What Would You Do?

In this instalment of what would you do we are presented with a house fire. We get a rare look at most of the development of the fire, and a scene without fire department intervention until later. This gives us a chance to fully absorb the scene and practice our critical decision making skills, and then see what the responding department actually did.

I will just provide a few insights. I preface these insights with the fact of I know nothing about this department, their staffing, or there operations. I do not know if they have a ladder truck, squad, rescue, ambulances or anything else. These are just observations made based on my own experience level and the departments I have been apart of.

1. First In Lay In: Time and time again in real life and in video I constantly see companies forgoing laying into fires. It could be SOG, it could be preference, it could be down right laziness. I am just a fan of laying in. I find it the most efficient way to ensure that you get a continuous water supply. In the departments I have been a part of we always laid into fires, and had the second engine finish the hydrant hook up. This way if for some reason the 2nd engine never shows the hose is already on the ground, and the driver of the first rig can hook his own hydrant up. If the hose stays on the rig, and the second engine never shows, now that driver may have to hand jack that LDH to the hydrant, further delaying the water supply component. If the stretch is too difficult for one person, the entire company may have to be redeployed to the LDH stretch which delaying the fire attack.

2. Apparatus placement: Again I do not know if this department has a ladder company, but if you do we have to understand as engine company firefighters that the ladder and cord reels are the same length every time. The fire ground real estate is critical for the special service companies in order to deploy them effectively. Engine companies literally have thousands of feet of hose. It is better to have to stretch some additional hose lengths and leave room for the special service than to park in front of the residence now making the special service useless. Our ladder companies and squads/rescues show up on different apparatus because they provide a different service than the engine. Their mission, their deployment model are different and for good reason. Do not deny the special service company the chance to provide you with air superiority (ladder), high-caliber streams (ladder pipe), or any of the other things they provide that we may not have (fans,forcible entry,special tools,etc.). The only thing this apparatus position would give you advantage is if you utilized your own pre piped deck gun, which leads to the next point.

3. Line selection: Big fire big water, is a phrase that sounds good in an assessment center, and people constantly speak it at every turn, yet I rarely see people put it into play. This fire was the prime example of a large advanced fire that needed a large-caliber hand line, and or a deck gun/portable master stream. To the naked eye it may look like the initial medium caliber line (1 3/4) was effective, but if you take a look at the thermal column there is still a massive fire inside this structure. Some of the hesitation to deploy these lines is staffing. I argue that companies that are heavy staffed can make miscalculations in line selection and correct them by using the people they have to deploy another line. Minimally staffed companies can not afford to make those mistakes as the personnel to add additional lines are not readily available, and to take those from in coming companies could impact other critical functions. the 2 1/2 can be deployed exterior with 1 firefighter, and interior with 2. it is hard, dirty, and labor intensive but it can be done.

So now it is your turn, take a look and apply your departments deployment model, and practice your critical decision-making skills. Leave your thoughts in the comments section.

A couple of things before I sign off…..

I said a few posts ago that myself and Ryan Pennington (http://www.viewsfromthejumpseat.blogspot.com/) had teamed up on a new venture. I did not want to say too much about it until I was 100% it was going to happen, but now since it is a go I am very excited and proud to announce that we are providing a new Podcast for Firehouse.com. It is called “Average Jake Views From The Jumpseat” . we have already recorded the first episode and it is with the editor and will be available for listening online very soon. Additionally I may also be contributing some blog type content for Firehouse.com. Again I am excited to see where this new venture can go. If you have any topic you want to see covered on the Podcast send it via email (averagejakeff@gmail.com) twitter @averagejakeff or in the comments section of a post.

Lastly it is NASCAR race weekend here in Richmond Va…and the start of NFL football season. So I will be at the race track starting tomorrow until the race is run. I will however also on Sunday be taking part in the 2nd Annual Richmond Virginia 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb. It will be an honor to once again share the stairs with firefighter that truly embody “Never Forgetting”.

Well that’s all for this time!

As usual thanks for reading, spread the word, and STAY SAFE!

