Fire Officer Leadership Chapter 3

Introduction to Leadership

• The bugle on the fire officer's insignia symbolizes the importance of communication in leadership.
• Effective leadership requires skilled communication, active listening, and skilled command, and fire ground commander.
• Supervisory responsibilities include making effective decisions, proper task assignments, and understanding the grievance process.
• Member development involves effective skill training, competency evaluations, and addressing issues related to team members.
• Speaking trumpets used as a past time, are a symbol that emphasizes the requirement to communicate.
• Communications are critically important for Fire Officers.

The Communication Cycle

• Communication is a repetitive, circular process essential for mutual understanding.
• Successful communication occurs when two people exchange information and develop mutual understandings.
• Effective communication requires the intended message to be received and understood, and for the sender to receive confirmation of the message.
• Messages must be received and understood in the recipient's own terms and convey the sender's intended thought.
• The message can be conveyed through various means, including verbal, written, or nonverbal cues like body language.
• Fire officers must ensure they have accurate, up-to-date information to maintain clear communication and avoid misinformation, including SOPs, personnel regulations, budgets, and union contracts.
• Control over discussions and the establishment of ground rules is critical in the workplace etiquette.
• Rumor control helps de-escalate the spread of inaccurate information.

Components of Communication

• Sender: The individual or entity communicating the message; responsible for ensuring comprehension as well as body language, mannerisms, and nonverbal cues.
• The sender may convey unintended messages, messages to nobody in particular, and messages not intended to be messages.
• The sender is responsible for the way the receiver understands the message.
• Medium: The method used to convey information, including through speech, written words, symbols, and gestures.
• Sender should consider circumstances, the nature of the message, and available mediums
• Method used to convey info from sender to receiver (sender > Medium < Receiver) and this could be "face to face".
• The chosen medium influences the importance attached to the communication.
• Receiver: The individual interpreting the message; errors can occur during interpretation.
• Feedback: Confirmation of received messages; vital for completing the communication cycle.
• Never assume information is successfully transferred without receiving confirmation/feedback.
• The sender should have the receiver repeat back key points.
• Without feedback there is no confidence the message was understood.

Medium and Method Considerations

• Circumstances, the nature of the message, and available methods are all important when choosing a communications medium.
• Fire officers can communicate by posting notices, announcing at meetings, or discussing topics during meals.
• The medium can influence the importance attached to the message.
• Praise publicly; counsel, approach, or discipline in private.

Overcoming Environmental Noise

• Physical or sociological conditions can interfere with a message.
• "Noise" clogs or interferes with the delivery of the message.
• Physical noise includes background conversations, ambient noise, radio feedback, and low lighting.
• Physical noise can include radio feedback, poor reception, static, darkness/brightness for visual messages and distractions, fatigue, boredom, fear.
• Sociological/environmental noise includes prejudice and bias.
• Minimize environmental noise by avoiding power struggles, not making issues offhand, keeping emotions in check, remembering words, seeking clarification, and giving feedback.
• Improve communications by maintaining focus on the message, being clear and firm, controlling emotions, being mindful, encouraging questions, seeking feedback, and considering receivers.
• These suggestions deal with administration and supervisory activities on the fireground.

The Receiver Role

• The person who receives and interprets the message
• There are many opportunities for error in this step
• It's up to the sender to formulate and transmit a message that is clearly understandable to the receiver
• The receiver is also responsible for capturing and interpreting information
• Same words can convey different meanings
• In fire service, accuracy is vital
• Both sender and receiver have responsibility to ensure messages are properly expressed and reported
• Messages directed to more than one person may have many interpretations

Active Listening

• Key to effective communication, with focus on understanding others' viewpoints.
• Techniques include maintaining eye contact, alert posture, and clarifying questions to stay engaged in conversation.
• Other techniques include not assuming, interrupting, trying to understand the need, looking at the person's need for attention, and not reacting too quickly.
• Stay focused and ask questions to get the conversation back on topic.
• FO must listen effectively from higher level, but also be able to listen to company members/subordinates.
• It is important to accurately interpret comments, concerns and questions.
• Active listening must be continually practiced.

Emergency Incident Communications

• Emphasis on clarity and precision during emergencies; ask precise questions and provide specific orders.
• Managing communication is as important as communicating during emergencies.
• Incident commanders maintain control over communication waves to minimize unnecessary chatter.
• Additional control can be added by using "Unit(s) stand by.”
• Severe situations, mayday situations, and substantial changes in fire conditions create emergency traffic only.
• Direct communication approaches require asking precise questions and clear orders.

