As anyone in the fire service can attest, spending enough time on the job brings incredibly diverse experiences.
After nearly two decades, I had an eerie experience that older firefighters I learned from never warned me about. I arrived at the station to find a new probationary firefighter beginning his first month. While not extraordinary by itself, it was shocking to see a figurative mirror.
This young firefighter recently graduated from the academy at 19 years old, completed his EMT while still in high school, displayed an unusual maturity, and showed palpable excitement for his fire service career.
If he had arrived straight from California with a very un-Texas accent, he would have been me 15 years ago.
While welcoming him and introducing him to our station’s probationary firefighter routines, I began to question the system’s effectiveness. How could I help him avoid the issues I faced in my early years? Could I strengthen the weaknesses I had as a passionate, young firefighter? Did seeing myself in him lead me to treat him differently? These questions sparked a mission to improve our system.
Teach, Empower, Coach
Leadership and development have become significant passions of mine. I employ three main methods to enhance firefighters’ leadership and development throughout their careers: teaching, empowering, and coaching. These methods closely intertwine and focus on building firefighters at all ranks. While not new or groundbreaking, applying these methods has historically challenged the fire service.
Development in any career begins with teaching. Those who teach entry-level qualifications initiate the molding process.
Recall your days in the fire academy. Most likely, you had instructors who were shining examples of what you hoped to become as a firefighter, and others you wished to be the opposite of. While negative examples can inspire certain personalities to avoid those styles, positive examples can inspire everyone.
The classic four learning modalities (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile) have been highly successful in the fire service. I advocate for effectively combining all four modalities when teaching new subjects. Although necessary and valuable, we can effectively teach brand-new subjects in the fire service for only so long.
Our scope of practice has expanded beyond expectations. When you consider all the textbooks an average engine company must master, it is humbling. Continuing education is essential to meet such expectations. The challenge lies in incorporating several teaching modalities and keeping learners engaged in continuing education.
Today, it is tempting to assign a video to watch followed by a ten-question test for ease of compliance. I propose a fifth modality of learning: teaching. Teaching not only reinforces all aspects of a subject but also identifies and cultivates the next generation’s leaders.
While not every firefighter possesses the patience or talent for teaching, everyone benefits from creating and teaching a class. This practice enhances writing skills, the ability to construct effective courses, public speaking, answering questions, and more. These skills are crucial to any officer or crew member’s job description, yet they are often neglected compared to most other professions in the United States.
Practicing teaching also identifies and nurtures potential instructors, which is vital for departmental growth. What do you do when you identify passionate and capable personnel to “carry the torch” in some way?
Empower Your Future Leaders
What does it mean to empower someone? There are many definitions of this term. “To give authority or legal power to” (The Century Dictionary, 1889). “To provide the means to achieve something” (Collins Dictionary, 2012). From my experience, the fire service often struggles in this area. As a young firefighter, perhaps you were told things such as, “your passion will hinder your career” or “most ideas are dead on arrival, not worth pursuing.” How did these statements make you feel? Were you able to research challenges, propose ideas, or were you shut down before fully exploring your ideas?
As an officer, I also struggle with empowerment. I strive to empower my crew and probationary firefighters who pass through my station not only as a lesson in humility but also to fulfill my duty of providing them the means to achieve.
I once heard, “a candle lighting another candle does not diminish the light of either.” By empowering my subordinates, I gain access to perspectives I wouldn’t otherwise encounter. I can also gain buy-in from these firefighters to pursue their passions.
For instance, if a firefighter wants to use a different cross-lay on our engine, my initial reaction might be to deny it. It’s my engine, and I may have chosen the best setup through prior experience. However, consider the cost-benefit analysis. What would be the cost of spending an hour or two letting this firefighter explain their reasoning or test one cross-lay? What are the benefits of showing interest and allowing experimentation? This approach inspires loyalty and trust with minimal effort, likely leading to more effective crew activities. The benefits far outweigh the costs.
Additionally, building a strong crew or district that consistently exceeds expectations demonstrates excellent leadership. Not every idea can be supported or encouraged; some changes may conflict with departmental mission and goals. How do you handle ideas from empowered firefighters that don’t align with the department’s mission?
The Role of Coaching
Coaching is perhaps the most demanding aspect of development. It requires navigating the delicate balance of inspiring individuals, maintaining focus on the mission, treating all equally, and dedicating sufficient time for effective mentoring. These challenges are tough to keep at the forefront, but I believe coaching’s most crucial aspect is guiding personnel growth.
A firefighter or captain may propose changes differing from the fire chief’s service and cultural goals. While some changes can be explored safely, if they undermine the department’s mission, coaching is necessary to realign them with the department’s vision.
Consider an older crew falling into complacency, neglecting drills or department training standards. Despite their experience and past performance, this cannot continue. They must be coached back to meet these standards. The entire department must adhere to the Fire Chief’s mission and values. As an officer, ensuring every member performs at a high level is my responsibility, whether they retire in six months or just completed probation. Coaching involves knowing when to say no and redirect efforts to maintain the organization’s vision. Clear and communicated expectations facilitate channeling everyone’s passion toward departmental growth and progress.
Embrace Evidence-Based Change
The fire service often resists change and clings to tradition. To build trust and move forward, we must acknowledge reality and admit when we’re wrong. We were all young once and challenged the established norms. Sometimes we were right, sometimes wrong, even in longstanding fire tactics like pushing fire with water, as Underwriter Laboratories proved.
As coaches, we must encourage critical thinking and guide personnel through reasoning processes. This may require us to reconsider our practices and maintain humility when confronted with strong evidence against them.
In theory, if every department fosters effective leadership and development, each generation will improve departmental effectiveness. As a firefighter nears retirement, they often reflect on their legacy and impact on a career that gave them so much. What greater legacy than leaving the department in capable hands, sharing all of your experience and education that you have to offer?
Teaching for several years has introduced me to incredibly passionate firefighters, as well as those unsuited for this profession. I apply teaching, empowering, and coaching to all interested in our unique career. This leadership style promotes excellence for those pursuing firefighting as a profession, while those unsuitable typically filter out during probation, hopefully retaining some benefits of fire service. A department that fosters this culture recruits and retains exceptional talents like 19-year-old Probationary Firefighter Wedgeworth, ensuring a legacy of exceptional service for generations.
BIO
Cameron Nielsen is captain of Engine 9 A-shift for Beaumont Fire/Rescue in Beaumont, TX. I have been in the fire service since 2009. I have worked in BFR since 2011 (4 years as a firefighter, 4 years as a Driver/Operator, 5 years as a Captain.) I graduated from Houston Community College with an AA in Fire Science and Safety. I have been teaching at HCC in the fire academy since 2018.
