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Permalink Reply by James Mclennan on January 9, 2011 at 9:15pm

when i recieved my position, i asked what can i do to do it right. an ex-chief told me....keep calm,talk slow,keep your wits, dont panic,,,this will reflect on the others. and always give someone a job on scene, even if its standing next to the main pumper to make sure the rear tire doesnt go flat.....that way you will know where they are... also like others said. take as much training as possible.dont let it get to your head.every experience is a learning one

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Permalink Reply by David Earl Gregory on January 10, 2011 at 10:14am

Two things that were instilled in me and are still with me today many, many years later.
1. Rank is something you wear, respect you gotta earn.
2. The greenest rookie out there just might see something you didn't so don't just dismiss his/her question.

For the experienced officers, never forget where you came from and how you got where you are now. Personally, I never worked for any of the large departments with hundreds of employees and dozens of different apparatus, so our day-to-day was a little different. In the station, unless it was a "command" situation, we all wore the same shirt. As a young Lt. and Capt., I was just as responsible for washing the dishes and mopping floors as anyone else. You show those under your rank you're just as capable and willing to do the job assigned to them, you'll gain a lot of respect along the way. In my opinion, the line officer that thinks he's above the "grunt" work and doesn't socialize with the rest of the house when in quarters, is asking for problems. There's a time and place to be the boss.

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Permalink Reply by Tyler Lyons on January 11, 2011 at 8:41am

The best thing I have learned is to lead from the front. You don't just tell your crew to do something, you do it with them, learn from them also. Nothing is more frustrating than haveing an officer (generally a new one) that thinks everyone needs to kiss their butt because they made rank. Earn the trust of your crew by going out on a limb for them when needed. Do correct your crew when needed, but don't downgrade them. You need your crew more than they need you. These principals work for new officers as well as experienced officers. Even experienced officers need to keep learning every shift. Remember that your way might not be wrong or right, but there might be a better way you haven't thought of. For the most part, try and include your crew on decisions that affect them, obviously this won't always work. One of the biggest things that I have been taught is the guys coming in are a whole new generation. They have grown up with different values, heros, video games, and are from the pierced/tattooed/blue haired, and "weird" society. It is hard for some of us to accept, but that is what is coming up. When they are the leaders of their department, they will be trying to figure out what is going on with the wierd "new guys". Its a fluid job, and we need to adapt to that.
One of the things I hated when getting "groomed" to be an officer is to "seperate" myself from the crews. I don't feel that is the best way to lead. I feel that being one of the guys, or hanging out with them, working, golfing, hunting, fishing, and whatever else you can do, will make you a better leader and friend. I have always despised the officers that once promoted, they are better than you and have the attitude of "because I told you so", that is ineffective with the crews.

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Permalink Reply by Joseph Ryan Gavita on January 11, 2011 at 5:31pm

I am currently President and 4th asst. chief (we dont have lieutenants or captains). I am 24 years old and my dept is in a small community. The key for me being a successful line officer is to listen to the veterans and learn from my mistakes. The vets really know what they are talking about. They have seen it all. After most calls I also write down things that I did right and wrong. I correct myself. I also like to teach the new guys what I have learned. I have only been in for 7 years but I have dedicated those 7 years to being the best damn firefighter I can be, I love teaching guys things and helping them become better.

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Permalink Reply by Nenad on January 12, 2011 at 4:37am

Learn,learn,learn, every day something new.
If you know the gear, equipement, tactics and techniques, its easier to observe if the crew is doing things the right way.
Be calm always, know your men/women, know their capabilities and use them in right way.
Always gather as much information you can, than take decision. Don't change decisions often, it's sign of incertainty.
Respect your men, help them if they have problems, but don't let them to exploit you.
Stay with both feet on the ground.

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Cole on January 12, 2011 at 3:47pm

Here's a different spin: Regardless of who you learn from, emulate, or even possibly worship as the be-all guru of Officers...you are you, so don't try to adapt somebody else's style or personality. Always be progressive, pushing yourself forward, but at the end of the day your still going to be the same person, and THEY (your crew) know it.