Thoughts on Leadership

Within the next few months, my department is going to be undertaking a huge shift. Several of our senior command staff officers including our fire chief will be retiring. These are exciting and scary times for everyone involved. Exciting because the moves made in the next few months will/could determine the organization we are and the direction we go for the next 10 years! Scary because good, bad, or indifferent we know what we have with our current leadership complement and the thought of the unknown with new leadership in critical roles can be something that keeps people awake at night.

This has made me think a lot about if it was up to me, where would I send the organization, or more importantly how would I lead a organizaiton or even on a smaller scale a shift or company through times like this? What values would I want to instill in my company officers, firefighters, and the like?

A few years ago an officer who I have a lot of respect for, and now have the privilege of working for introduced me to a term, and leadership philosophy called “Servant Leadership”. Simply put the only reason an organization exists is to serve its customers. So in turn the only reason the leadership exists is to serve the subordinates.

An example would be the company officer. His sole job in its base form is to make sure that his/her firefighters have everything they need to serve the customer. These “needs” run the gauntlet from more training on hose deployment, to a hot meal at the end of the tour but the point is to make sure that the firefighters have everything they need in order to provide the best service delivery to the customer. Now much like your parents making you eat your vegetables sometimes the things your subordinates “need” are not going to coincide with everything they “want” or “like”.

This should go from the top down. The Fire Chief should make sure that his Assistants or Deputies have everything they need in order to do their job, and so on and so on. Applying this leadership model takes the leaders ego, and needs out of it and focuses on the needs of those you swore to protect and serve.

At the end of the day the fire service itself is a service industry. We exist to serve the citizen/customer who require our services. This is not down playing the extraordinary feats that happen every day in fire departments all over the world, however it is an attempt to really realize our true mission. Sure rescuing a fire victim is a feat of bravery, and should be regarded as such, but taking care of someone who broke their arm is just an important. The only difference is the level of service needed to mitigate the need of the customer, but the preparation for both must be spot on at all times.

These are values I feel that are desperately needed in a lot of organizations. The whats in it for me attitude and the attitude of self entitlement have no place in the fire service as this job is not about us, or you. Sure we deserve to make a living, and have a pension but that is the reward for providing a term of service that should meet the needs of those in which you swore to serve. Simply showing up and putting in time is not enough.

Please feel free to share some of your thoughts on leadership in the comments section, or on twitter @averagejakeff.

As usual thanks for reading, spread the word, and STAY SAFE!

Taking a Break and BOOK GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well in a few days I will be headed down to Daytona for the Daytona 500. I turned 30 in January and as a present my wife is sending me to the Gatorade Duels, Truck, Nationwide, and DAYTONA 500!!!

Isn’t my wife a great lady? Well it gets even better! If you read the blog you know I have mentioned several times that my wife recently wrote a book that was published by Fireengineering and the Penwell Corporation.

Well she is GIVING ONE AWAY!!!! Thats right you can win your very own copy of Incident Command for EMS! Here is how

How To Enter

In order to enter you will either need to tweet (@stickysidedwn) or email (sticky-side-down@comcast.net) a picture of what you use for incident command.  It could be a picture of your assignment board, a picture of an Incident Command Vehicle, a picture of a command vest.  Really, anything that shows how you use ICS at your station.

Remember in your e-mail to include your name and station location. We will share pictures that are entered into the contest, as they might give others ideas on what they can do with their station.

Deadline

Pictures will be accepted through 5:00 p.m. March 9th, 2012.

Choosing a Winner

A winner will be chosen at random and their name will be posted Saturday March 10th, 2012

It is just that SIMPLE!!!! So make sure you head over to twitter and follow @stickysidedwn also make sure you tell your friends. Obviously there can only be one winner but if you do not win you can still get your own copy at the Fireengineering Book Store or Amazon.com

Also be sure to head over to www.stickysidedown.wordpress.com for some great content. In addition if you’re heading out to FDIC make sure you look us up and you may even get an autograph in your copy of Incident Command for EMS.

As usual thanks for reading, spread the word, and STAY SAFE!