Today is Labor Day and this is a fitting question: as a fire officer are you competent with your job skills?
Unfortunately, many are not, including those in both the paid and volunteer fire service. On the paid side of the house are those individuals (including officers) who proclaim the mantra of payday and four days off. On the volunteer side of the house are those who belong to the t-shirt club, rarely showing their presence in the fire station, and only maintaining minimum requirements to remain on the active roll.
Individuals who fall into these categories are mediocre and average at best. However, I am writing to those who strive to exhibit excellence in their profession and that means demonstrating competence in your job skills.
Competence
The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines competence as the quality or state of having sufficient knowledge, judgment, skill, or strength (as for a particular duty or in a particular respect). Being a successful and competent fire officer means going beyond what is required and sharing your skills and knowledge with others. It means mentoring your crew members.
A fire officer may have enough certificates from state agencies, seminars, and conferences to cover an entire wall, yet be incapable of deciding what size hose to use and where to place it. That person is certified but not qualified or competent.
Competent officers exhibit command presence and know when and how to take charge. They are true leaders who possess tactical expertise.
The competent officer also:
- Is a student of the profession and is committed to self-improvement.
- Understands fire behavior, building construction, fuel/weather/topography, the basics of firefighting, and decision-making.
- Studies and applies the various aspects of leadership development and commits to a better understanding of human behavior.
What about you?
What are you doing for career development beyond department or state mandated training? Take the initiative for self-improvement and if necessary, pay for it out of your own pocket. Yes, pay for it yourself and do not count on your department having the money for your improvement in the budget. Providing for your personal development has a return on investment that will be far more valuable than sitting on the couch watching another football game.
Podcast
Please tune in to Firehouse Talks with Jersey Rick: Igniting Leadership Excellence. My daughter and I cohost this podcast, and we talk about anything and everything related to leadership. You do not need to be a firefighter to listen, and we strive to keep the podcast to thirty-minutes. You can find us on Apple, Spotify, and iHeart Radio every other Thursday.
