HARRY R. CARTER, Ph.D., MIFireE

Once again, I would like to start this commentary with a thank you to my readers. You are the reason I labor at my computer. You have questions and problems that have wide applicability. I like to think that by answering your questions and helping you with your problems in a public way, many people get to benefit.

During the past week, I have received a number of interesting e-mails from across North America. Two stand out from the crowd just by reason of the fact that their feelings and situations are so different. One is an upbeat, positive approach to changing how business is being taken care of in one Florida community. Unfortunately, the other deals with a fire department that is entering an integration program with a local EMS provider, via the "My Way, or the Highway" method of management.

As I was pondering just how to handle these two distinctly different issues, and interesting e-mail came in from a buddy in the Midwest. I have met this man on a number of occasions and am well aware of the problems in his working environment. It was his comment to me that serves as our title this week. He and his troops have decided to work for the future. His troops believe in him and his potential for the future. In line with their respect for him, and using his style to build upon, they have adopted the motto: Taking Back The Fire Service – One Chief at A Time.

Before we get to their view of the world, I want to share a place where a dose of this philosophy is desperately needed. I received a plaintive cry from a couple of EMS troops who are in the midst of a particularly traumatic integration project. It seems that the people in charge of taking over a third service EMS operation and blending it into their fire department are suffering from a typical bias.

They know nothing (or very little) about EMS, so they treat the new EMS people like babies. They are placing them on a period of departmental probation. At the same time, they are requiring their fire people who are not EMS certified to get that training. But these new EMS-trained firefighters are not being placed on probation, because they are already fire people. During my e-mail interactions with these folks, I learned a great deal about how fire people who do not understand EMS operations can really create a stressful, demeaning scenario.

I urged the people involved to use patience. Perhaps when the initial period of pain and stress passes, things will improve. But the lesson is quite simple for me. Let me pass it along to you. If you are involved in something where your ignorance is obvious, stop, take a look around, and ask for help from those who know. Do not look to internal "yes men" for your advice.

This is a case where you most definitely cannot do things as you have always done them, because you have not done anything like this before. And I suggest that this advice applies to every organization, regardless of size. Just because you are the boss doesn’t mean that you will always automatically know what to do. Unless, of course, you always look for knowledgeable help with complex, threshold style problems. Then, by all means, do it like you always have. Unfortunately, far too many fire chiefs operate in the ego mode, as though their promotion came directly from the Lord himself.

I have been working on this ‘educational’ problem for a long time. And during this past week, the e-mails that slid into my computer are confirming the fact that I am having an impact. Events like this sure gladden the heart of an old, gray-haired, two-finger typist.

Now back to taking over the fire service one chief at a time. The first convert to my view of the world this week comes from Fire Chief Bill Schaubel of Lloyd, Florida. In his e-mail he stated that, "… I just finished reading your commentary on getting involved in your community. I cannot agree with you more."

He further stated, "I finished the Leadership and Administration course from the National Fire Academy in November and was elected Chief of our small rural fire department in December. I immediately began work to set in motion some of the changes you have suggested, along with a number of others I learned from the NFA course. (Why re-invent the wheel?) We now have the following in place:

1. Road signs have been placed at each end of our district telling the citizens who it is that protects them day and night.

2. We have made sure that our fire truck has our department name on just about every open space, so that when we go to an incident we are not confused with the county fire department. (We work well with them, by the way.)

3. I have managed to impress the civilian board of directors to join our village historical society. We wanted to show the board that we are there to help them protect the same 100-year-old homes.

4. I have worked to institute a new mission statement and a code of ethics.

5. We have created a department motto; Courage, Honesty, Integrity.

6. We are offering an increased number of CPR classes to the community.

7. We are putting more fire department-related stories in the local newspaper."

In the midst of my joy over getting this message, I paused to think of another individual who needs to share in the happiness of this moment. That would be my friend and professional colleague Dr. Burton Clark from the National Fire Academy. For you see the leadership course that Chief Schaubel makes reference to is a part of Burt’s program division at the NFA. I discussed the importance of this very course when I was with him at Emmetsburg back in January. It is nice to see the fruits of his labor. Many times instructors never know the long-term effect of their efforts.

