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Passing "It" On: Part 1
I recently taught an Instructor 1 class and one of the things that I really like to make a point to emphasize is that we need to pay attention to those firefighters and officer who are “salty” and who have been around a while.
We know that we have to attend classes and that we must get our noses in the trade journals and worth while web sites, but do we really listen when our more senior members are “telling stories?” If not, we really need to start paying attention.
As a disclaimer, not all senior members will share or they just have never been engaged in the fire service. But, even some of those guys have something to offer even if they don’t realize it. Each story has a lesson and we need to recognize this and absorb all we can while they are here.
Okay, so where I am going with this? A few days after finishing this class, we were doing the dinner dishes and the discussion came up from a couple of the younger guys about fires and training. Some how the conversation turned to commercial buildings, more specifically strip malls and fast food restaurants.
Out of curiosity I asked one of them what the first thing they would do if they responded to one of these buildings with a slight haze, odor of smoke or even an alarm sounding? His first response was to go to the electric panel.
Well, as most of you may know where I am going with this, we advised him that he was wrong. He had never been taught to take a pike pole and lift a ceiling tile as soon as you walk in the door. This is critical information and I was shocked that his captain had not covered this at some point. Granted, he spends a large majority of his time on an LSV, but this is something he should have known.
What we did was have a very informative training lesson while doing dishes. I am pretty sure this will stick with him for the rest of his career as we discussed some case studies on this type of fire. It didn’t take a lot of class preparation or Powerpoint slides, just an eager firefighter and some older ones willing to share.
Talk fire and rescue. This has to be a normal activity in the fire house. If we can instill this in the newer generation they will pass it on also. We owe it to them to give them every little nugget of information that we can, sometimes whether they want it or not.
What was passed on to you by someone that you worked or trained with? How did it change what you did in the fire service? Let us know your story and keep on fighting the good fight.
Stay safe and train hard.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Karr Quintero on
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well being in my first year i try to listen to everyone, even here i get some good info and appreciate a good source of info.. out of curiosity, why lift a celing tile?
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Permalink Reply by Tom Williams on
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Couldn't agree more Jason. I think these informal training lessons always seem to stick better with the new probies. I know I've learned alot by listening to the older guys talk about the things they've experienced coming up through the ranks.
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Looking for fire and smoke extension above the tiles. Could have a big fire cooking above you and not know it. Good case study is the Charleston, South Carolina furniture store fire where 9 fellow brothers lost their lives.
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Permalink Reply by Jason Hoevelmann on
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Tom, thanks for answering Karr's question. That's why this site is so great.
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Permalink Reply by Damo on
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I am just about finished my basic training for my local VFD and they have bombarded us with what should/n't be done in certain situations. One of the main points was to get the power off, which I find very valid as for some reason water doesn't react well with it. Almost all of the buildings private/commercial in my area have the power box on the outside, so no real issue. But, after reading your article it did make me think that, what if for some reason the box was inside. Would a FF just go rushing in to find the power and turn it off as that is the first thing we are told to do. This was never bought up or even questioned in training, so thank you Jason for giving me something else to think about and remember.
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Welcome, anytime. I agree with ya, this site is by far one of the best ones I've run across!
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Damian, congrats on finishing your basic training! You're right on getting the power tuned off is an important step. Just remember it's always a good thing to look at the whole picture before we go rushing in. Hope you enjoy your new career with the volunteer department.
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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If you can't or choose not to listen to the old fart dinsosaurs whose only intent is to try to make sure that "everyone, including you, goes home", tomorrow
Issue with your rant Jim, is that such things can go both ways. As much as you are right about the new "book smart, paper FF", the reverse also holds true with many "dinosaurs" who refuse to progress. I have seen both types of facets out there, from the new guy raring to go, thinks they know it all, to the dinosaur who refuses to train and thinks they done it all.
One thing holds true about this service, if you think you know it all, then it is time to retire.
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While I agree with paying attention to the "salty FF's" the issue here DOES swing both ways.
When I was an intern and prior to the program starting, the chief made it clear to the members that the interns were not just to be the "gophers" or crap job workers on the fire ground or in the station, because these were the ones receiving the newest and latest info and training.
As such many training ideas and so forth did come from the interns in school and there was no issue of just the young eager buck and old dinosaur, because there were new ways to do things. Many techniques and tricks of the trade were passed down from senior folks, as well as new ideas and a better approach were in turn passed on up.
What I see is that many of the "old salt" issues to be passed down, there are some issues which can be passed up as well. I don't agree with the concept of a new FF "keep your mouth shut and ears open" type of thing because many things learned by that new FF can be passed on up. Who ever said the old salts really do know it all?
Along those same lines goes the issue of passing information down. It isn't the responsibility of the new/younger FF to ask the questions, older FF's should be asking the younger FF's such questions as well. Then there is an issue of leading by example. It is easy to talk up a good game, but another to show it. Thing is there really are not enough firegrounds to learn such things, so the training ground takes the place. It is easy to talk about throwing ladders or advancing lines and so forth, but it is a big difference SHOWING the newer FF you don't have a problem training or doing the same tasks you are asking them to do.
What I have found is when leading by example and showing an interest in new FF's as well as older, is you gauge a sense of experience level and a sense of trust. The longer you all work together, the smooter the flow when you are called for a job, you find that things become automatic and so forth.
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Yep, all about balance Jim.
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