Instructor at the end of his rope

Let me start by saying I need to vent a few things, and apologize to everyone for having to read.. :-) Secondly, I'm sure this is a problem that's not specific to me. If it is, I'll be really surprised. I'd appreciate if y'all weighed in on this, good or bad (I can take a few critics, but please don't be brutal).

Our department is all volunteer, with about 30 members and 5 cadets. We make 150-200 runs a year. I have been in the fire service 6 years, and I currently serve as the department training officer (I'm also first assistant chief). I'm probably the most "certified" person on our department. I am a certified Indiana instructor 2-3. We meet once a month for training, usually lasting a couple hours.

First Issue: Attendance

I put in a lot of time and effort planning training for the department. However, attendance is usually less than stellar. Out of the approximately 30 members we have, we're lucky to get 10 to show up on training night. Of those 10, maybe 2 or 3 actually pay attention to me. I suppose I could do a better job of keeping reigns on the class, but it's hard to do when they A. don't give you respect as an instructor, and B. give you little more as a chief officer. According to SOGs, there is a minimum percentage of trainings you have to make, but this is not enforced (much like what's in the rest of the SOG manual). It's something that sits on a shelf unused 99.5% of the time. I'd love to enforce this more, but I can't find a way to enforce it fairly (for the guys who work swing shifts or are not home in the evenings). Granted, I'm single and have more free time than most. A couple hours a month to sit and pay attention (and not grab-ass) isn't too much to ask, at least in my opinion.

Second Issue: Hands On Skills

Everyone constantly is wanting more hands on training. Hands on, hands on.. that's all I hear. I fully understand the importance of getting out there and learning by doing, but what I can't get across to the students is that sometime you have to do a bit of classroom "setup" before you get to the skills. It tickles me because there has been times they've tried to do the hands on skills with no pre-plan on how things are going to go. It ususally ends up in a cluster@#$% trying to accomplish the skill. Yet they don't see my point of the initial classroom prereq. Also, how many times can a person cut a hole in a ventilation prop before it gets old? Another thing that gripes me about the folks wanting hands on: a good 1/3 of the schedule last year involved some sort of hands on skill, yet even when the skills were slated to be hands on, I still didn't get attendance. I just can't figure them out....

Third Issue: Family Respect

My father is also on this department, and has been on there since I was in Spiderman underwear. Ironically, I actually outrank him (he swore he'd never become an officer), he's the second assistant chief. Lots of the younger members look up to him, and he is a very knowledgable guy. He even has several certifications himself. I am proud to be his son, enjoy working side by side with him on the department, and have learned many things from him.

However...

I don't know if he does it just to give me a hard time, or if he really tries to question my methods when I teach. But he tends to undermine my authority as an instructor in the middle of class. The younger members get a kick out of he and I arguing back and forth. I know I'm right, yet he tries to sidestep textbook logic with "that's now how WE do it HERE", making a big scene, and then I lose the class.

My beef with that is not that my dad is giving me a hard time (though that does bug me), but what kind of example is he setting for the younger members? If I can't get any respect from my own father, how much am I going to get from the rest of the membership? Not to mention, we're both chief officers, and both SHOULD be leading by example.

The guy is half the reason I'm here, how do I tell him nicely to quit challenging me (especially in front of students), when I'm trying to teach the "right" way, instead of the "this is how we do it here" way?

Thoughts, gripes, questions, similarities, differences anyone?

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Permalink Reply by Russ Griffith on May 9, 2009 at 10:37am

