By Matthew Tobia
Published Wednesday, February 1, 2012
| From the February 2012 Issue of FireRescue
You’re sitting in your office at the station when a member of your company asks to speak to you. You’ve already made it clear that your crew can come to you at any time with any problem and that you will help them—an open-door policy. Now, one of your crew is putting that policy to the test and the question is … are you ready?
A Missed Opportunity
In the past, a confidential conversation between an officer and firefighter was not terribly difficult; the likelihood of being interrupted was small. Today, smartphones, computers and other electronic “leashes” have become so much a part of our daily existence that it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing (wrongly) that it’s possible to carry on a conversation while texting, answering a call or checking your e-mail.
Imagine the following situation: A firefighter knocks on your door and asks to speak to you. You say “Absolutely,” and as he or she is entering the room, your phone rings. Instinctively, you answer it and ask the firefighter to “hang on a minute.” You complete the phone call, apologize to the firefighter and ask them to proceed. A few minutes later, the phone rings again or an e-mail pops up. You comment on the never-ending stream of communications and again ask the firefighter to “hang on” while you answer one of the numerous relatively mundane issues that clog your day.
The firefighter, sensing that you’re busy, apologizes for bothering you and attempts to leave. You insist that he or she should stay but they have already backed out of the office and you promise to “catch up with them later in the shift.” Except that later never comes. You remain busy (it happens) and the next thing you know, weeks have passed without another word. You keep promising yourself that you’re going to get back to that firefighter, but you just never make it.
Later, however, the firefighter unexplainably walks away from the fire service. Or you find out that he and his wife have gone through a terrible breakup. Or, worst of all, you get the phone call that your firefighter has done the unimaginable—taken his/her own life. Believe it or not, it happens.
Maybe the firefighter wanted to speak about something completely unrelated to these negative events. Nevertheless, you’re likely to experience guilt over the missed opportunity to help.
The bottom line: Having an open-door policy must mean more than just leaving the door open.
Let’s Try This Again …
Same example: A firefighter knocks on your door and asks to speak to you. You stop what you’re doing and ask them to come in and sit down. You contact another member and ask them to cover the phones. You silence your cell phone, turn away from the computer screen and give the firefighter your undivided attention. If necessary, you place the company out of service.
Regardless of the nature of the conversation, the unspoken message in your actions is clear: Your crewmembers are your most important priority and you’re prepared to separate yourself from your work to give them your undivided attention.
Remember: When they knock on your door and ask for your time, you don’t know what they’re going to say. It can range from inviting you to their child’s birthday party to needing help with suicidal thoughts. Blowing off an invitation to a party is relatively minor, but the consequences of failing to give all of your attention to a firefighter in genuine, serious, personal trouble can be devastating.
Having an open-door policy requires that you be prepared for the “4 a.m., people hanging out of windows, frozen hydrant, three floors of fire” personnel issue that comes to you in the form of a simple question … “Hey Capt., got a minute?”
Helping a Firefighter Who's Suicidal
If you’re confronted with a firefighter who’s thinking about taking their own life, you must act decisively and quickly.
- Get professional medical attention for the firefighter.
- Notify and seek guidance from leadership (chief, HR, etc).
- Reach out to organizations that can help, including the IAFC, IAFF and NFFF.
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Matthew Tobia
Matthew Tobia is a battalion chief in the Anne Arundel County (Md.) Fire Department and a 22-year veteran of emergency services. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and is a certified fire officer. Tobia is chair of the IAFC’s Safety, Health and Survival Section and is active with the National Fallen Fire Fighters Foundation (NFFF) and the Mid-Atlantic Burn Camp for Children. Read Full Bio
