The Social Network & Community JUST for Firefighters
Know-it-all Rookies, What's up with that?
Let me here from you all out there regarding your feelings and/or experiences with new hires who come into the station thinking they have the answers to all of lifes' mysteries. You know the type, lots of "book learnin'" but not street or people smart. Arrogant and mouthy. How do you guys handle it without getting fired? Lol. Any and all suggestions are accepted.
I am not sure if this has been a previous topic or not but figured it would get some good comments going.
I am not sure if this has been a previous topic or not but figured it would get some good comments going.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by kimmieflirts on
-
I know im a new probie with fire but with ems i have found alot of this. Its seems sorta funny to have someone tell me that about how much they know about this n that and when we roll up to a mva with decap or " wounds incapatable with life" they freak out and cant deal with the other patients. i found the best way to deal with new probies is to help them when it serious but when its not let them do what they "have to", and talk like they know everything until they fall on their face. but once they fall help them out so they dont get to discouraged.
-
Permalink Reply by Ron Maddox on
-
This has been a dicussion before but let me tell you you what I tell the new guys coming in, The chief and the officers of the department are there because the have done it - When you have done it then you may give your opinion if asked untill then I better not see MY Chief pour his own coffee or we will strip floors and clean toilets till midnight. The other thing is simply change the attitude of those people. Officers are addressed as Rank and Last Name, Senior members are Sir and or Mam. Make it a policy with the chief and the training officer that these things be talked about in orientation. Last Nip it in the Bud. Take it from someone who knows, stop the acting up before it gets out of hand.
Ron
-
-
Amen!!!
Shut Up and Learn.........
-
-
Because its new to them. No one wants to upset their kids because theymay get mad. And God forbid you mention that you spank your kids. And the fire service is not the only thing that is sufforing with this, the Marines now cary a card with them in boot camp, if the drill instructer is too hard on them they flash this card and the DI must stop yelling at them. No one thinks about the fact that what I do when I get on you is to make you listen, then when the Crap hits the Fan you know what to expect from me and I know if and what I can expect fom them
-
Permalink Reply by joe on
-
just call him the 2 20 firefighter 2 months in the dept and 20 years of service . then tell to sit shut and hold for the ride of his life couse he ain't going to get this at six flags , and he might learn something. i use the great one that god you two ears and one mouth to do twice as much listening and half as much talking . that keeps them in there place.
-
Permalink Reply by TexasFire on
-
Just like Todd said, pick them to do skills in front of the members and show them that they don't know it all, after a few of those thay are going to quiet down cause everyone is going to know the truth. And because officers need to show the rookies that they don't know it all by showing in front all the members how dumb they are doesn't make the officer a less respected or a mean person.
-
Permalink Reply by firegirl1 on
-
Alright now we are cookin'. I like all the responses I have gotten and will consider them all. You guys and gals are great!
-
Permalink Reply by Engine 32 Capt. on
-
This is my thoughts on the subject, but I noticed that FireSiren has been involved in this so let me preface my comments with this: Any references to "He" as the fire fighter in question should be considered gender neutral. ;-)
I think that the new guys try and act like they know everyone as if it's some kind of defense mechanism. It's pretty intimidating to walk into a group and not know a damn thing, knowing good and well everyone else probably does. I remember my first day, and it Sucked.
So what do we do to fix it? We can work harder to try and make them feel like part of the group faster. Perhaps if they felt more comfortable being around us they wouldn't feel the need to bang their gums together so much about things they know nothing about. While I can't speak for everyone else, in our house the new guy really doesn't ever truly get "accepted" until something is done to prove himself, i.e. performing at a big stinky.
Now we're in a Catch 22. The question now becomes; What is a logical and reasonable way to remedy this situation?
There are two tried and true methods that I can think of, and one has already been mentioned. That is - put him to task. When you drill, put him in a situation where they he has to put his money where his mouth is. BUT...do it without the humiliation and ridicule. The last thing I want to do to a Probie is scare him shitless until he crawls into a shell because he may be afraid to perform when I really need him to. But, if you make him perform in drills, steady sweat pouring hard work, he'll figure out soon enough that he needs to keep his mouth shut.
