Many fire service leaders believe that the company officer is the most important and impactful position in the fire service. I for one, agree. The company officer effects change, makes sound initial command decisions when first on scene, promotes situational awareness, trains crews, maintains crews and equipment, and bears the responsibility for the health and safety of their crews. Company officers are functional crewmembers with specific assigned skills and abilities. They are, or should be, our first line of human resources, the link in the chain of command, and the person we count on to ensure that service is delivered from their assigned stations.
The Company Officer Impact
So, should the company officer play a role as a health and safety officer, too? In my opinion, the answer is a resoundingly yes. Who else in the organization has the most interaction with the great firefighters and paramedics you deploy? No one. The company officer should be the go-to person for each crew, should have identified their strengths and trained themselves and their crews to overcome any weaknesses that exist. With this in mind, let’s identify several ways that the company officer directly impacts health and safety:
- Station safety: Company officers can address slip and trip hazards around the station, lighting issues, as well as the proper storage of flammable materials. Ensure that the apparatus, equipment and stations are properly secured. Company officers should be aware of any safety concerns and take steps to correct them.
- Fitness: Company officers should try to ensure that members engage in fitness activities on duty, and they should be able to determine if the crew is physically and mentally prepared for the challenges of the day.
- Pre-response: Are the crews aware of their turnout times and, if so, have they trained to improve these times? Is their PPE donned correctly prior to response?
- Training: Company officers must ensure that the crew understands the dynamics of their district; this includes knowing the streets and water sources, which structures aren’t sprinklered and which structures are high risk, have access issues or special hazards. What do the crews know about the structures’ design and construction features?
- Seatbelts: Does your organization have a seatbelt policy? Company officers should DEMAND that seatbelts are used–before the apparatus moves … every time!
- Driving: Company officers can encourage crews to train on learning the shortest or most efficient routes around the district. They should also underscore the importance of confirming the right of way before proceeding through intersections.
- Tactics: Size up the situation and perform a 360 evaluation before committing resources. And ensure that crews are prepared to function as a RIT, and that they conduct constant monitoring of hazard zones and collapse zones. Are their SCBAs in place? Are they conducting hazardous atmosphere monitoring?
- Rehab: Company officers should ensure that their crews are well rested and have plenty of fluids. They should also consider how they can monitor crewmembers’ vital signs.
- Tailboard talks: Company officers should initiate these incident reviews, which can help crews understand what went well, what didn’t and what they would change for the next incident.
Different Organizations, Different Plans
Command systems and organizations handle the myriad functions of the health and safety officer in various ways. Some have staff who are assigned to do nothing else other than function as a health and safety officer. Other command systems place the safety officer duties at the company officer level, and then reinforce that with a chief-level officer to oversee safety and operations in an assigned functional or geographical area of operations.
If you refer to NFPA 1521: Standard for Fire Department Safety Officer, all the safety officer duties impact the companies working, so why not have the company officer address them while another sector/division/group officer oversees that functional or geographical “bigger picture” part of the operations? After all, company officers are the formal leaders of their crews and stations, and they should always be immersed in health and safety efforts. Further, they can inspire their crews to a much healthier path through fitness, and a safer path through decisions based upon sound risk management principals.
Company Officers: Get Involved!
Company officers should take an active interest in the health and safety of their members, as this impacts every level of our performance. They set the standard for readiness, and we must ensure that the personnel who deliver our services are positive, productive, safe and trained at each level of the organization. The health and safety of our people requires all of us to take ownership at every level in the organization so that everyone goes home!
