By Kevin Milan

A fireground mentor once told me, “It’s OK to vary your plan, as long as you have one.” As a young fire officer, I understood the message: We can change ventilation tactics so long as we plan to vent. A secondary water supply can come from either direction, so long as it arrives. Little did I know that this mentor imparted wisdom about things far beyond commanding the initial fire attack.

Today, as a fire training officer, I’m often asked my opinion of emergency response training. Some people ask if I think an idea “sounds good”; others recap a training episode, asking “What do you think?” Whether simple skill drills or a multi-agency exercise, my response is always, “What are you trying to accomplish?” Some shrug their shoulders and say “just training.” But with “just training,” the best training officers provide plans and details. Goals and objectives are articulated, standards are referenced and measurable outcomes are listed.

Combining Systems
My father, an architect, would often tell me “The devil is in the details.” Later I learned the famous German Architect Mies van der Rohe first penned the phrase “God is in the details.” My dad was not as optimistic as the German master, but certainly more realistic.