The fire service is comprised of people from all walks of life which makes a fire chief's job tough. In this month's installment of "The Leaders Toolbox", Chief Richard Gasaway offers advice on diverse issues.
A volunteer chief is looking for help dealing with a firefighter accused of making derogatory comments about a co-worker's religious beliefs. How can the issue be resolved to everyone's satisfaction?
Chief Gasaway also is asked by a career chief how he can possibly please both his bosses at city hall and the firefighters' union. It's an issue faced daily across the country.
If you have a situation you would like assistance from Chief Gasaway, please e-mail: [email protected].
About the Author
Richard Gasaway
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, CSP is an authority on human factors, situational awareness and the high-risk decision-making processes that are used in high-stress, high-consequence work environments. He served 33 years as a firefighter, EMT-paramedic, company officer, training officer, fire chief and emergency incident commander. Gasaway's doctoral research included the study of cognitive neuroscience to understand how human factors flaw situational awareness and affect high-risk decision-making. He authored six books, and his contributions on situational awareness and decision-making are featured and referenced in more than 400 publications. Gasaway's training programs have been delivered to more than 88,000 students.