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Any suggestions?
How does a Chief of a Volunteer FD discuss safety issues facing the fire department that will lead to a Professional and Positive outcome? Any help would be appreciated.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on
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Two things I can think of are example and training.
If a chief officer tries to get his/her troops to practice safe driving habits, wear PPE, etc then that chief BETTER be doing those things. Leadership by example is extremely important.
As far as training goes, showing the troops how to do things the right way, and what can happen if they do not, may be a lot more effective than by just saying "ya gotta do this." For example - when I teach response safety I show the previous year's apparatus accident photos and also the pictures of the people lost in the line of duty. I tell them that none of the people pictured ever thought it would happen to them. The troops get the message.
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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How about bringing it up at the regular meetings...?? Or even start a regularly scheduled "seminar" and use it to stress safety and other issues that come up....Regular monthly/weekly training doesn't always have to be the latest greatest or the most complicated....we can get some good training and never leave the meeting room....I have seen many times at a fire scene that the most important thing was left on the truck......their brains.....lets slow down and think before we act...might save someone's butt.....Paul
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Permalink Reply by Rob on
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lead by example, most firefighters are followers. as much as i hate to say it. few are born to lead, the rest are born to be led. that, or if the issue is bad enough, and you could go above the fire chief and talk to town manager, selectperson, or mayor.
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Permalink Reply by FETC on
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Chief,
I teach a program called the Courage to be Safe from the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. It is free. Go to their website and locate your state advocate and contact him or her directly. http://www.everyonegoeshome.com/partners/advocates.html
The Courage to be Safe program is 4 hours long and strikes home the safety aspect. It focuses on the 16 life safety initiatives and identifies the two leading causes of LODD being 1. Health / Wellness and 2. Motor Vehicle Collisions.
Great video and survivorship testimonials... I usually have a few tears shed during the memorial roll calls...
FETC
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Permalink Reply by Jenny Holderby on
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Are you having a specific problem? Are you not successful in getting your people on board with particular issues or is this a general discussion?
Someone recommended the Courage to be Safe program. It is a good one. The Fallen Firefighters Foundation also has a a very good set of DVDs the "Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives Resource Kit" Vol. 1-3. There are teaching aids on the website and they are FREE.
Yes you lead by example but sometimes you have to open their eyes first. Show them the LODD reports from last year.
http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/statistics/report.shtm
Some how some way you have to make every fire fighter realize that their own personal safety and the safety of their fellow fire fighters lies first with them.
Good luck.
J
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Karl, has this information been of any help to you? I know it has for me. FETC's point about the Courage to be Safe program is something I am definitely going to follow up with. I have heard great things about it.
And Ted's idea about a SOG of the month also has possibilities. I know that railroads have done the safety rule of the day thing for decades. Who would have ever thought to apply that to the fire service? So much for being a FRN, right Ted?
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