By Tim Pillsworth
“A Jack of all trades, master of none…” It’s a familiar saying that has been slung around for generations, and the quote apparently started back in 1592 in a booklet, “Greene’s Groats-Worth of Wit,” referring to Shakespeare. Sometime around 1721 the saying was changed to: “A Jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one” (from the book Essays and Characters of a Prison). Just look around yourself and family. There is one family member, friend, or neighbor who could fix just about everything: the car sensor or brakes, home renovations, and the toys requiring assembly on Christmas morning. For my family and neighborhood, that was my dad. He did it all. Family members would stop by to have their cars fixed. He would work on their homes, installing a sink, outlet, and various other things. I learned much from him, but didn’t appreciate the extent of that learning until I grew older. The shortened quote referred to above, however, is somewhat insulting to the generalist, the person who can do just about anything.
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What does this have to do with the fire service? Everything. The American firefighter is the generalist, the jack-of-all-trades. This is particularly the case with volunteer or small career departments. In very large departments, someone can spend their entire career on the engine or the truck, becoming more of a specialist, however these members still must maintain the general knowledge of the other tasks.
An Era of Specialization
Indeed, entire companies have been created with the idea that generalists working together is more advantageous than a group of specialists. Bill Gates, the creator of one of the most influential and advanced companies in the world, has said: “Generalists provide interdisciplinary thinking in solving problems based on diverse experience. Given the merits of both types, what does research suggest about employment opportunities and career outcomes of being a specialist versus a generalist?” As a volunteer firefighter who also has a paid career position, over the past decade or so there has been a push for a specialist for each work trade. For years, I was a project engineer managing large complex construction projects. Each project had all facets of construction: site, masonry, concrete, steel, electrical, mechanical and many others. To have a productive and smooth construction project, the project engineers required knowledge of the trades that are working on the project. The jack-of-all-trades engineer is needed to ensure the construction project was moving forward correctly, on schedule, and with high-quality results. Being able to understand the work, correct deficiencies, and answer questions correctly was a must. With the shift to having a group of single-task or trade specialists giving insight and assistance to those in the field, time and efficiency was lost over time. The so-called “expert” typically does not have the overall knowledge in the other trades to offer a complete answer or direction that will not impact other trades. This was the start of the “stove pipe” design and construction management, where you learn and only complete one specific task or trade. An expanse of knowledge was neither desired nor rewarded.
The Firefighter as Generalist
Thinking back to the start of your fire service training, you learned each task on the fireground and how each is affected or supported by the others: search, recovery, stretching, flowing, ventilation, extrication, hazmat, EMS, and so on. This included tasks as simple of venting in front of the hose team and the timing of such operations. At the start of our firefighting careers, we are all generalists.
As we move forward in our careers, many of us gravitate toward one aspect of the fire because of enjoyment of the task or simply because of where we end up. Engine or truck company, extrication, wildland…we all have our favorite. We all were taught and trained on the basic skills of all the needed tasks on the fireground. Over the past few years, our training has expanded into areas once considered specialties, such as hazardous materials, rope rescue and various other technical rescue disciplines, and so forth. Although all specialized training is important, we cannot forget the basics of our craft. A firefighter must continue to be a jack-of-all-trades.
Yet, per that quote from Bill Gates, the specialist idea has not taken hold. When there is a large and popular trend in business, many corporations jump on the bandwagon so as to seem current with the latest changes. We have see this in businesses, with everyone being all but required to be an expert or have letters after their name to justify their title, pay, and chance of advancement. Although these things are important, they cannot be the destination. The fire service has in some way fallen into this trend.
Beyond the Basics
Forty or more years ago, the fire service was, for the most part, just that. The local fire department responded to fires, some motor vehicle accidents, and limited other emergencies. As time moved forward, with the advent of hydraulic extrication equipment in the early 1970s and an overall increase in traffic, the fire department responded to most if not all motor vehicle accidents. Then there was the addition of medical response and support. After that came the introduction of technical rescue, hazmat, general hazards (storm response), and the list goes on and on, customized to your local demographics and needs. The fire department became the go-to call for just about every emergency, and the population wanted specialization in everything.
The training in the past was focused in the basics. We trained the basics at every drill and class, because that was what we were expected to perform when we were call upon. Nowadays, training is expected on the myriad subdisciplines needed for the emergencies we may conceivably respond to.