My department is also a VERY small,rural, volunteer department, we run anywhere from 50 to 70 calls per year.On an average night we have 5 personnel at training, we train every week accept one which is for our business meeting. Ohio has enacted H.B. 401 which requires Firefighters to complete a minimum of 18 hours of con-ed per year in order to renew their cards,no training, no card. When I took over as training officer the majority of the department was trained to the basic 36 level, now all but one are to the 240 hour level,we still have a "problem child" who doesn't attend training, holds an officers position and shows up for the occassional call, he's only there because he's a township trustee and the chief won't discipline him, but when he goes to renew his card and the state finds that he hasn't completed the required training, he'll have to pay the price,as will the chief for allowing this type of behavior.
OK, why did I just tell you all this? First, change takes time and you must change the culture of your department, if the younger guys are on board with your training ideas rally those troops to the cause first, chances are when the older guys see you working with the new guys and they see that they are learning safer and EASIER solutions to old problems, they'll get curious and eventually join in and the ones that don't, as AC you have the option to assign them the "probie" jobs on calls for their own safety, they'll either get the idea or leave and that will be one less headache for the department. Slackers tend to cut corners and get people hurt,or worse, and I'd rather have 5 well trained firefighters than a dozen half-assed ones on the call.
Second, there is no substitue for good training, review your states laws and check with your Fire Marshal for any mandated trainings. No one likes to sit in a classroom but it's part of the process, so for classroom sessions,try to get outside help. I have had courses done at our station by 3 different colleges, Haz-Mat, Confined Space, and Rapid Intervention, most times these classes are at no cost, all you need is to provide the minimum required # of students, these are usually funded with PUC grant monies. Also, as training officer and AC,you owe it to the rest of the department to enforce training standards, no training= NO calls, it's not punishment, it's a liability issue. I wouldn't want to have to explain to someones wife/husband/mother/significant other that their loved one won't be coming home anymore because of someone elses negligence.
Lastly, as far as your father goes, yes it's a delicate issue but it needs to be addressed. I agree with the others who have said that he may be attempting to engage you simply to get the rest of the group thinking and participating.two things to consider, first don't actively argue,once he knows he has distracted you from the topic,he's accomplished his task of destroying your focus,if you lose focus in the classroom, you may also do so on the fire ground. When he questions you in class, be prepared to bury him in your knowledge on the subject, by now you should be able to guess his moves and tell when he's going to engage you,know you topic top to bottom and inside-out and be prepared to shoot holes in his logic with facts,once he realizes that he can't rattle you or prove you incorrect, the challenge no longer exists.
Change takes time, I've been chipping away at much the same issues for 5+ years now, are we where I want to be department wise? no, but we're a lot further than where we were when i started.
Stay Safe

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Permalink Reply by Rom919 on May 9, 2009 at 10:56am

Well it comes down to is overall experience being the training that you have not yet had Jake. That is why your receiving the hassle from DAD.. Look at the fires your father has fought with equipment that you would find outdated, or even laughable. Now he fought these fires and won, although some of them he fought and lost. From those fires, he gained knowledge to do a better job. Now you come along with 6 years of experience and training expertise.... well ???? A suggestion... utilize these senior members in your class to explain how they used the tools they had and incorporate it into the new equipment you are so fortunate to have these days. This may help, don't ignore the large amount of knowledge that these senior members have gained over the years. Don't think like this.... "I'd rather have 5 well trained firefighters than a dozen half-assed ones on the call". Because,... After these well trained firefighters get done on their well trained job... someone has to pick up after them.... Remember those extra members do a lot of work that your well trained are too tired to do.... at 3 in the morning... Good Luck.

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Permalink Reply by Jake Luker on May 9, 2009 at 5:38pm

To update: I did have a chat with dad. He apologized, and actually called each of the folks who were at training that night personally and apologized. I was quick to say that I wasn't saying he was wrong, but that if we both were coming from the same direction, we'd be able to have more of an impact on teaching folks. He was receptive to this idea. While he's not a state certified instructor, I see that teaching spark in him, and think he'd make a great ally in training. He is someone the rest of the folks on the department respect, both for authority and knowledge. Definately someone I'd want in my corner, as long as we're both on the same side.

I've suggested to some of the "more experienced" members that they would be welcome to help do training. 1. as an effort to get more folks involved, and 2. impart some of the vast knowledge they have to younger generations. This has been met with no interest. I gave the option for last month's training for anyone on the department to step up and take a shot at putting on a training session (with me OK'ing the lesson plan). No one volunteered. Since they did that, I now have an argument that they had their chance, and no one took it.. :-)

As several of you have mentioned: change is a slow process. I want everyone to improve. However, I feel that if I "rally" the troops I have behind me, and the others who don't step up "fall by the wayside", its as if I'm giving up on them, when in reality they are the ones I want to help most. Though, I guess it's like the old saying: "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink." As of right now, our department is split about 65/35 old/new, with the older folks having a slight advantage. Until this gets 50/50 or tips in favor of the newer folks, I forsee still having problems related to the social club, "good 'ol boy" mentality on our department. I'm not saying we can't have fun at the firehouse, because I'm a firm believer that if you're having a little bit of fun while you learn, you learn better. However, when it's time to go to work, let's work and not goof around.. :-)

We're getting better, but still have a long ways to go.. :-) Thanks again everyone for your helpful comments!!