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The Greatest Ambition - The true test of a fire officer’s greatness is their devotion to instructing others
The late Edward F. Croker, who served as FDNY chief of department from 1899 to 1911, will forever be remembered for his saying: “I have no ambition in this world but one, and that is to be a fireman.” Chief Croker’s words epitomize the thoughts of many men and women within our ranks and many more who will soon follow.
What drives us to be firefighters is something we may never truly understand. To the ordinary citizen, we are presumed to be a little left of center, a card shy of a full deck or, put more directly, nuts. We charge into burning buildings while others seek refuge. We respond with cautious precision to strangers’ cries for help, and we thrust ourselves in harm’s way to tame the dangers that threaten our citizens.
Firefighters are unquestionably a unique breed, yet no man or woman can achieve this ambitious calling without the helping hand of a dedicated instructor. Although the shining lights and howling sirens might inspire a young child to idolize us, expensive PPE and flashy tools don’t make a firefighter. It takes a dedicated and knowledgeable instructor to serve as the catalyst of success.
Yet in certain areas of the country, the fire service doesn’t seem to place the necessary importance on organized and effective instruction. Assignments to the training division are often dreaded, or given to those who show less initiative or skill. Those who display a passion for instruction are frequently unsupported or overshadowed by the higher ranks. Tradition often takes precedence over the adoption of new tactics and technologies, even when they’re backed by solid research and realistic field-testing. Note: Valuing tradition is a good thing, but we must be careful of allowing it to serve as an excuse for maintaining the status quo.
I’ve visited hundreds of fire academies across the country, and I frequently encounter the frustration that accompanies such an attitude. For example, following a class I taught recently, I received an e-mail that read: “I’ve been assigned to the training division for the last 2 years now, and I was thinking about giving up and returning to the field. I’m frustrated and frankly tired of banging my head against the wall trying to convince the members of my department to change, but now I feel motivated and energized to give it another shot.”
Despite this instructor’s encouraging re-commitment to training, the frustration he encountered is very real, and many instructors never receive the motivation to keep trying.
In the halls of the fire academies I visit, I see the photographic evidence of an instructor’s work: Firefighters safely taming an inferno that attempts to devour the structural components of a residence. Crumpled metal being spread with surgical precision as a young boy clutches the hand of a caring paramedic, or the toxic fumes of a derailed tanker being diluted by a properly applied fog pattern.
These acts of courage, competence and dedication—although not performed by instructors directly— become the extension of their work. And they are the gratification that fulfills the appetite of the less-known heroes within our ranks, the instructors.
Few firefighters are likely to start their career with the ambition to become an instructor. But it should quickly become the responsibility of every firefighter and fire officer within our ranks. An exceptional firefighter or fire officer is not one who achieves success solely on the fireground, but one who achieves competence in emergency and nonemergency duties, who demonstrates the willingness to share the knowledge bestowed upon them over the course of a career to ensure the future success of their subordinates. It’s not just your actions as a firefighter or fire officer that become your legacy, but what you leave behind to serve in your absence.
The fire service today is presented with a dilemma: As the number of working fires continues to diminish, so too do the experience levels of our firefighters and fire officers. Thus, the sole opportunity to develop and achieve operational safety and success lies in the hands of those who provide safe, relevant and realistic training.
So my question is this: Who’s training your firefighters, fire officers and/or chief officers? Are the men and women who demonstrate the passion to share their knowledge being empowered to do so, or are those who have achieved a lesser score on a promotional exam or debilitating injuries over the course of a career being forced to provide instruction?
Relying on the school of hard knocks as our sole source of instruction is no longer acceptable. Today’s firefighters need energetic, organized and effective training delivered by instructors who have the ambition to share their knowledge and experience. With fewer dollars to spend, every department is seeking a greater return on their financial investments. No investment provides a greater return on safety and operational effectiveness than putting the right people in training, and empowering firefighters of all ranks to share their knowledge.
What drives us to be firefighters is something we may never truly understand. To the ordinary citizen, we are presumed to be a little left of center, a card shy of a full deck or, put more directly, nuts. We charge into burning buildings while others seek refuge. We respond with cautious precision to strangers’ cries for help, and we thrust ourselves in harm’s way to tame the dangers that threaten our citizens.
Firefighters are unquestionably a unique breed, yet no man or woman can achieve this ambitious calling without the helping hand of a dedicated instructor. Although the shining lights and howling sirens might inspire a young child to idolize us, expensive PPE and flashy tools don’t make a firefighter. It takes a dedicated and knowledgeable instructor to serve as the catalyst of success.
Yet in certain areas of the country, the fire service doesn’t seem to place the necessary importance on organized and effective instruction. Assignments to the training division are often dreaded, or given to those who show less initiative or skill. Those who display a passion for instruction are frequently unsupported or overshadowed by the higher ranks. Tradition often takes precedence over the adoption of new tactics and technologies, even when they’re backed by solid research and realistic field-testing. Note: Valuing tradition is a good thing, but we must be careful of allowing it to serve as an excuse for maintaining the status quo.
