Some firefighters do, but others don’t or haven’t in a while, so train like your life depends on it. If we want to be the best on the fire ground, we must require the best on the training ground. Find creative ways to maximize your training resources and you will see new energy amongst the ranks.

Get out of the recliners, loose the “retired on duty” mindset, and slap complacency in the face by re-energizing yourself, your company and your department with “outside the box” training evolutions. We continue to kill around 100 firefighters a year in the fire service. Why? Is it decreased physical fitness, not being prepared, or having poor situational awareness? By increasing the amount of training similar to how we would operate on the fire ground, our weaknesses and endurance levels will be improved.

It is difficult sometimes to motivate lazy firefighters, rookies that think they know it all, and seasoned veterans that have done it or saw it before. A certain amount of tact is required in all circumstances, but don’t be afraid to push them to train and train more often. Even a twenty year veteran will do or see something in training that they remember being exciting, challenging, and rewarding back in rookie school. This spark of energy will create enthusiasm for the job and lead them to ask questions, remember different ways to do things, and be informal instructors with younger inexperienced firefighters.

Often is the case that a seasoned veteran has all kinds of harnessed knowledge about traditions, jurisdictional characteristics, and various aspects of fire service operations. Get it out of them before they leave.

Most firefighters will have fun in between emergency calls when you find ways to challenge their abilities along with teaching them new techniques or strategies. “Fun” is a word that many administrators wouldn’t want used to describe the training of their firefighters, but some of the best, most professional and challenging trainings you will attend are FUN. We must find ways to stress the importance of improving what we do every day and then doing it.

Whether it is an after dark training evolution with your ladder truck or an afternoon foam evolution, realize we can’t plan our calls. We don’t know when the next tone will drop. Day or night, hot or cold, wet/dry/or snowy, prepare for emergencies in all conditions. A certain assumption must be made that firefighters will figure out what to do in unusual situations, but they will revert back to training, previous experience, and problem solving skills.

Strive to learn something new every day about the fire service, operations, and your jurisdiction. All it will do is make you, your company, and your department better off when the next tone drops. Train hard and be safe. www.criticalrescuetraining.com