Radio Communication Techniques

• Clear, concise radio exchanges are crucial during emergencies; utilize plain English and avoid jargon.
• Be direct and speak clearly using a normal voice.
• Hold the microphone about 2 inches from the mouth
• With a repeater system, allow time delay after keying the microphone.
• Avoid sources of noise
• The command structure relies on rapid, accurate communication to mobilize resources effectively.
• Stand by can be used for additional control.

Using the Communications Order Model

• Standard methods transmit orders to units during a scene.
• Is designed to ensure the message is clearly stated, heard, understood and there is confirmation of compliance
• The communications order model involves saying "Hey you, It's me", "It's me, you go", and then repeating the message with confirmation of accuracy.

Initial Situation Reports

• In 2021, one of the key factors discussed involved concise reports from first responders
• Arriving companies must meet departmental procedures and establish the tone of an incident
• Must provide a calm and complete description; calm/complete description = leadership.
• Confusion, indecision, undermine leadership
• In the initial report, radio terminology should always be able to be understood
• Report should include identification of company arriving, brief description of the situation, the strategy, safety concerns, and requests for resources. CAN reports include conditions, actions and needs.

Emergency Communications

• Radio communications are essential; these connect individuals and are instant
• Reports should be accurate, clear and brief, and the sender can experience anxiety due to lack of time
• May prefer telephone or face-to-face communications
• Should always think first and use a clear tone
• Reports should also include obvious conditions like fire showing, hazards, safety concerns, and location of command.

Project Mayday Communication

• Important to identify imminent mayday situations; common phrases indicate danger or need for assistance.
• Studies by Chief Don Abbott in 2015 analyzed 3000 recordings to determine major communications breakdowns; 87% of maydays have major communications breakdowns and 54% of calls are missed
• Breakdown in communication often occurs during critical calls, affecting response effectiveness.
• Critical Project Mayday phrases:
  • We have zero-visibility conditions
  • It's getting hot in here; we are backing out
  • Command has lost communication with multiple units

Supervisory Tasks and Responsibilities

• First-line supervisors must set direction, manage workloads, ensure safety, and develop members through coaching.
• Maintain a safe and harassment-free workplace and hold members accountable for outcomes.
• Authority Holding Jurisdiction (AHJ) has annual evaluations that must be provided.
• General supervisory responsibilities are described by (Flaherty, 2013).

Keep Supervisor Informed

• Matters that may cause controversy
• Keep the chief updated.
• The way you get bad news is important and you should not create a barrier to receiving bad news because it can cause a delay on the emergency scene.
• Grapevine is the unofficial communication system and flourishes when there is a lot if input.
• Attitudes of Moral is important to maintain with communication
• Supervisors should never assume Grapevine into is accurate
• Supervisors should never use Grapevine

Grievance Procedures

• A formal structured process for dispute, claim, or complaint about any employee about violation of labor agreements.
• Usually incorporated into the rules or labor agreements with a series of steps.
• At each level a step must be followed
• Step 1:
  • An oral complaint is made
  • Step zero or an informal grievance
  • Complainant must have three pieces of information
  • What rule or article violation, full statement with remedy.
• Step 2:
  • Employee writes and submits the form
  • Supervisor responds and gives a reply within 10 days
  • If failure occurs, process goes to step three
• A grievance can be resolved at any point
• Representatives come for each individual
• Objective is to resolve the problem quick
• A grievance will specify steps and timelines to move through the process.
• Union representatives can act as advocates for individuals or groups.
• The objective is always to solve a grievance at the lowest level possible.
• The multiple steps of a grievance process can be disruptive and costly
• Grievances at the highest level indicate major relationship problems.

Decision Making

• Decision-making involves a systematic five-step approach that includes problem identification, solution generation, and implementation.
• Officers must make decisions in a large variety of subjects; as they move through ranks, problems require more thought and could include different organizations
• Evaluation of outcomes is necessary to gauge the success of decisions and adjust plans accordingly. There are systems developed for each department.
• Should involve high-quality decision making including defining problems and generating solutions
• Problem-solving can be used for training, generates solutions from experience and select the best options.