I’ve visited hundreds of fire academies across the country, and I frequently encounter the frustration that accompanies such an attitude. For example, following a class I taught recently, I received an e-mail that read: “I’ve been assigned to the training division for the last 2 years now, and I was thinking about giving up and returning to the field. I’m frustrated and frankly tired of banging my head against the wall trying to convince the members of my department to change, but now I feel motivated and energized to give it another shot.”
Despite this instructor’s encouraging re-commitment to training, the frustration he encountered is very real, and many instructors never receive the motivation to keep trying.
In the halls of the fire academies I visit, I see the photographic evidence of an instructor’s work: Firefighters safely taming an inferno that attempts to devour the structural components of a residence. Crumpled metal being spread with surgical precision as a young boy clutches the hand of a caring paramedic, or the toxic fumes of a derailed tanker being diluted by a properly applied fog pattern.
These acts of courage, competence and dedication—although not performed by instructors directly— become the extension of their work. And they are the gratification that fulfills the appetite of the less-known heroes within our ranks, the instructors.
Few firefighters are likely to start their career with the ambition to become an instructor. But it should quickly become the responsibility of every firefighter and fire officer within our ranks. An exceptional firefighter or fire officer is not one who achieves success solely on the fireground, but one who achieves competence in emergency and nonemergency duties, who demonstrates the willingness to share the knowledge bestowed upon them over the course of a career to ensure the future success of their subordinates. It’s not just your actions as a firefighter or fire officer that become your legacy, but what you leave behind to serve in your absence.
The fire service today is presented with a dilemma: As the number of working fires continues to diminish, so too do the experience levels of our firefighters and fire officers. Thus, the sole opportunity to develop and achieve operational safety and success lies in the hands of those who provide safe, relevant and realistic training.
So my question is this: Who’s training your firefighters, fire officers and/or chief officers? Are the men and women who demonstrate the passion to share their knowledge being empowered to do so, or are those who have achieved a lesser score on a promotional exam or debilitating injuries over the course of a career being forced to provide instruction?
Relying on the school of hard knocks as our sole source of instruction is no longer acceptable. Today’s firefighters need energetic, organized and effective training delivered by instructors who have the ambition to share their knowledge and experience. With fewer dollars to spend, every department is seeking a greater return on their financial investments. No investment provides a greater return on safety and operational effectiveness than putting the right people in training, and empowering firefighters of all ranks to share their knowledge.
Add a Comment
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Comment by Joey "BigShow" De Piano on February 28, 2009 at 11:32pm
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All the views are right and I say it cause I use to instruct as well, if any instructor goes in to any class thinking they will not have a problem child..should not be teaching, and that will knock the wind out of your sails so fast if your not ready for it, but to the future firefighters and teachers to instruct and the veterans alike, its not the student or instructor all the time in many cases its the material..I mean honestly how many times can a person teach..or as a student sit through the same exact word for word power point Safety officer class that is offered every single year for the last what 10 years ..I have 2 binders full of Certifications from classes I have taken over 14 years and seminars..now I am being asked to be an example and take courses so the "newbies" want to go..just one problem with that..I have taken some of these courses and taught a few enough i can give the newbies a 1 hour short version and give them more to leave with..you want instructors who are excited give us things to teach not formatted ...the best classes I have taken in last 6 years were all FAST/RIT stuff cause you number 1 learn new things and 2 the hands on is a challenge..and the good thing about this is that FAST team classes will always have new and inventive formatting as the world of rescue and disaster changes ..which means no mundane stuff and groups of crews can attend since your making teams from it.
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Comment by Peter Lupkowski on February 26, 2009 at 1:32pm
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I am a captain that has been assigned to safety and training and have come to understand that there are many types of bravery. After many years of instructing I no longer see the difficulty in standing before a group of my peers and encouraging them to learn through implemetation of craft and deviousness. Yet some firefighters would rather cut off their arm than stand in front of a group. Those same people will literally push me out of the way to grab a nozzle or effect a rescue. Few of them see the parallel.
We can only continue to hope that all of our probationary people get good instructors, have the seeds of learning planted early, and are later willing to go that next step to over come another fear to share that knowledge with others.
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Comment by FIRE BEAR on February 23, 2009 at 8:24am
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i was lucky i only had one instructure that was a dry eye guy thought i was going to fall asleep on that one but my lead one was so good i was trained in michigan and there we didnt have a training area we went to all the fire depts in our county which helped us to meet alot of the guys and girls who had done the job for a while we had some real good trainers and cause of that i went on to become a instructure myself well now ive moved to new york on a vol dept and the trining just plain suks exp. instead of trainin they had us putting together gear racks and when the capt wanted to train us for driveing he was yelled at by the cheif cause the gear racks wasnt done yet ive taken to leaveing training manuels in the cheifs mailbox trying to get some of the new gys and girls trained better and it seems to be working somewhat i told them i would do the training for them but was told no
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Comment by FETC on February 21, 2009 at 10:04pm
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Tim,
Great blog. It is truly ironic that you identified some of the same thoughts as I did in a recently article I authored for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
For people who are not a training officer, many simply can't comprehend the complexity of the challenge. Many people relate the training officer's position as a lower class position because some have been labeled due to specific situations as you have previously identified, like "the need for a change of pace, need to step back off the line, or he couldn't take the rigor of the daily job due to illness or injury"
Real training officer's who are professional educators... the one's who are in the business for all the right reasons... "Positive Behavioral Modification" They may only have an epiphany once or twice in their entire fire service training career. If and when that time arrives... more often than not these moments are celebrated within one's own introspection and not by the powers to be.