However, it isn't about YOU, but rather the agency you work for, and represent (career or volunteer). If you are out to make a name for yourself (chances are you already have that name made for you, hopefully you can live with it) you are likely an egomanaic. If you don't agree with policy or if you don't have confidence in the leadership above you, keep it behind closed doors. Don't try to improve your image by keeping the crap flowing. You can have a positive effect, and even initiate subtle changes without creating negativity. Trust me on that. You will never gain credibility by berating the heirarchy of the department.

Understand that there is ALWAYS somebody above you, and above your highest-ranking Officer. And you have NO idea what they go through on a daily basis...and you don't always have a right to know either. I am sure some will disagree with that.

There is no real secret formula to becoming a respected, well-rounded Officer. You should have earned respect before you became an Officer, and not just by your peers, but by other Officers BEFORE you got the bump. Knowledge and skills are not automatically gifted to you upon the anointment of Officerdomship. If you didn't have the 'raw materials' to begin with, chances are you got there by some flaw in the system. And that's not so rare, in ANY field or occupation.

Understand that your most experienced, respected, intelligent "back-step" Jake is usually your strongest allie. NOT the one who THINKS he/she knows it all and is the loudest, most voal, and often disruptive company member. No, it's the one the crew wants to be around, who people listen to when he/she speaks, but doesn't demand an audiance. THAT is your best chance for success with the troops.

BUT, inexperienced, uneducated, poorly-trained, disruptive Officers DO exist. Most likely everbody in your department knows who they are. If it's you, you don't have a chance in hell in succeeding.

Here is some more genious: Be an expert in YOUR community, and YOUR department. While it is always good, and often benificial to know how other departments work, operate, their SOG's and philosophy, trying to apply strategies, tactics, rules and regulations that work for those departments that have 20 or 30 equally-trained, certified, fit, focused, and disciplined firefighters on every working fire will doom the small-town officer to certain failure on the fire-ground. Be an expert in YOUR own back yard. That is how, and where you will do the most good. Take off the blinders, and the trade-magazine perfect world department glasses, and acknowledge what you have, and THAT can be made to work better for the DEPARTMENT and the community.

Lastly, to be a well-rounded Officer, you have to be a well-rounded PERSON. Being well-read is a good start. If your entire focus is the fire service and only the fire service, your ability to converse with the general public, and those all-important city leaders will be a struggle. The customers-civilians, your taxpayers, and your bosses the managers, aldermen, councilmen, etc. won't usually speak fluent firefighterese. If you are uneduacted, with poor verbal skills, unable to communicate intelligently, your only abale to preach to the chior...your co-workers. Certainly you ned to be able to talk the talk AND walk the walk, but your gonna bore the hell out of those civilian business owner-taxpayers who you need on your side, like it or not.

Oh, and have a sense of humor! Not everyone "gets it" when it comes to what we do, and how we do it. And some will never even care, as long as you do it well, when they need it. But lighten up just a little.

Confidence comes through ability, and self-respect, and a little humility.

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Permalink Reply by Dave Dowdle on January 12, 2011 at 4:16pm

Beautifully stated.

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Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on January 12, 2011 at 4:28pm

It takes a big person to be an effective station officer. Any personal grudges need to be set aside, you're now leader and (occasionally) the parent, or at least the adult. As many others have pointed out, the engine boss that is most effective is the one that works along side his crew.

I've seen the occasional officer that, when giving the order to take up, somehow finds himself anywhere but with his rig and crew getting it back into service. They're always busy when it comes time to wash the rig but not when their own vehicle needs a wash. Funny how that is. Officers like that never endear themselves and (in my nominal experience) tend to play snuffleupagus with senior officer charlie sectors.

If a new officer wants to exploit my firefighting or construction knowledge and experience, I'm happy to share what little I know. If he wants to know where I think the rig should be parked or which hose to grab...well, he shouldn't have to ask that.

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Permalink Reply by Jay Barnes on January 14, 2011 at 7:24am

What do you do when your in a vol. fire dept. and the chief is the problem???

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