Leadership Points for Fire Chiefs
By Chris Barron
Writing for the NVFC
Have you ever thought about what attracted you to emergency services? For me, it was a ride out with my neighbor as a volunteer firefighter. I have now spent 32 great years in the fire service and the experience has been very rewarding, trying, and challenging, but worth the benefits and feeling of self-gratification.
With all the ups and downs we experience as firefighters, you may at times find yourself wondering: “How could I have done things better—for a better outcome?” However, one should not dwell on the past, as history cannot be changed. Instead focus on whether there are things you can do to improve so that you can alter the outcome of the future with desire, willpower, and focus.
Being in a leading role for decades, I have had the good fortune to learn from others, to lead others, and to learn from mistakes. Capturing some of those lessons learned developed into these 10 “Chief Commandments.”
1. Customer Service IS #1
If you make customer service of internal and external customers your number one priority, it goes a long way in increasing your services, the health and safety of your firefighters, and feeling better about what you do. We should all strive to make our customers’ day better, whether it is your firefighters or Mr. and Mrs. Smith! Be an advocate for improved services and treat others better than they expect to be treated. Are you training your firefighters on the basic skills needed to communicate, show respect, and make the firehouse a place that they WANT to come to?
2. Put It to Paper
Let’s face it, these days if it is not recorded on paper, video, or audio, any incident can easily be contested. Do you and your crew have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to use a computer and the appropriate software to document an incident, a positive impact, or a disciplinary action? Are you documenting unsafe practices in the firehouse and verbal warnings given to staff to account for someone breaking the rules? These “paper trails” go a long way in rewarding someone or helping someone understand the rules and guidelines they should be abiding by.
3. Think/Plan Ahead
What is going on in your community? Are there so many new developments you can’t keep up with growth? Are you planning ahead for the replacement of fire apparatus, new technology, or the “What-Ifs?” Do you allow for the flexibility to accommodate the unexpected? Do you have replacement plans for fire apparatus, self-contained breathing apparatus, extrication equipment, or other big-ticket items?
4.Cha-Ching! Budget for People and Things
The big red trucks (or whatever color your fire truck is) can’t get there alone. They require people to operate them! We now have electric fire trucks, but I don’t think we will see any drone fire trucks in the near future. Are you budgeting for people, retirements, incentives, salary adjustments, or an economy crashing? Have you increased your response incentives based on the economy fluctuations? Get out there and research grant opportunities, apply, and do what you can to supplement your funding needs.
5. Bad Apples
If you have a toxic member in your organization, get rid of them before it spreads! Don’t let one ruin the bunch. Don’t be afraid to “fire” a volunteer member or correctly deal with a paid staff member if they are causing morale problems in the firehouse! Do you have a current member handbook, code of conduct, and definition of an active member? Has it been updated and reviewed by legal?
6. Motivate
Let’s face it, we all need a little motivation to stay engaged, involved, and wanting to learn more. Be that advocate to provide incentives to stay involved, stay healthy, stay educated, and become promoted. Provide a career ladder for your volunteers and/or paid members.
7. Speak or Forever Hold Your Piece
As the saying goes, communication is key! Don’t hold back—but always think before you speak. Make a statement in your emails, texts, meetings; make them want to listen. More is better, but with clear and concise communications, less can be more. Watch out for social media posts as we know backdrafts can quickly appear and explode. Having an open-door policy works, but your staff should know the chain of command and follow it.
8. Education Road Map
Don’t ever stop learning. It’s never too late and you never get too old to learn. Design your own path. What’s your next certification or big plan? Maybe it is taking up another language or going after a long-awaited or delayed college degree. Don’t forget, we must train our replacements; have a succession plan in place.
9. Change…For the Better
We all know the saying that firefighters don’t like change but don’t like how things are. Be that advocate for change in your fire department. The research has been done, many reports have been read, and the fire service has improved. Have you implemented the lessons learned from those reports? Let’s face it, sometimes we have to swallow our pride, try something different, and see if what we are now doing improves our services. If you don’t try, you’ll never know the results.
10. Break Limitations
Expand your horizons and maximize resources. Times are tough. Volunteerism is down and getting paid staff to pull extra shifts is even tough these days. A little pandemic didn’t help us! Do you have personnel that are maybe task specific? Have you given some ownership of certain projects to department members? How about the concept of automatic aid? We should all be in this profession for the same reason and the quicker we can get to the incident, the better the outcome. If our neighboring fire departments are closer to an incident, use them. The technology is there, make it happen!
10 +1: Clock Me Time
Being in a leadership position in your fire department can take a toll on your mind, your health, and well-being. Take time for yourself! Don’t become a victim of the stress and don’t let the job wear you down. Talk with fellow officers, find a mentor, go on vacation, enjoy life. Take time for yourself, you deserve it!
Learn from these 10 Chief Commandments and begin your road of success.
Chris Barron currently serves as the fire chief of the Travis County Emergency Services District #5 located just south of Austin, Texas. He has worked diligently in the fire service for over 32 years to increase service delivery performance. He has used several programs to lead ESD#5 from an all-volunteer department to a successful career department, PPC Class 7/9, to a fully staffed Class #2 department and providing excellent customer service to the area residents. Chief Barron has a AAS in fire technology, a BBA, and MBA and has received the IAFC International Fire Chief of the Year Award.
