Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin J. Cochran, a FireRescue editorial board member, has been confirmed as the U.S. Fire Administrator. President Barack Obama nominated Chief Cochran for the post in July, and it has now been confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

While chairman of the IAFC’s Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Section, Chief Cochran wrote the Leadership Skills column for FireRescue’s IAFC section, Leader’s Edge.

Following is one of our favorite Leadership Skills columns, written by Chief Cochran. Read additional columns here: Straddle the Fence and The Words of the Chief.

Image Is Everything: Fire departments must work to cultivate a positive image in the community
By Kelvin J. Cochran
(From the August 2006 issue of FireRescue)

There’s a lot of talk nowadays about the fire service’s battle to preserve its culture. Part of this battle is the challenge to cultivate a positive image, locally and nationally, publicly and internally.

A fire department’s image is its personality and character as perceived by its stakeholders. Stakeholders include citizens, elected and appointed officials, law enforcement agencies, other fire departments and our own fire personnel, and they all have an opinion of the fire department.

Creating a positive image in the minds of these stakeholders should be a high priority for all fire service members, and it is the responsibility of fire service leadership to ensure everyone works together to maintain this image. Too much is at stake to not take this issue seriously. When a fire department is on the national news for rescuing victims, most stakeholders connect those rescuers to all fire departments and form a positive impression of the service as a whole. However, when a firefighter is in the news for driving under the influence, the image of the fire service as a whole is damaged.

Further, our image plays a major role in our pursuit to gain community and national support for fire service strategic plans. Most stakeholders’ experiences with the fire department will not be through receiving services during an emergency. As such, gaining credibility with local, state and federal elected and appointed officials is an ongoing challenge. Therefore, fire service leaders must create and engage in a variety of activities and programs geared toward interacting with the public. During these programs, and throughout the year, all fire service members should consider the following target areas to help cultivate a positive, professional image.

First Impressions: We’ve all heard the phrase, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” For every fire department, it’s crucial to make a positive first impression so the community will understand the great value of the service we provide. Further, it can be very difficult, if not impossible, to overcome a negative first impression. Fortunately, because of television programs, newscasts and stories from family and friends, most citizens have a positive expectation of what firefighters are like. They expect a timely response from a big red truck and a team of firefighters hitting the ground and carrying out their duties in an expedient and professional manner. We meet or exceed that expectation most of the time, creating a positive and lasting image, and we must work hard to maintain this image.

Professional Appearance: People also form opinions about us based on our appearance. Today’s fire professional does not necessarily fit the stereotype of a tall, masculine firefighter with an athletic build. Let’s face it, today’s firefighters come in many shapes and sizes, but that doesn’t mean they can’t wear their uniforms in a neat, clean and impressive manner. All fire professionals can (and should) have well-groomed, socially acceptable haircuts and hairstyles that enhance the character of our profession. Wearing a well-pressed uniform and shined shoes and appearing clean shaven builds a credible image for the fire service, especially if it is the standard for the entire organization and enforced and modeled by company officers, chief officers and the fire chief. Fire chiefs who look professional when wearing the department uniform send a strong message about the importance of appearance.

Facilities & Equipment: The manner in which facilities and equipment are kept makes a powerful statement about a fire department and the character of its members. Clean fire stations and fire apparatus were staples of the developmental years of the American fire service, and this must be maintained. Benjamin Franklin, the father of the American fire service, would turn over in his grave if he could see the condition of some of our firehouses and rigs. Firehouses, as well as the fire apparatus and equipment inside, must be kept clean and properly maintained at all times. The long-held image of immaculately cleaned fire trucks is one that promotes a positive professional image, and we should strive to continue this practice. Personnel offices also reflect the character of the department. When special guests come by the firehouse or when preparing for open house and other public events, we must give special care and attention to facilities in order to make a good impression. However, fire service personnel should treat the facilities like special guests are coming by every day. A clean environment not only makes for a positive image, but also makes a significant impact on productivity and morale.

Visibility: Fire service members who understand the significance of making a great first impression, whose appearance communicates professionalism and whose facilities and equipment are well cared for and maintained must also be innovative in creating opportunities to “show off” to the public. Responding to emergencies, then returning to the fire station to hole up in a state of isolation until the next call comes in is not the best way to market what we do for our community. When conditions allow, we should open the bay doors to our firehouses and park the rigs on the apron. It makes a profound statement to the public that we’re open for business and people are welcome to visit. Activities such as riding the response district for familiarization, conducting drills in locations visible to the public, attending town hall meetings and conducting quick-access, pre-fire surveys are just a few ways to increase our visibility and cultivate a compelling image of our organization.

Public Treatment: Our reputation for delivering compassionate, consistently high-quality services is vital to the image of every fire department. Good news travels fast when citizens have a positive encounter with firefighters. Our customers are quick to tell their family and friends if the firefighters who served them were helpful. The fire department belongs to the entire community. As such, there should be no distinction between the quality of service from one customer to another or one neighborhood to another. More specifically, the level of service should not vary based on the socioeconomic status of the neighborhood in which you’re responding. We all know that some calls for service are extremely challenging and it’s difficult to be nice to certain people. Nevertheless, we should treat all citizens in our care with the utmost level of dignity and respect.

Internal Treatment: Our ability to deliver compassionate and quality services is directly related to the level of teamwork and cooperation behind the walls of the firehouse. Said another way, there is a distinct relationship between how we treat one another and how we treat the public. If chief officers and company officers are not fostering camaraderie before the alarm sounds, it’s difficult, if not impossible, for crews to perform as a cohesive team on the emergency scene. It is therefore crucial to develop strong interpersonal relationships and a synergy among fire personnel in order to foster an attractive organizational image worth celebrating.

Cultivate Your Image
Take a moment to consider these questions: How do our customers perceive us? Are we still proud of what we see in our organizations? Does our fire department patch symbolize the honor, integrity, dedication and bravery espoused by our founding fathers? If there is any doubt about the answers to these questions, you probably need to work on a strategic campaign to cultivate a positive image of your department. We must take our image very seriously, as it plays a major role in our ability to gain support for our mission and serve our country.

Read additional Leadership Skills columns here: Straddle the Fence and The Words of the Chief.