Another interesting email came into my office from Chief Chip Comstock of Poland, Ohio. He outlined a number of important developments that he had implemented in the arena of automatic aid and mutual aid. He also went on to discuss his view of the two NFPA standards that were discussed in last week’s commentary. He speaks as a string supporter of both NFPA 1710, and NFPA 1720.

In discussing the issue of staffing, he states that, "… there is no excuse for not being able to assemble 20 firefighters. The issue for the career department is staffing (money). The issue for the volunteer department is recruitment and retention (staffing/money?). Ultimately, the taxpayers will decide the staffing issues. The outcome will depend on who does the best job of educating the public."

Talk about being a happy camper. How often does a writer get this sort of intellectual affirmation in such a short time frame? Here is a fire chief who has studied the issues, looked at the ramifications and has, as a result of his efforts, developed a deep and abiding understanding of why interacting with the public is so critical. Just to let you know what a great week this was in my world, let me share the results of a training seminar that I conducted on February 4th.

On that Sunday that I was asked to conduct two separate and distinct seminars by Fire Chief Tom Vogel of the Pt. Pleasant Beach, NJ Fire Department. During my interactions with him, I have found that he is a man with a vision. Although he is only going to be the Chief for 2001, he has set his sights on what the Pt. Pleasant Beach Fire Department of 2011 should look like.

The first seminar was a SWOT Workshop. We reviewed strategic planning theories and discussed the Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) that faced the gang in Pt. Pleasant Beach. I have found a great deal of success in using the SWOT model. My good friend, Dr. Robert Fleming, a professor at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey, spent a great deal of time teaching me how to use this analytical tool.

And use it we did in Pt. Pleasant. Eleven of the twelve fire department officers were in attendance, and all participated heavily. It should be noted that the one officer who could not make the seminar was on his way to the hospital for an unknown illness. The group seemed focused and supportive of the chief.

Although we only had three hours to work, the group and I created a vision for the fire department and then developed a mission statement that complimented the vision. The group also worked hard to develop a couple of goals and an objective or two. In my exit interview with the Chief I stressed to him that they needed to remain focused and continue working on the goals and objectives.

During the afternoon session I delivered my lecture on the Introduction to the Eight-Step method of Firefighting Strategy and Tactics. It was the chief’s intention to train his own people and to share the knowledge that I was imparting to a number of his mutual aid partners. The class was most attentive and a real joy to be with. All and all it was a tremendous teambuilding day for Chief Tom Vogel and the Pt. Pleasant Beach Fire Department.

I hope that these three chiefs are indicative of how our future as a fire service might develop. I warn you, that there are more of the other kinds of Fire Chiefs out there, the selfish ones, whose sole focus is on them. I am beginning to realize that these are the type of kids that we knew back in high school who were often heard to say, "I’ll get you some day..." Unfortunately, that someday is now for many fire departments in North America.

Having said that, I will close with my usual case of optimism. If there are three Chiefs out there like Bill Schaubel, Chip Comstock, and Tom Vogel, there must be more. And every new shining light I see buoys my spirits and gives me hope for the future. Pay attention gang, this stuff I am teaching about really works. If you don’t think so, ask Bill, Chip or Tom. More importantly, ask their troops.

The commentary in this column does not necessarily reflect those of Firehouse.Com, Firehouse Magazine, their employees or parent company Cygnus Business Media. Harry R. Carter, Ph.D., MIFireE, is an internationally known municipal fire protection consultant and contributing editor to Firehouse Magazine. He recently retired as a Battalion Commander with the Newark, New Jersey Fire Department. His commentary appears regularly on Firehouse.Com. For more commentary and information, visit Carter's web site at www.harrycarter.com Harry has published several books available for online ordering, including Firefighting Strategy and Tactics and Management in the Fire Service