Great Expectations
Are firefighters, then, beginning to lose that generalist aspect? The fact remains that although we can perform with proficiency at a variety of calls, there is not enough time to become an expert at everything. If you are not in a large department or lack adequate staffing, how can you span the gap?
The need for generalists remains today, but the knowledge base has expanded. As in the past, we all must be fluent in basic firefighting tasks, but we must anticipate the needs of our communities and their expectations. Whether it is medical, extraction, and general hazard response, that required knowledge base must be incorporated into the jack-of-all-trades mentality.
Crucially, we must be generalists in the skills that cover our typical first-due area. That would be response to fires (structure, car, brush), and the other emergencies your department would typically find in your community (medical, extraction, general hazard, storm response, and so on). Train on the basics of those specific tasks and ask this simple question: Does everyone need to be an expert in everything? For example, does every member need to be an EMT or a rope rescue technician? Or do you need to have enough trained members at the levels required to cover the needs of the community? In most cases, there is no a need to have everyone a specialist in everything.
To cover your first-due minimum, you must determine your area’s risks. What are the risks that you would be expected to respond to? Drive your district or first-due area and gather the information. Do you have bodies of water in your first-due area? If so, water/ice rescue could be important training. Heavy interstate traffic? Knowledge of extrication, traffic control, and heavy rig rescue is in order. Have large farms? Knowledge of farm equipment rescue techniques would be warranted. This list goes on. Most departments will not have more than a few of the “extra” response duties.
To determine what you might require outside the traditional basics, generate reports from the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). Examining incident trends can also underscore what specialized training is needed.
Risks and Return on Investment
Train and become proficient on the incidents you are likely to respond to. It might sound great to have a high-angle rope rescue team or a dive team, but if you don’t respond to such calls, is it a waste of effort (that is, time and money) to spend training on that specialty. Time is limited for everyone, so why train for something that your department doesn’t respond to, or responds to only rarely?
Although it may be “fun” to have a specialized response team out of your firehouse, is the burden on your members worth the return? Each specialized team requires planning, funding, management, tracking, and of course, personnel. All of this involves time, which is the enemy of many fire department members’ schedules. Whether it’s having a paying job, longer commutes, families, and time for themselves, available hours are dropping at a faster pace than the increase in training needs and requirements. Adding many hours of additional training for a team that cannot be fully supported locally and or isn’t truly needed would be an overall wasted effort.
Regional Response
How can we continue to be generalists in a world that wants specialists? Simply put, we must choose. Choose the basics that your community needs. When it comes to tasks that are too large, costly, or complicated, work towards a regional response. Unless you are in a large department, having a specific team for each specific specialized response is likely impossible, but multi-department regional specialized teams will allow the needed response. This requires involvement from interested members but doesn’t involve exhausting a single department’s resources. These resources are not only financial, but also personal, as well. The regional approach has been proven to work in many areas with the town- or county-wide team.
The second method would be to choose to be the lead department for one specialized team. By training and suppling one team, there can be concentration for a single specialty while allowing the time, staffing, and funding to remain for core response requirements. The addition of only “one” special service will not be an overwhelming workload for the members. The specially chosen should be one that is needed for the home or primary department. Some examples might be having a water rescue team due to proximity to bodies of water, or having a high-angle rescue team if cliffs and trails are nearby. The first due needs can be expanded and shared regionally. Other departments within the region can support “your” team with their own members by knowing the basics and, if allowed, their members joining your team. Other specialized teams that are needed within the region can be supported and managed by other departments. Thus, multiple departments share the work and funding loads that all specialized teams require.
The Return of the Generalists
The jack-of-all-trades mentality is resurgent in many departments across this country. The time and financial burdens that most of our fire departments are dealing with have revealed what is truly needed by our community. Many have noticed that some of our basics have slipped due to agencies trying to focus on too many specialties. If there is a need for a specialized team, choose and support one additional team, then support and rely on neighbors for other technical teams.
Being a jack-of-all-trades not only supports our communities but allows our departments to return to those basics that win the day 99% of the time. Being a jack-of-all-trades should not be an insult but instead a compliment; take pride in being an expert in the basics, and your communities will thank you.
Tim Pillsworth has been active in the volunteer fire service since 1986 and is an active member of the Washingtonville (NY) Fire Department. He is a past chief and life member of the Winona Lake (NY) Engine Company. He presents on engine company operations, PPE, and leadership.