Defining the Problem

• Can be solved by using a step-based method
• Examine closely and well defined (already a half-solve)

Alternative Solutions

• Brainstorm to generate ideas; write in flip charts, give time limits of 15 to 20 minutes, officer functions as scribe
• Should solve using logic based on values and must reflect on the team
• Everyone should agree to follow the plans
• Best people to solve directly involve those in the problem.
• There are constraints during this process, so a proper statement is critical

Implementing the Solution

• Can list the team as a project plan.
• Must include schedules to ensure goals are met and Deadlines are emphasized.
• Valuable is only if followed
• Implementing a solution may be challenging and require the support of people involved in the process.
• Should consider a plan B option if the problem isn't solved
• Implement the solution and evaluate the result for improvement

Implemented Solutions

• Follow-up is performed following implementation
• Check for situations and make adjustments

Assigning Tasks in Unit Supervision

• The officer's engagement in firefighting tasks should not detract from their supervisory responsibilities.
• Constantly evaluate the effectiveness of firefighting duties
• Effective management principles include unity of command, span of control, division of labor, and discipline.
• Each unit will have one officer that is the IC on this step
• One person should supervise between 3-7 people.

Coordination and Supervision

• Monitor progress and coordinate with other companies during emergency incidents.
• Hazards must be actively identified, and levels of supervision should align with firefighters' experience.
• Location of tasks impacts supervision levels; direct communication is crucial in high-risk situations.
• Review tasks to ensure safety
• FF concentrates on the task order given
• During non emergency events, officers are more participant and allow discretion regarding time

Standardized Actions and Incident Management

• Emergency operations must follow structured and consistent procedures, emphasizing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• SOGs provide a framework and only explain standards
• NFPA 1720 outlines demand zones and staffing response times, aiding in Incident Action Plans (IAP) and risk safety.
• In suburban environments NFPA 1720 states 10 FF are expected in 10 minutes in 80% of accidents.
• Standard approaches facilitate IAP
• Incident Command System (ICS) enables effective incident management and control.

Command Staff Roles

• Fire officers report directly to the Incident Commander (IC).
• Safety Officer oversees safety concerns, ensuring IC is informed and taking preventive measures.
• Liaison Officer serves as a link between IC and other agency representatives.
• Public Information Officer manages information dissemination to the public, including news releases and press conferences.

Task Assignment During Emergencies

• Fire officers have direct leadership of their company, with the first arriving officer establishing incident command.
• Task assignment is primarily the responsibility of the fire officer, emphasizing safety and performance.
• SOPs guide fire officers' decision-making, with specific tasks requiring confirmation that firefighters follow directions.
• "FOT-Don't forget your crew"
• In emergency scenarios, officers are expected to lead with an autocratic style for quick and clear decision-making.

Critical Situations and Response

• Autocratic leadership is critical in urgent situations like evacuations or firefighter maydays.
• Procedures include counting personnel and maintaining communication discipline.
• Changes in assignments come from the IC of that group.
• Chief Pfeifer states that "Leadership is about stepping back and detaching from the management of the incident to analyze what's taking place and project future actions"
• After incidents, fire officers should review events promptly to reinforce practices and address performance issues and immediately remove fighters once the situation is clear

Nonemergency Supervision

• Fire officer supervision primarily aims at routine goals, enhancing preparedness for emergencies.
• Leadership styles have evolved to include more participative decision-making, fostering crew involvement.
• Officers are often given specific assignments while retaining discretion for execution.

Safety Responsibilities

• Fire officers ensure safety for all firefighters, identifying hazards and promoting good safety practices.
• Responsibilities include correcting poor behavior and ensuring effective habits are established.
• "Everyone Goes Home" and high-risk situations can occur.

Training and Development

• Training encompasses achieving proficiency through practical instruction and hands-on experience.
• NFPA 1041 sets standards for fire instructor certification, with Fire Instructor I being a prerequisite for Fire Officer I candidates.
• Fire officers must conduct training tailored to their company's needs, ensuring readiness.
• To train, a process of steps must be performed.
• Core FO skills include training and coaching.

Four-Step Training Method

• The method consists of Preparation, Presentation, Application, and Evaluation phases, or (P-P-A-E).
• Preparation involves assessing training needs and gathering materials.
  • Includes breaking topics into easy to perform steps. -Show what to teach
• Process originated WW1 and was updated and job instructions were started.
• New skills should practice delivering lessons and new audio/visual equipment being given.
• Final activity includes checking equipment.
• Presentation focuses on introducing subject matter and demonstrating skills effectively. -Use simple and appropriate language with positives
• Lesson plans will keep you on topic and emphasize points.
• Explain tasks with safe demonstrations
• Application requires firefighters to demonstrate learned skills under supervision, ensuring competence.
• Reinforce techniques and explain the task. -Explain tasks with safe demonstrations
• Evaluation checks for observable improvements in performance. -Step 4 includes evaluating training that occurred.

