Posts Tagged ‘Leadership in the Fire Service’
Perks of Leadership
Being a leader can be a difficult task. When we get the job, our responsibilities increase tremendously. There’s a lot of work that goes into it as far as making sure things run properly and trying to keep everyone in line with one another. There’s also a lot of backend work that goes unseen which…
Read MoreBurnout in the Firehouse
Part of taking the job as a firefighter is due to the love of responding to emergencies. It’s in our blood to be the first people to be there for a complete stranger when they’re having the worst day of their life. For some, it may be the adrenaline rush we feel when the bell…
Read MoreYou Don’t Know Everything
If you’re an officer, the expectation is that you know your stuff. An officer is supposed to lead their firefighters into chaotic situations and handle it accordingly, all while making sure their members stay safe. Your crew is going to be looking to you for answers and direction on what they’re supposed to do. In…
Read MorePower, Greed, and the Failure of Top Brass
Leadership: The ability to create process and direction for a group or organization. In this series, we’ve covered multiple different topics about leadership and some helpful tips to be the best leader you can be. However, it seems the higher up somebody climbs on the ladder, a lot of them tend to lose their integrity…
Read MoreGut Feeling or Overthinking?
Making decisions is tricky. When we’re at home, somebody may ask “What should we have for dinner?” The response is usually “I don’t care. It’s up to you.” In firefighting, we don’t have the luxury of ping ponging decisions, because we all know that every second counts. Add that to the fact that whatever decision…
Read MoreCreating Perfect Probies
Probies. The future of the fire service. Future leaders, future officers, future Chiefs. Traditionally, we tend to treat probies like dirt which has been somewhat of an issue throughout the years. There’s a reason for this though. You need to be tough to be a firefighter. By making the probies go through hell their first…
Read MoreLeader Vs. Title Holder
This one is a hot topic of conversation. The difference between being a leader and having a leadership title is something that’s been recognized since civilization was born. We have leaders and title holders in all different industries, but what separates the two in the fire service? When it comes to promotions in the firehouse,…
Read MoreFrom Buddy To Boss
“With great power comes great responsibility.” Whether you’re a career firefighter or volunteer, holding a leadership position can be tricky. We all know that firefighting in general holds extreme liability and potential consequence. Once you become an officer, that increases tenfold. How do you walk the line with being friendly with your colleagues vs. being…
Read More“First in. Last out.”
A term we hear often in the fire service – But can we apply it to leadership? Can this quote that’s often seen on t-shirts or stickers actually be acted upon? Let’s take a closer look. Think back to when you were a probie. You were often told that “You are seen, not heard.” Which…
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