The View from the Chief's Buggy: What Message Are You Sending?

As a chief officer, you want the best for your people and want them operationally ready and as safe as possible so they go home. Sometimes this means a cultural change, which can be started with something as simple as setting the example. What example and message are you setting for your folks from an operational readiness standpoint?

I was recently reminded of this when our department held a seminar with a well-known fire service leadership speaker. In his presentation, he relayed a story about responding on a mutual aid call and upon his arrival he grabbed his coat, helmet and radio and headed to the command post. Shortly after his arrival, there was a mayday on the fireground and a firefighter was in distress. To make things worse, the firefighter in distress was a friend of the chief. Our presenter relayed that he felt helpless as the personnel on the scene mounted a rescue effort and how he could have helped and maybe made a difference if he had a complete set of PPE on. 

What is your level of operational readiness?

So let’s take a minute and look in the review mirror and see what position we would have been in? I have served under and with some great chiefs over the years and the ones that I respected the most and learned the most from always had an attitude towards operational readiness in the office and on the street. I recently was looking at some pictures of a taxpayer fire where the chief looked very stately in his winter jacket, baseball cap with a portable radio; it reminded me of a conversation with a chief who I admired as a chief except for the fact that he very rarely wore complete PPE as a lot of chiefs just wear a coat and helmet. I once asked him about it and the response was I have done my time going in and the chief doesn’t need to go in. While I agree the chief doesn’t need to be going in all the time, and there is a time and place to stay in or at the buggy to run command, the chief or command officer needs to set the pace and tempo on the fireground. I had one very wise retired deputy chief tell me that you need to set the example on the street, feel what your guys are feeling and be prepared as bad things happen and being in PPE will help manage it and make sure you are prepared. This gentlemen also served as the safety officer for me when I served in Gettysburg and I could always count on him to be in full PPE with me. 

Most of us have prepared and continue to prepare for operational readiness in the office, but what are we doing for the fireground operational readiness? No matter if you are a metro chief, small combination department chief or a volunteer chief, we need to set the example. So let me ask, what is your operational readiness and what is the example you set? It’s not about just wearing your PPE, there is a whole lot more. Not only should your mind be prepared, but what about your body?

Physical readiness

Let’s start with the body. What are you doing to keep physically fit? I know of you are going to say there is not enough time to squeeze in any exercise. Quit making an excuse, if not for yourself and your family how about for the people you lead and may have to help some day. Set some time aside to exercise a couple of times a week. Not only will it help you physically, but we all know exercise is a great tool to deal with stress. Personally, I made a commitment when I took my current position that I need to improve my physical fitness and health in general. I would like to say that it was all me, but my doctor urged it, my wife and family urged it, and I wanted to set the right example for the people who I serve. So after three years, and losing over 30 pounds, I have made a commitment to keep myself in better shape so not only will I be able to deal with the stress of the job, but also to keep up with the kids on the fireground if the need be.

This has included participating in our annual work performance evaluation as all our officers do. The command staff at headquarters blocks off an hour at the end of the day three times a week for all of us to do physical training. It seems to go better with a team commitment and support, and you should see the look on the police officers’ faces when we all hit the workout room that we share with them. We had talked about this for a while and just never quite got to it and finally one of our deputy chiefs set up the schedule and we are off and running; now our command staff is working out on a regular basis just as our firefighters to better prepare us on the fireground and in the office. Because of this commitment, I know I feel better and can give the young ones a good run on the fireground. 

Fireground readiness

Speaking of the fireground, what are you doing to keep your skills up? What training are you taking or participating in? Seems the higher we go, the less training, particularly operational training, we do. It doesn’t hurt the chief to sit in on a basic class or take an operations-based class now and then to keep up with the trends. What about participating in live fire training as an instructor gives you a chance to get some SCBA time and to stay familiar with equipment, just in case.

I am fortunate that our command staff embraces training and participates in both live fire and operational training on a regular basis. When is the last time that you were in a fire, whether training or an actual fire? Could you make it if you had too? When was the last time you actually were in the station and rode apparatus? One program that we have instituted is "Front Office Friday." in which one of the office staff—including the fire marshals—ride in a station. We have recently changed it up to be once a week on any day to fit schedules along with the headquarters staff while our folks are at training or physicals. This has given all of us a chance to stay connected and up-to-date on the field-based skills.

These activities have paid off personally for me. Several months ago, when I was riding as the officer of the truck company, we were alerted for a reported structure fire with possible entrapment as we returned from an automatic alarm. I felt confident that my crew knew what needed to be done as we responded to the call only a few blocks away. We arrived first due and I assumed the first-due company officer role and went to work with our crews, not missing a beat. Can you and your officers make the transition from office to the street if needed to at a moment’s notice? When is the last time you searched a building or crawled down a hallway? It is not your primary job, but if the life of one of your people or a victim depended on you as you arrive first, could you do it? Are you prepared to do it?

The same holds true for the EMS side of the house. How could you not react or be prepared as EMS is dispatched to a location across from where you are sitting at a red light? You look over and there is the victim lying face down on the sidewalk. Do you carry and check the equipment in an EMS bag and AED? It might save the life of a neighbor. 

We have talked about the need to maintain being physically and mentally fit, but are you ready PPE and equipment-wise? Is your PPE up-to-date and in line with what the folks in the field are wearing? Do your officers have a different gear spec since you won’t be going in and possibly made of a material that offers less protection? Our department has transitioned from two different specs to now where the command staff is issued the same equipment as the field staff, including a harness and bail-out equipment. Not only has it positioned us in a safer place from an operational-readiness standpoint, it has helped from a morale standpoint when dealing with the dreaded harness issues that the field personnel were experiencing. Do you carry an SCBA unit in your vehicle? If not, why not?  Even if you don’t run a lot, you might find yourself in a position to have to act.  

In the end all of this is to make sure we are able to get the job done and to look out for our people. More importantly, taking care of ourselves, setting the example and leading from the front.

ALLEN W. BALDWIN is fire chief for Winchester, VA, Fire and Rescue. Baldwin has been involved in emergency services and emergency management for 32 years. He previously served as chief of the Gettysburg, PA, Fire Department and was the director of operations, safety and incident response for the Pennsylvania Turnpike.