Skill Competence Levels

• Competence is categorized as Unconscious Incompetence, Conscious Incompetence, Conscious Competence, and Unconscious Competence.
• As firefighters progress, they evolve through recognizing gaps in knowledge to executing tasks naturally and confidently.
• These categories were described by Noel Burch.
• During the levels, one must try and try again.
• Incompetence - requires remedial training.

Mentoring and Skill Development

• Mentoring occurs between experienced and less experienced firefighters, fostering growth and knowledge transfer.
• New skills and SOP changes require dedicated training to ensure safety and competency.
• The training process emphasizes realistic practice and repeated simulations to instill confidence.
• Provide new and revised skillsets when needed.

Addressing Training Needs

• Identifying training requirements based on performance gaps is essential.
• Effectiveness of training programs is evaluated by impact on performance and participant engagement.

Training Scenarios

• It's important to have training scenarios in the gear/ equipment ready should they need to be readily deployed

Problem-Solving in Fire Service

• Fire officers must navigate unique problem-solving situations, particularly during emergencies.
• Addressing member-related problems always means the difference between desired situations.
• Fires require problem-solving skills.
• Complaints and conflicts arise within team dynamics, requiring mature and responsive resolution techniques.
• Personnel conflicts may stem from a variety of issues including environment, policies, or interpersonal relationships.
• Problem-solving techniques are designed to identify and evaluate realistic options.

Managing Conflict

• Fire officers are tasked with addressing conflicts as representatives of their organization, needing advanced problem-solving skills.
• The goal is to address emotional confrontations
• Conflicts should be resolved at their lowest possible level, with escalation managed through the chain of command.
• Official response begins when an officer is made aware of an issue

Addressing Complaints

• Can be done in 4 categories:
  • In-house issues
  • External issues
  • Internal reports
• All complaints should have a follow up

Managing Conflict & Complaints

• The officer's relationship with the conflict and complainant affects resolution success.
• Active listening is essential: focus on details, feelings, and nonverbal cues.
• Paraphrase complaints to ensure understanding and make the complainant feel heard.
• Avoid explaining or excusing actions immediately to prevent escalation of complaints.
• Investigations should be thorough and conducted by impartial individuals not directly involved.
  • SOP's should determine who should conduct the follow-up.

Investigation Process

• All complaints necessitate investigation guided by Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Investigators must be impartial and utilize various sources for information, including documents and eyewitness accounts.
• Findings are compiled into a report for the supervisor, outlining issues and suggesting actions.

Taking Action

• Possible responses to complaints include taking no action, agreeing with the complainant's request, proposing alternatives, or referring the matter for resolution.

Follow-Up

• Fire officers typically need to follow up with complainants to ensure that concerns were adequately addressed.

Addressing Emotional Confrontations

• A psychological contract exists between employers and employees, impacting job performance when expectations are unmet.
• Emotion can cloud judgment, making it difficult for individuals to process conflict properly.
• Steps to alleviate emotional confrontation include deep listening, understanding the complainant's perspective, and identifying their expectations for resolution.

Behavioral and Physical Health Issues

• Since 2017, firefighter suicide rates have surpassed those of line-of-duty deaths, posing a critical leadership challenge.
• Factors that promote resiliency among firefighters include a sense of belonging and purpose.
• Warning signs of distress include isolation, sleep disturbances, irritability, and reckless behavior.

Substance Abuse

• Firefighters report higher rates of substance abuse than the general population, with 58% admitting to binge drinking.
• Signs include mood swings, social withdrawal, and neglecting self-care.

Family and Financial Problems

• Healthy firefighter relationships require discussions on reentries, gallows humor, coping with trauma, and maintaining family boundaries.
• Financial struggles stem from increased personal debt and stagnant purchasing power, worsening family dynamics.

Resiliency to Stress

• Resiliency is the ability to adapt under stress, with firefighting creating both acute and accumulated stress from daily emergency responses.
• Moral injury can occur when firefighters face situations challenging their core beliefs.

PTSD and Acute Stress Disorder

• Acute Stress Disorder includes symptoms such as numbing and reduced awareness, lasting from three days to four weeks.
• PTSD symptoms involve avoidance, re-experiencing trauma, and heightened anxiety after a traumatic event.

