, who is going to help them out? You are, so you better know how every tool operates on your rig.
Schedule some realistic training evolutions. If you can’t come up with your own, there are plenty online or in training magazines. When you train, wear full PPE and SCBA. Don’t cut corners! Try to do the evolutions in real time. Bring in videos of fires and point out the positive and negative actions that you see on the fireground. Critique the pictures on the covers of the major fire service publications. What would you do different?
Check out buildings in your response zone and look at the type of construction and layouts that exist. Look for potential hazards that might be encountered. Locate hydrants in your area and see what kind of pressure you can get. How much hose will it take to make the stretch? Make sure your driver engineer knows the proper pump pressures that are needed for the required flow.
When you train with your crew, let them know that you care. This puts them on notice that you expect a certain level of proficiency from them, and lets you know what their limits and capabilities are. Trust that they might complain at first but will thank you in the end. Too many officers want to remain friends and buddies with their subordinates. Wouldn’t you rather be known for having your act together and for being a fire service leader?
You are also required to do your homework as a company officer. Do you read the articles in trade magazines? Do you go online and keep tabs on what is going on around the country in the fire service? Do you know about the latest tools and techniques that are being used today? Have you taken a class or gone back to school yourself? Today’s firefighters need officers to be officers! They need you to motivate them to be better and to lead by example. Do you just play company officer, or do you live it?
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Michael Gurr is a lieutenant with Pompano Beach (FL) Fire Rescue. He is also the Florida South East Regional Director of The Fellowship of Christian Firefighters. He has been an Instructor I for three years at the Coral Springs (FL) Fire Academy, and has been in the fire service for 17 years. |
