Curious question to decision makers

[fire49]

Was trying to give examples that took people out of operations for awhile

[Slowdownboys]

My department isn't huge (300 persons, population 200K + 100K in the day) but I don't think you can move toward the top of these organizations much anymore without a great deal of time in non-response positions. (I think that in very large departments that you could advance quite a way in response only positions).

There is just too much going on to learn everything in between calls & days off. The senior chiefs and staff of medium-small departments like mine are involved in an unbelievable array of financials, projects, incidents, things, bhah, blah, blah. An operations only guy may make BC, but probably won't go further.

It wasn't always like that. It used to be a fireman's-fireman's department, but the demands of the citizens and city hall started driving the ship and we had to adjust. If we hadn't, they would've appointed civilian leadership as the did at the Police Department and we, the FF's would've lost any input in the process.

Learn everything you can in this business.