The Second thing is: Try listening to him. He might actually know something. It might not be anything that has anything to do with fighting fire, but listening and giving him a chance to talk about what he does know will go a long way towards making him feel like part of the group (even though he hasn't received that blessing). People who feel like part of the group will be more comfortable around the group, which translates into eagerness and more desire to learn and less desire to try and impress.
Works for me.
-
Permalink Reply by Don Zimmerman on
-
I fully understand what your having to deal with, but as older experienced firefighters we have to put our selves into their shoes. Today's new rookie firefighter is 100% better trained than the rookie from 30 years ago. They are smart & they know a good deal. The are of the computer age, look back to the 70's, how many of us had a computer in the house, HAHA the best I had was a slide ruler & I would bet money nonof the rookies of today could use one. But I bet they could use a computer and find out all kinds of stuff about the fire service and how to be a firefighter.
Where we as fire departments fail is that we expect the rookies of today to know as little as we did 30 years ago.
We also fail to set expectations of what they are to be doing. When we were kids growing up expectations were burned into our brains by our PARENTS. The kids of today do not have that. We need to realize many of these rookie firefighters are looking for a father or mother figure, so many of them are from extended familes that have no mother or father to look to for direction, they have to do it on thier own and many times it is miss guided. This causes real relationship problems for them and for us the old guys & gals.
We as a fire department need to work on teaching them responsiblity and creating a value system for them. So many of them have none (zero) (0000).
It can be done, but we as a fire service are going to have losses. We may hire 5 and lose 2 because they just doing get it, they may know a lot and smart and sharp, but they fail on the valves system cuase there never was one developed. that is where we come in, we need to take a bit of time and provide the nurturiting they may need.
It will be hard on them and us but the department will grow and continue to evolve and change.
Zimm
-
Permalink Reply by lutan1 on
-
Firegirl, this topic could just have easily been changed to "Know-it-all old farts who refuse to learn or don't think they can be taught anything".
This sort of thing really pisses me off- there's no doubt that there's some know it all rookies, but there's a shitload more old farts who haven't moved with the times, are not up to date with equipment, are not up to date with training, are not up to date with technology changes and simply refuse to learn or acknowledge they in fact DON'T know everything either....
-
Permalink Reply by Bobby King on
-
Whether it be a Rookie still wet behind the ears or a Seasoned Vet .. The Know it all attitude has no place in My station or on My fireground.. That being said .. If a Probie has an idea and it works then whats the diffrence if he or she just walked out of the academy doors or has been in the same leather lazy boy for 15 years.. what works works and what does not does not..
I am training Two Probies right now .. One 18 and one 20 and I took to training them after a few of the older Folks kept growling at them.. Ive noticed a 180 degree turn around in these Men and its My belief they are going to turn out to be some Damn fine Rescue Techs ..
Its amazing what You can get out of somebody when Your just willing to listen to them ...
Im in No way saying these Men are not going to pay their dues.. The Captains Boots have never looked shinier and My Coffee cup is never empty .. and My floors are so clean I can eat off of them.. and if they Mess up they get smoked
Sgt Bobby J King
Madison County Div of Emergency Svcs
Firefighter Rescue Tech/ Communications
Richmond Ky
-
Permalink Reply by Spanner 122 on
-
More training is always the way to go. As the junior man I'm usually at the centre of the training, and I know that going in so I make damn sure I know what I'm doing. If it's something new, I admit I am not sure of the operations, I get bucketed at some point (usually whether I know the operations or not... lol... but I am allowed to retaliate) and we continue with the training. Seems many departments/stations train too little and worry too much about the small things. As I always say, "head down, move forward."
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- 3
- Next ›
© 2024 Created by Firefighter Nation WebChief.
Powered by
