Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tim Wood on April 22, 2009 at 12:11am

You need to be cool under pressure .Have no Quit in you, and be trained.Now go ahead and rant Max I know you want to. LOL

Permalink Reply by R Griffin on April 22, 2009 at 6:24am

When you find the answers fill me in ...LOL

Permalink Reply by Cliff Utt on April 22, 2009 at 8:38am

I THINK GOOD OFFICERS COME FROM HAVEING SOME EXPERIENCE UNDER THERE BELTS AND STARTING FROM THE BOTTOM AND WORKING THERE WAY UP AND LEARNING FROM OTHER OFFICERS AND TRAINING. AND WHEN IT COMES TO IT STILL BE ABLE TO JUMP IN AND GIVE YOUR GUYS A HAND WHEN THINGS NEED DONE AND JUST NOT SAY I AM OFFICER I DONT HAVE TO DO THAT. AND WHEN IT COMES TO RESPECT JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A TITLE DOES NOT MEAN YOU WILL GET IT. YOU GOT THE EARN THE RESPECT OF YOUR GUYS.

Permalink Reply by Max L on April 22, 2009 at 12:25pm

what are you trying to say Tim lol....

Permalink Reply by Michelle on April 22, 2009 at 4:23pm

I think to be a good officer you first have to have people skills because lets face it you are basically managing a bunch of adrenaline junkies!! You have to be able to listen to what they have to say, it dosent mean you have to agree. You have to be able to deligate and show/use authority when necessary. Don't be a politician, form an opinion and be proud of it, no one respects some one who rides the fence everytime!

Permalink Reply by Michelle on April 22, 2009 at 4:25pm

Oh yeah, big one I forgot, you have to always be a team player, no room for egos or selfishness around here.

Permalink Reply by Kevin Bryan on April 22, 2009 at 10:29pm

The person has to be involved as much as they possibly can. Which means showing up for trainings and taking classes, seminars, and any additional trainings necessary. The person needs to set a good example for the rest of the department. How can you be a good leader if you don't show up for training?? I have seen calls where FF's could have, and sometimes did, run the scene better. There is nothing worse than asking an officer something and they either don't know what to do or how to do it.

Permalink Reply by BALLPEIN on April 23, 2009 at 2:43am

Knowledge is key. Without it.....well u shouldn't be in a white helmet. Respect is very important also. The officer has to respect the ff as the ff has to respect the officer, or the system just doesn't work. Also agree with DDay when it comes to jr. I'm sure most of us were there at one time and got talked down to becuase as a jr. you really dont have a clue. Thats were it is important that the officer and other FF do there part and make the "Kid" feel welcome and teach them all that they know. Becuase you know is almost like raising a child I guess. Thats how most people in white hats got were they are today. Becuase someone saw that spark in the jr. eye and someone that knew what they were doing took the jr. under his wing. and that my friends is how respect is gained from a FF. O and last but not least HONESTY. If the ff is screwing up tell them (not yell) but tell, lol. Then its up to the ff to take it as constructive criticism... and still respect the officer.

Permalink Reply by THOMAS A. STOFFER on April 30, 2009 at 4:10pm

AS THE NEW GUY, MY MOTIVATION COMES FROM THE OFFICERS THAT LEAD ME. THE OFFICER WHO LEADS BY EXAMPLE. SOMEONE WHO SHOWS THE SAME SPARK AS YOU DO FOR THE TASK AT HAND SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T LEAD YOU INTO IDEA THAT THIS IS A PLACE TO JUST RELAX AND HANGOUT ON TRAINING NIGHTS. AS A STUDENT AT STARK STATE FOR 240 HR FF CERT., I FOUND THAT MY CLASSMATES WHO ARE NOT ON DEPARTMENTS TEND NOT TO CARE AS MUCH AS THE FEW OF US THAT ARE ON DEPARTMENTS. THE WILL AND DESIRE COMES FROM WITHIN THE MOTIVATION TO KEEP ON THE RIGHT TRACK COMES FROM THE OFFICERS WHO LEAD. I FOUND THAT WORKING HARD AND KEEPING ON THE RIGHT TRACK LEADS YOU INTO GOOD THINGS, FOR EXAMPLE IF THE ENGINE NEEDED A COAT OF WAX INSTEAD OF GOING OUT WITH THAT NIGHT YOU GO TO THE STATION AND WAX DOWN THE ENGINE, YOU NOTICE A PROBLEM THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED A DELAY IN THE WATER SUPPLY ON THE FIREGROUND. THIS MOTIVATION COMES FROM THE OFFICERS WHO HAVE LEAD ME FOR THE PAST YEAR SEEING HOW MUCH TIME AND ENERGY THEY PUT INTO THE DEPT. MAKES ME WANT TO DO THE SAME. EVERYONE STARTED SOMEWHERE IN THE FIRE SERVICE, YOU REMEBER HOW MUCH PRESSURE YOU WHERE UNDER TO DO THINGS RIGHT, IT IS THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU AND THE OFFICERS OVER YOU THAT CAN EASE THE TENSION AND TRAIN YOU INTO BEING A GREAT FF. I WOULDNT BE WHERE I AM IF IT WASNT THE OFFICERS THAT LEAD ME EVERYDAY.

