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Rank to Role
The Fire and rescue services in Britain have changed over from a rank system to a role system. From what I understand about it it is a standard applying to each and every Brigade and station. Each role has the same training attached to it no matter where you are based or if you are career or retained (British version of volunteer). This means in theory that, for example, all crew managers from one end of the country to the other are the same. A crew manager from a retained station in Scotland can move anywhere in the country and keep his position.
I have three questions about this, the first two directed at the North American firefighter, the third directed at anyone involved with this.
1) As a North American Firefighter how would you feel about having a standardised fire service, where the standard of training and rank are the same in every town and city.
2) As a North American Firefighter how would you feel about losing rank title for a role title, for example Captains become Crew managers, District Chiefs become District managers
3) To those of you using roles instead of ranks, how do you like the change, was it for the better or has it screwed things up?
I personaly like the Rank system as I am highly tradditional sort of person.
I have three questions about this, the first two directed at the North American firefighter, the third directed at anyone involved with this.
1) As a North American Firefighter how would you feel about having a standardised fire service, where the standard of training and rank are the same in every town and city.
2) As a North American Firefighter how would you feel about losing rank title for a role title, for example Captains become Crew managers, District Chiefs become District managers
3) To those of you using roles instead of ranks, how do you like the change, was it for the better or has it screwed things up?
I personaly like the Rank system as I am highly tradditional sort of person.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on
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A standardized fire service would be a great goal to strive for. Having minimum training standards for each rank, and apparatus for that matter, might solve certain problems faced by FDs today. It would eliminate the popularity contest method of choosing chief officers. It might also, however deny leadership positions to those FFs with lots of experience and good judgment but with poor classroom skills.
As far as rank to role changes, I don't know that it would matter much as long as everyone made the same change and there is a good reason for changing.
As NIMS takes firm hold on the US fire service over the next two or three decades, the rank to role changes may evolve anyway whether we like it or not.
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Permalink Reply by Piney Power on
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1) I don't think that having every town and city having the same training and ranking system would work here. We have such a variety of needs for all of our towns and cities that what one would need another may not ever need. If you live in the middle of the desert, you will never need any type of water rescue unless it's in regards to a pool, which is different.
2) Personally, I don't think it would matter because the roles are the same thing as ranks just in a different word(s).
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Permalink Reply by Tony P on
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I'm not allowed to respond to questions 1) and 2) as I'm not a North American Firefighter!
But question 3)? I prefer the rank to the role idea. Why? I suppose it's just custom, it's what I'm used to! Oops, I shouldn't have answered 3) either - we haven't changed to 'role' - except where we have Crew-leader, Strike-team Leader, Sector Commander and Incident Controller... But they are incident roles - and the individual's rank in the service may have little to do with things when they perform those roles.
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Permalink Reply by Bob Kinne on
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In the 1800's the ranks in most North American departments were Chief, Foreman, Assistant Foreman and Engineer. In the early 1900's they eventually changed to the more military forms: Captain instead of Foreman, and Lieutenant instead of Assistant Foreman., with the rank of chief and his assistants, as well as Engineer all remaining the same. They have worked for 100 years so I can't see them changing anytime soon.
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Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on
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As someone said before, NIMS might just take that route here in the U.S. As for the term, "manager", it makes one think of the corporate or business world rather than the Fire Service! Stay safe!
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