BY PAUL H. STEIN AND ETTORE BERARDINELLI
We thoroughly enjoyed our years in the fire service, and as we look back on our careers, we both believe that some of our best times were the assignments we served as training officers.
Think about it. The drill tower experience is usually the very first contact recruits have with the rigors and traditions of the fire service and is definitely their initial contact with the culture and philosophy of your fire department. As training officers, we participated and watched as these recruits developed the skills that would enable them to become reliable team members. Toward the end of the training period, we got to see the joy in the faces of the successful recruits who survived the rigorous and demanding training, knowing that we had a part in preparing them for an exciting and rewarding career in the fire service—the same career we were grateful to have.
The high point of any drill tower class is graduation. With their families and friends gathered to watch, the new firefighters arrive at the drill facility in a fire truck or an engine “Code 3,” attack a fire, rescue a “victim” from a car wreck, rappel from the drill tower, put up ladders, and advance hoselines. Displaying these newfound talents for their loved ones is always a source of pride for the recruits (and the training officer, too!). After events are completed, there are always refreshments; a slide show; and the wholehearted congratulations, euphoria, and relief that come with this achievement.
As their training officers and initial mentors, we shared some final thoughts with them. We told them to always remember that we enter citizens’ lives at a time when they are experiencing a devastating incident, possibly the worst time in their lives; that we all decided to become firefighters because we care deeply for others and are committed to making the human condition better. Throughout history, firefighters have risked everything to save the lives of people they did not know. All one has to do is recall those photos of the Fire Department of New York firefighters in the stairwell of the World Trade Center on 9/11. It can never be repeated enough that being a firefighter is truly a noble profession and that that mark of respect is solely earned by those firefighters who have served honorably and paved the way for all of us.
In a world where things change on a daily basis, the character of the fire service and the individuals who comprise it have remained constant. More than three decades ago when we were presented with our badges at our graduations, we were given the same message that we pass on to our new firefighters: When you pin on that badge and put on that uniform, you become a member of the universal fire family, and your actions reflect on all the members of that family. Your future in the fire service includes the demands of a professional, with no real limits to the kinds of emergencies you will face.
Your job will take you into places where normal people will be running out of; your commitment and professionalism will compel you to move toward the danger and a successful resolution of the emergency. Your courage and character will be tested daily—at emergencies, in the firehouse, and in your personal lives. For the rest of your career, your efforts will revolve around putting the safety and welfare of others ahead of your own. In the midst of worst possible conditions, you will be expected to act. You will see horrible things, and you will perform beyond your own current expectations. And at the end of your shift, you will go home knowing that your actions helped make someone or some family’s life a little better. You are now a part of a noble history of tradition, character, and selflessness combined with innovation, character, bravery, and hard work.
But the topic of this article is “Excellence” and, unfortunately, not everyone has the desire to achieve that standard. We’re not talking about the occasional mistake and recovery; we are talking about individuals who have proven they are ill-suited for this line of work. If an organization wants to create a culture of excellence, its gatekeepers (those in charge of setting job standards, hiring, training, retention, and promotion) must exercise clear-eyed objectivity and demonstrate unflinching courage by identifying those who are unwilling or unable to excel. To paraphrase the words of an old probationary guide, “If there is any question about a candidate’s or recruit’s ability or suitability, the decision has to be made in favor of maintaining the standards of the department and the fire service.” It’s difficult to release hopeful recruits in the training phase, but if your organization wants to create a culture of excellence, you must all be its gatekeepers.
And it’s not exclusively about ability. The character of every candidate and recruit is a major factor at the beginning, throughout, and at the end of their careers. The character of the fire service is to keep trying and to learn from our errors, to recover and start over, to accept things with grace, and to be glad for the success of others. Our career ethic expects all firefighters to examine themselves with a critical eye and to be accountable for their actions, to avoid excuses and rationalizations, and to resist temptations. In the fire service, the stakes are too high to knowingly accept less. No organization wants a firefighter with less than satisfactory skills or with questionable character to represent it.
The great news is that two distinct results are inevitable when we insist on excellence:
- Performance will increase as the “bar is raised” and everyone seeks to achieve at a higher level.
- Those who can’t meet these high physical, emotional, and character standards are released from the fire service.
City and fire service managers have a high, solemn standard they must maintain in the selection and retention of firefighters. If we avoid our responsibility to maintain our profession at the highest possible levels, we become accountable for the consequences of shirking that responsibility.
The fact that excellence is achievable has been proven for more than 200 years of the proud and honorable service of America’s firefighters. Striving for excellence is a realistic goal, but it is not achieved without high standards, objectivity, discipline, and sacrifice.
PAUL H. STEIN retired as a chief officer from the Santa Monica (CA) Fire Department. During his 31-year career, he was a supervisor for 25 years. He has served as line officer, battalion commander, fire marshal, and division chief/training officer. After his retirement, he served as interim chief for the Lakeside (CA) Fire Department. He has served as the fire technology coordinator at Santa Monica College, an instructor for the California Fire Academy System, and a former adjunct faculty member for the National Fire Academy. He has an A.S. degree in fire technology and a B.A. degree in management. He is a master instructor for the California Department of Education.
ETTORE BERARDINELLI retired from the Santa Monica (CA) Fire Department in 2003, where he served as chief since 1997. He joined the department in 1972 and also served in the positions of firefighter, paramedic, engineer, captain, training officer, battalion chief, and deputy chief. He has a lifetime teaching credential and has taught fire technology courses at Santa Monica College over a 20-year span.