If the organization only acknowledged what they may actually have... they may not need to experience the challenges of turnover for which the less desireable T.O.'s arrive to ride out their time until ultimate retirement.
TCSS
FETC
www.fetcservices.com
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Comment by Timothy Sendelbach on February 21, 2009 at 5:27am
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Mary Ellen:
As you well know, I firmly agree. While not fire related, I just uploaded a video that I think supports the message that we need to put the right people in training. Let me know what you think.
Thanks for your comments.
TESendelbach
Editor-in-Chief
FireRescue Magazine
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Comment by Mary Ellen Shea on February 20, 2009 at 11:30pm
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Tim,
In response to your comment "Not all instructors are created equal", I'd like to touch on a thus-far overlooked aspect in this discussion...that being the quality of instruction. I'm a rank beginner in the fire service. I admit that cheerfully and without a need to qualify that statement. I've been with my department just over a year, and have so much to learn. However, from my perspective as a Training Coordinator for FASNY, mixed with my limited fireground training, I feel compelled to comment.
I've experienced a true gamut of instructors, both classroom and hands-on, in the fire service. The true rock stars. those who live, eat and breathe firefighter safety, and have the expertise and passion to back up their words and actions, are not necessarily the norm in the bell curve of fire instructors.
I've experienced bombastic trainers who mistake venom, aggression and brickbats for quality instruction which leaves an impression (oh, it leaves an impression alright...I've walked out at the end of a few of those classes with one overriding thought...."what an _____" ...which unfortunately overrode anything that was conveyed in the seminar) or those instructors who are so concerned with the CONCEPT that they can't convey the message.
I've been lucky to sit in on many classes which were taught by the type of instructor I referred to before as a "rock star" ....you know who they are. Those are the classes that count. You leave feeling recharged, eager to learn more, serious about putting concepts into play, and with a new spark to be a better firefighter.
I just wish they could ALL be that way.
Another thought...with the current nationwide fiscal crisis...how is that going to affect not only the quantity of available classes, but the quality of intstruction.
Great post.
Thanks.
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Bruce:
It goes without saying that not all instructors are created equal. I'm glad you found one who provided you with the direction you were looking for.
TESendelbach
Editor-in-Chief
FireRescue Magazine
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Art:
I agree, but I also think in many cases we need to adjust our teaching styles to be more fitting to the audience in attendance. In many cases "canned" courses are presented without giving proper consideration to the students and the various forms of learning (lecturing as opposed to truly instructing complete with interaction and student feedback).
I can't agree more about Training / Prevention being excellent developmental tools - both serve a critical role in producing well-rounded promotional candidates.
As for the live fire training, I agree, but realism must not be overshadowed by the adrenal courage that has tendency to require bigger and hotter fires.
Great comments - many thanks for sharing!
TESendelbach
Editor-in-Chief
FireRescue Magazine
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Comment by Bruce Mack on February 20, 2009 at 6:35pm
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Tim:
You got it correct 100% . I remember taking classes and some instructors were great, and than some could almost drive you out of the class. I had one instructor who took a likin to me, and got me on the path to further education at the NYS and National Fire Academies. This led to becoming an instructor myself. Art has great points in his comments above too. great job guys.
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Comment by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on February 20, 2009 at 12:40pm
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Tim:
Not only do you need instructors willing to teach, but you need students who are willing to learn.
Short attention span has taken us over to some degree. That or our young firefighters want to "grow up too fast". Still others want to believe that putting on a helmet gives them mystical powers.
Our department recently promoted a younger member to training officer. We have three now. Two are state certified and the newbie will be taking the classes as well. He was promoted because of his knowledge and his willingness to learn more. He shows enthusiasm when he is demonstrating knots and he comes to every meeting with something that is new.
Our department is next to a career department and one of the things they do is: if you want to be captain or above, you have to go through the fire prevention bureau and training site coordinator(training officer). So, you have to spend one year in the bureau and at least one year as a training officer.
I can tell you first hand that it makes them better officers for having done it. It has also made them a much better department as well. I have grown up with this group and they are a great bunch who are willing to share their skills at the regional training site any time.
I agree. Fewer fires could be problematic for firefighter skill sets. It says something positive about fire prevention efforts, but that is not what the public sees. Though I don't wish a fire on anyone, a lack of call volume without more live fire training most likely will erode skills.
Yeah; I'm sure of it. Fewer fires is a good thing.
We need more live fire training that is as realistic as possible, but controlled so that we are not losing firefighters to training. That would be catastrophic.
Thanks for the blog.
TCSS.
Art
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