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The afternoon of February 1, 2017, was sunny and pleasant, but by sundown the temperature began dropping, a light rain fell, and then quickly turned to snow. The wet road surfaces formed a sheet of black ice and there were multiple motor vehicle accidents over the next few hours, including the one in the photo…
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The photo above is a small oven made from brick and mortar. If the oven were only made from stacked bricks, the structure would quickly fail from the weight of the material, strong winds, or something bumping into it. The strength of the oven comes from the mortar that holds the bricks together. But I…
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The title of this blog is my life purpose, relating to Luke 12:48, “For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.” Much is Given These words involve my purpose in life and what God has given…
Read MoreDo you have a Headless Horseman of the Sleepy Hollow Fire Department in your organization? The organizational monster Although Halloween has passed for 2023, there are many Headless Horsemen (and women) roaming through the fire departments of the world. We can also include other organizations such as business, non-profits, and various government entities (elected, appointed,…
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Esprit de Corps is a French term meaning “spirit of the body”1 or also spirit of the corps. Esprit de Corps is a good measure of unit or organizational morale, camaraderie, teamwork, and cohesiveness. World War II Battle of Midway In 1942, Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance assumed command of Task Force 16 prior to…
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October 23, 2023 Although the words leadership and management are often used interchangeably, there is a difference between the two, and understanding that difference has an impact on organizational morale. Lieutenant General John A. Lejeune, the 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps said, “Leadership is the sum of those qualities of intellect, human understanding, and…
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October 13, 2023 The titles of my last two blogs were, “Are You Personally and Professionally Developing?” You may have a plan for development, but is it diluted and weak? The fuel spill Throughout my career as a firefighter, I responded to a wide variety of incidents, including fuel spills ranging from small puddles to…
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October 9, 2023 In Part 1, I opened with a quote and a question from the Denver business coach Gary Barnes when he said, “99% of your current results are on purpose, either subconsciously or consciously.” Gary also asked, “Are you a participant or a spectator?” Incident action planning tools As a battalion chief, I…
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October 2, 2023 Part 1 In September, I attended a three-day Breakthrough Business Mastery bootcamp hosted by the Denver business coach Gary Barnes. On the first day he said, “99% of your current results are on purpose, either subconsciously or consciously.” Gary also asked, “Are you a participant or a spectator?” Fourth quarter of 2023…
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September 25, 2023 Nasty Chemicals In February of this year, a Norfolk Southern train transporting hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, creating a large haz mat event. Responding to and mitigating an incident like this requires constant decision making. Imagine you are responding to a train derailment involving two nasty chemicals: sulfur dioxide (toxic/corrosive…
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