Summary

In this episode, I discuss the issues of bullying within the fire service, particularly from upper management. I emphasize the importance of respectful confrontation and documentation when dealing with bullies. Additionally, I address the rising trend of EMS units calling for manpower assistance, urging personnel to maintain physical fitness to handle their responsibilities effectively. 

Takeaways

• Bullying in the fire service often stems from insecurity in leadership.
• Respectful confrontation can resolve bullying issues.
• Documentation of conversations is crucial when addressing workplace bullying.
• Stand up to bullying and be respectfully.
• Confronting bullies can lead to improved relationships and understanding.
• Physical fitness is essential for EMS personnel to perform their duties.
• Firefighters should not rely on additional manpower for manageable tasks.
• It's important to create a culture of accountability in the fire service.
• Maintaining fitness standards is vital for operational effectiveness.

In this conversation, I shares valuable insights from my experience in the fire service, emphasizing the importance of knowledge sharing, maintaining composure in crisis situations, and learning from mistakes. Through personal anecdotes, I illustrates how effective leadership and mentorship can significantly impact emergency response outcomes. I encourage you to approach every situation with the mindset of preparedness and to foster a culture of learning within the fire service.

1.     Be your departments best ally not it’s worst enemy. To many people are quick to bash their fellow volunteers. The fact is we need to accept all and make sure all members have what they need, like training and confidence. Experienced members need to take the new people under their wing and help to make them better. It is so easy to point and bash a member. Take the hard road and lift your members. They came to the fire service for a reason, help them achieve their goals.

2.     You are responsible to get your apparatus on the street. As volunteers you need to be at the station when you say you will be there. If your department relies on home response to get the apparatus on the street, then you go to the station. This is especially true for chief officers in volunteer organization. The department may give you a vehicle to use, but you need to get your apparatus on the street first. Nobody needs a chief on the scene while your apparatus fails to respond because there was no driver. The is nothing worse than a chief responding past their fire house leaving volunteers and fire apparatus at the station with no driver. You keep that up and your members will no longer come to the station.

Do Better Suck Less

Volunteer fire department membership is dwindling. The decline has been steady for years. Are you doing all you can to recruit and retain new members? When you get new members are you making them feel welcome or are you ignoring them to the point they leave? Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. Volunteer organizations must go out of their way to make new members feel welcome. All members need to engage with new people let them know how important it is for them to be at the station, take training classes and give as much time as they can.

We must do the work to attract and keep new members or one day the volunteer fire department will become extinct.

Excessive talking on the radio. Bosses constantly questing your every move. Officers not being consistent. Chiefs trying to run a fireground when they are not on the scene. This are just a peek into the world of micromanaging. So why do some bosses do this? 

1. It is a trust issue between the chief and the firefighters.
2. They don't have faith in their own skills, and they project that onto their firefighters and junior officers.

Communication is the key to fix it.

Suck Less Do better!

Training is key to being your best. Unfortunately training academies have moved away from class A burn buildings and towards propane fueled fires with fake smoke. We are not preparing the new firefighters for real fires. Burn rooms are just empty rooms with no obstacles to contend with. The fires are always in the same place every time. Acquired structures to burn in are becoming a thing of the past, and we are letting citizens and politicians dictate the type of training we can do, yet they demand the best from us without giving us the tools to be the best. It is time to take back training and make our firefighters great. Be better, Do better and Suck Less.

Do you know people who think they know more than they do? We all know people like this. In public safety these people can be dangerous to the employees, the public and the organization. 

There is a term called the Dunning Kruger effect. This effect is people who have limited competence in a particular domain and overestimate their abilities. This means they think they are good, but they suck. 

Recognize your short comings and as a leader. If you can't do this, you will eventually be exposed a fraud.

Suck Less Do Better!

Have you ever said to yourself "this meeting could have been in an email." How do we learn? I believe the fire department is behind the times. Are you still required to get in your car and drive to your academy to sit in a classroom while the instructor reads PowerPoint slides?  COVID taught us we can learn virtually, so why aren’t we doing this in the fire service? We need to change with the times and explore new options of teaching and learning.

How is morale in your department? Do you even know? if your the boss it is you job to know what is going on in the department. Be a good communicator, let the people know whats going on. Be transparent and never lie. Great morale breeds great fire service delivery.

Health care workers in Maryland are not protected from assault like first responders. The blame for this lack of protection rests squarely on the shoulders of the elected politicians. It is no secret that some of the dumbest people represent us on the state and federal level.  The citizens deserve so much better. Use your vote wisely and don't just give you vote to a candidate just because they have a D or and R next to their name. It is way past time for elected officials to work for the people. Stop Sucking and Do Better!