FireFighterNation

What makes an engine company successful are the people in it. Mike Kirby and Tom Lakamp discuss the fire officer, driver and firefighter ranks, and the traits needed in each to ensure company success.

It used to be that promotions were thought of as a good thing. It meant being recognized for a job well done—and you might also get a bump in pay. But as Deputy Chief Steve Prziborowski points out in his FRI 2012 session, for many reasons, the perception of getting promoted has changed. And some don’t want the responsibility that comes with the additional brass.

In his Thursday FRI session, “A Model for Fire Officer Accountability,” Chief Dennis Compton explored how accountability is not an issue that’s separate from the department’s leadership, supervision or management. And in order to show this, he offered a model that fire officers can use to ensure a high level of organizational accountability throughout the ranks of their departments.

More than a decade of research on firefighter tracking and physiological monitoring has culminated in several systems that are now close to market. Editor-in-Chief Tim Sendelbach asks, is the fire service prepared to embrace the technology we’ve so long demanded?

A review of the NIOSH firefighter fatality reports shows that a contributing factor to many of these tragic deaths was an ineffective use of a personnel accountability system—or no system at all! Here, Dennis Reilly addresses the four keys to a successful accountability system: selecting the right system, a clear set of operational guidelines, effective training and guideline enforcement.