In 2000, 16 of my colleagues and I were the first fire officers in the country to become credentialed chief fire officers (CFO) through CPSE's Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPC), which was a milestone for each of us personally, but more importantly, it was a milestone for our profession as well. Today, nine of those officers still maintain their CFO designation, having renewed their credentials for the sixth time.
While much has changed in the fire service since 2000, one area that has become increasingly crucial to our success is the elevation of our profession—and that starts with the individual. Over the course of my career, I’ve had the opportunity to lead five different organizations. Being a credentialed CFO is what first opened the door for me to compete for those positions, but more importantly, it sent a message to those I’ve led that I not only value professional development, I also expect it from them.
As leaders of the fire service, whether we are the chief of a department or a captain running a station, the men and women we lead each and every day look to us to set the example. If we simply get promoted and rest on our past laurels, that sends a direct and clear message to our personnel that continuous professional growth is not needed or valued. If we hope to set the bar high for our personnel and our organizations, then we must “walk the walk,” and frankly, there is no better way to do that than to credential your workforce in their areas of expertise.
The credibility of a CFO credential is also an important element in working with our external stakeholders, elected officials, community and business leaders, and other department heads. In today’s environment, CFO credibility is paramount if we as leaders hope to position our organizations to be successful in the future.
Most importantly, credentialing keeps us focused on our continued development as managers and leaders. We’ve all worked for individuals who have essentially retired on the job once they reach a certain position; that’s s a tough place to be as their employee, and it’s an organizational killer.
Overall, credentialing is crucial because it provides a roadmap for the success of our personnel, it creates a methodology for continuous self-improvement, and it raises the bar in our organizations.
Randy R. Bruegman, CFO, FIFireE
President, Center for Public Safety Excellence
