Progressive Traditions......Keeping The Fire Service Effective In The 21st Century: "Warm Bodies" Won't Suffice

After a busy, and extremely fun, past week teaching at my career department’s “Rescue Engine School”, I finally have a few moments to get back to the blog. As I’ve stated in a previous post, we are a small department that operates within a larger fire and rescue system. With that said, on the suppression side we operate with an Engine, Truck, Rescue Engine, and Battalion Chief. The Rescue Engine runs as an Engine Company or a Rescue Company depending on the nature of the call and our location in the run order. This is determined at the transmission of the alarm and there is no confusing what our role is at any point during the incident. I believe this procedure and our equipment compliment greatly assist us in effectively operating a dual-purpose rig. However, I believe these two things are only half of the equation. The people on the rig make up the other half of the equation of operating effectively with a dual-purpose rig. I became inspired to write this after a well-known fire service acquaintance saw some photos of Rescue Engine School and complimented our department for having qualifications to ride the rig, instead of just putting “warm bodies” in seats.

If you read this blog, then you know my stance on mediocrity and the lowering of standards within the fire service: it’s detrimental and has a negative impact on our efficiency and effectiveness. My department has done an excellent job of ensuring that our folks are certified AND qualified to ride the Rescue Engine. When operating a dual-purpose rig, members must be efficient and effective in multiple company operations. Literally we can run a box alarm or pin job as a Rescue Company and be returning to quarters from those incidents when we are alerted to respond to a first-due box alarm or gas leak as an Engine Company. To operate effectively, there can be no stumbling or excuses for lack of proficiency in either Engine or Rescue Company operations. Simply allowing “warm bodies” to sit in the seats on your rigs is one of the quickest ways to set your department up for failure.

So how do you prevent “warm bodies” from occupying the seats on your rigs? Ensure your members are certified AND qualified. Simply attending training and getting a certification does not mean you are qualified. Displaying competency with the rig’s equipment and performing tasks associated with your respective company responsibilities are essential. Continuously strive to improve performance and gain knowledge. The fire service and the environments we operate within our dynamic. It’s essential that we adapt to the conditions we may encounter. Not to discredit “old school” methods or training, but just because you attended a vehicle extrication or fire behavior class in 1990 doesn’t mean you will be efficient or effective in 2012. Conversely, new members of the fire service should learn the “old school” methods as they still may prove to be applicable in today’s fire service. Be “Into” The Job. While we can’t, and shouldn’t try to, control what members are doing outside of the firehouse. We should ensure that the fire service is a priority to them while they are at the firehouse. Too often folks are in the firehouse focusing way too much of their time and attention to their part-time jobs, fantasy football, sports scores, or other non-fire service items. Sure, folks need time to tend to things outside of the fire service but it shouldn’t be the majority of their time. It’s our responsibility to show these members why being “into” the job is beneficial to themselves, to their fellow firefighters, and to the citizens we serve. Create “thinking” firefighters and encourage innovation. Lay the groundwork for the members by impressing the “principles” of what we do, but don’t necessarily bind their hands with procedures. Teach them to apply the principles when making decisions and carrying out tasks. This is how new methods are developed. Some work, some don’t. As much as some folks try to “dumb” this job down and remove decision-making from it, there simply isn’t a manual or procedure for every incident we will respond to. We need folks that can think and make solid decisions at all levels within the fire service. You don’t wake up one morning, get promoted, and all of the sudden become a good decision maker.

While I led this post off talking specifically about our Rescue Engine, the principles of this post can be applied to any rig. No rig should simply have “warm bodies” in the seats. It’s up to you and your department to determine which course of action you take. However, simply putting the “warm bodies” on the rig will do nothing for your efficiency or effectiveness. I'll leave you with some photos of various evolutions we conducted during our Rescue Engine School to ensure our members operate in an efficient and effective manner.