Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on September 25, 2012 at 11:16pm

I understand the concept you are making here, but there really are more differences than similarities. While you are discussing the importance of a good leadership/mentoring type of program to prepare future fire officers, comparing the scab refs and the NFL players doesn't really mix in the same concept.

 

The issue is that you are trying to compare different entities within the same organization.....much like different departments within the city, yet trying to segue into the importance of a good officer program or preparation. Why I disagree with what you are alluding to here is the comparisons, the NFL refs are much like the police dept within the community, as opposed to members of the fire dept., or even players on the team. The refs are just the officiating on the field, they aren't making the plays, nor setting the strategy. Whereas on the team sides you have the coaches (command staff) and you have the players (FFs) where there is a mission, a goal, and means to achieve it. So much like if a player goes down, there is another backup who should be ready to step in. They may not be the best at the spot, but chances are they most likely know what to do. There are also other players around to help accomplish that mission.

 

With the replacement refs, the officiating crew is their own team (in a game you have the 2 teams and the officials). The refs are only there to enforce the rules and fair play, they are not there to dictate the mission, nor make the decisions for the player's goals. They are their own dept that answers to the league (municipality) not to the opposing teams. The difference is the replacement refs would be like taking the members of a rural volunteer dept and swapping them out with the members of a large city dept.......yes, there will be issues. The point isn't that they don't know the rules or the mission of the teams, but the pace and differences of the dept will tend to be much more overwhelming. This gets further complicated by the league (municipality) that is making this change and it is the citizens who are left to the mercy of the limitations.

 

The issue isn't about ensuring leadership within the dept....that most definately is an important aspect......but in reality, in the majority of depts, if you were to promote a FF to an acting officer spot, yes there will be some limitations, but chances are the job still gets done. Even if you flip, flopped the FFs and the officers, again chances are the mission of the dept, policy and procedures etc still gets done. This gets done because for the majority of depts out there, those basics are instilled when the FF is new to the job and hones those skills with training, experience, etc.

 

The issue with the replacement refs isn't that same aspect of coming up in the organization as a FF would on their way to being an officer. The replacement refs are not from the NFL, their experience levels are wide ranging, with most coming from the collegiate level. Again it is much like taking the firefighters of a small, low call volume dept, and swapping them out with the FFs of a large city, high call volume dept. Yes, there will be issues because you are taking outsiders and placing them into an environment they really have not trained in, familiar with, and so forth.

 

What the replacement refs issue DOES show, is the importance of having good skilled workers and also shows the mindsets of just replacing workers isn't the best decisions. In a sense it is like a municipality saying they can get rid of their fulltime fire dept because they don't want to pay the wages, or meet the issues, and will bring in volunteers from outside to respond to emergencies etc. Sure there may be basic concepts and approach to incidents, but the delivery is not going to be the same. So you get the citizens (fans) who get upset with the subpar performance as opposed to the performance they are used to.

 

Whereas taking the more junior FFs of the dept and placing them in officer roles, the job still gets done, because you are not relying upon an outside group to do the job. You also have members of the dept in different experience levels and tenure on a dept that still are your "go to" sources. For instance you may have a newer officer, but there still tends to be that "senior" guy on the crew that is your "go to" person and there to help a new officer fill their role, etc.

 

As the saying goes, an officer is really only as good as the crew. A good officer will turn to those strengths of the crew and look to limit the weaknesses. Most crews have those sources to turn to and most FFs are taught basics to also make decisions. A good crew will voice their concerns if ordered to go onto an obviously sagging roof with fire self venting, as opposed to just blindly following an officer.

 

Bottom line is that it does take time for a crew to become good and it does take a measure of experience and time in the job to become good. Yes, having a good mentoring program and giving those junior FFs a chance to sit in the officer seat, give first in reports, etc hones those skills and is important to stress. But let's be honest.....the chance of taking your FD members away and swapping them with FFs from other depts and expecting the same results isn't going to happen........because that is what is happening with the replacement refs.

• ▶ Reply

▶ Reply to Discussion