Permalink Reply by Don Vuletic on May 3, 2009 at 12:25am

What makes a good officer, well he is your friend when you need it but he is your boss when the time comes, He gives orders and expects them to be followed. He is the bad guy when the the crap hits the fan. He learned from the old, the new and from experience. He may have gone to classes or he may have hit the publications put out. He may have sit up at nights reading the internet to learn new trends in the fire service. He hopes that he gets the position on merits and not popularity. He does show up for calls, training, school tours and to meet with anyone at anytime that he can, He will come home from work and fight a fire then get little or no sleep and return to work. He will leave his family to help a fellow firefighter in need. He will worry about what goes on in his station and not at other stations.he will communicate with other sister station officers as if they were his own. He will treat EVERY firefighter with respect and some day may have that same respect. But the most important thing to remember, we all elect or appoint our officers. Think about what each person has done to make your department better and then vote.

Permalink Reply by Max L on May 3, 2009 at 3:00pm

Ok I have held off on my little rant as I wanted to see what everyone else had to say. As Tim said a while ago go ahead and RANT well here we go buddy everyone can blame you again. Again these are just my thoughts and if i am wrong please step up and tell me all about.

1.Respect. If your people and the people you work with do not respect you how can you lead? You are not just give respect you earn it. As fast as you make it you can lose it. When you are in the lime light of being and officer everything you do in the department and outside. Remember you don't have to be liked as the most wonderful person in the world to be respected. Knowing that someone does not like you but respects you enough to know you will not lead them astray should make a person proud.
2.Confidence is also a major need to be successful as an officer. You have to have confidence in yourself that you will make the right decisions. When you are confident your people will be confident in not you but themselves. Remember there is a difference between confidence and arrogance. Walk the line finely or you will loss that as well.
3.Knowledge is a key as well. You have to have the skills the experiences to be able to lead. With knowing you have to share with your people. Yet still know that you need to learn. That you don't know all there is to know.
4.Level headiness. The ability to remain calm. Whether it be keeping your cool under pressure or keeping your temp in check when things don't go right. If one of your people make a mistake telling and screaming at them. You have to remain calm. Remember your temper will bring out and make you say things you normally would. Whether you believe them or not they will not build confidence in your people we where all green at one point. Yelling gets nothing done but making you look like an a$$.
5.Example lead by it. If you are put into an officers spot I feel you should lead how you want your people to be. You want a task done don't just bark at people to do it. Start doing it. Or say hey lets get this done and be there with them. Why would anyone want to bust a$$ rolling hose washing trucks if you don't care enough to be there to do it. If you wouldn't do the task yourself right then and there it takes a lot of balls to tell your people to. If its 2am and you say the hell with it its a BS call. Do you have the right to be upset your people don't show??

i don't know some times it seems some people are officers just because they have been somewhere for years. Ok so you have been on a department for 25 years. Yes you know a lot of things but have you done anything other than be here to earn it. Have you taken steps to prove your worth and that you deserver that spot. Do you sit back and say this is how we have always done it i don't need to train.. years does not mean you have knowledge. Like it or not people the younger generation is more driven that it has been in many years. Seems as thought the fire service has become lax in many ways. New trucks new gear mean nothing with out the new training to go with it. Learn with the times. Not just the new fads but the knew skills. The new way of dealing with things. If you cant see change and know that it could or couldn't be a good thing. Then you shouldn't be in the spot to lead. Doesnt take long for others to make their belief of what your reputation is. You may think your the best but as you brag how great you are what do you peers think of you. What to the people around you think of you. Stop beating the drum singing i am the greatest.. if you are you wont have to do anything. Everyone will already know.

Permalink Reply by Don Vuletic on May 3, 2009 at 5:29pm

Hey Max,
My only response to your response is, if they are officers, someone put them there, the Chief or the membership. If the membership put them there its no ones fault but the membership. If the Chief put them there then it needs to be addressed. No new officer is perfect, everyone is a critic in the fire service and it does get to some people. Its getting harder to find good people to do the job and it does not look to be getting any better. If you can solve the membership problem then you got it made. Look around, the average firefighter is 20 plus years in the fire service lately.

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