Behavioral Health Resources

• Organizations are focusing on providing support; notable resources include national firefighter alliances and behavioral health programs.
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are vital for addressing underlying issues and maintaining workforce stability and performance. For EAPS are successful, the office must recognize that there is stress

Communication and Leadership

• Effective communication is central to mutual understanding and successful supervision in firefighting.
• The communication cycle includes message creation, sender reception, medium usage, receiver interpretation, and feedback.
• Fire officers must maintain clear, consistent radio communications during incidents.

Problem Solving

• A systematic approach to problem-solving involves defining issues, generating solutions, implementing, and evaluating results.
• Regular performance evaluations help ensure that solutions effectively resolve problems.

Training and Mentoring

• Effective firefighter training requires structured methods and ongoing assessments to develop competence across four stages.
• Mentoring fosters skill development through intentional guidance and experience sharing.

Federal Regulations

• Firefighter training is governed by several regulations, Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 (HSPD-5).
• Firefighter training is governed by several regulation, including OSHA standards.
• Officers may need to create tailored training programs when no existing framework fits specific needs.

Immediate Training

• Training on OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030 - Bloodborne Pathogens
• Training on OSHA 1910.1030 requires exposure plans and PPE, and reporting requirements
• OSHA regulation CFR 1910.20 requires hazmat operation level training covering awareness, response, and contact and non-contact situations.
• The regulation also covers OSHA regulation CFFR 1910.134 for any respiratory protection during job tasks

Staying Alive

• Should focus on skills learned and tasks of teamwork

Developing Proper Programs

• Should identify behaviors; this will assist in setting clear expectations for behaviors once the time to deliver programs begins.

Understanding Complaints and Conflicts

• Complaints and interpersonal conflicts must be acknowledged and investigated, regardless of perceived validity.
• The four categories of problems include in house, internal, external, and high profile
• Problem should be solved at the lowest and most applicable area
• Follow-up is necessary to ascertain resolution and prevent future issues.

Managing Conflict

• Fire officers are tasked with addressing conflicts as representatives of their organization, needing advanced problem-solving skills.
• The goal is to address emotional confrontations
• Conflicts should be resolved at their lowest possible level, with escalation managed through the chain of command.
• Official response begins when an officer is made aware of an issue

Addressing Complaints

• Can be done in 4 categories:
  • In-house issues
  • External issues
  • Internal reports
• All complaints should have a follow up

Managing Conflict & Complaints

• The officer's relationship with the conflict and complainant affects resolution success.
• Active listening is essential: focus on details, feelings, and nonverbal cues.
• Paraphrase complaints to ensure understanding and make the complainant feel heard.
• Avoid explaining or excusing actions immediately to prevent escalation of complaints.
• Investigations should be thorough and conducted by impartial individuals not directly involved.
  • SOP's should determine who should conduct the follow-up.

Investigation Process

• All complaints necessitate investigation guided by Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Investigators must be impartial and utilize various sources for information, including documents and eyewitness accounts.
• Findings are compiled into a report for the supervisor, outlining issues and suggesting actions.

Taking Action

• Possible responses to complaints include taking no action, agreeing with the complainant's request, proposing alternatives, or referring the matter for resolution.

Follow-Up

• Fire officers typically need to follow up with complainants to ensure that concerns were adequately addressed.

Addressing Emotional Confrontations

• A psychological contract exists between employers and employees, impacting job performance when expectations are unmet.
• Emotion can cloud judgment, making it difficult for individuals to process conflict properly.
• Steps to alleviate emotional confrontation include deep listening, understanding the complainant's perspective, and identifying their expectations for resolution.

Behavioral and Physical Health Issues

• Since 2017, firefighter suicide rates have surpassed those of line-of-duty deaths, posing a critical leadership challenge.
• Factors that promote resiliency among firefighters include a sense of belonging and purpose.
• Warning signs of distress include isolation, sleep disturbances, irritability, and reckless behavior.

Substance Abuse

• Firefighters report higher rates of substance abuse than the general population, with 58% admitting to binge drinking.
• Signs include mood swings, social withdrawal, and neglecting self-care.

Family and Financial Problems

• Healthy firefighter relationships require discussions on reentries, gallows humor, coping with trauma, and maintaining family boundaries.
• Financial struggles stem from increased personal debt and stagnant purchasing power, worsening family dynamics.

Resiliency to Stress

• Resiliency is the ability to adapt under stress, with firefighting creating both acute and accumulated stress from daily emergency responses.
• Moral injury can occur when firefighters face situations challenging their core beliefs.

PTSD and Acute Stress Disorder

• Acute Stress Disorder includes symptoms such as numbing and reduced awareness, lasting from three days to four weeks.
• PTSD symptoms involve avoidance, re-experiencing trauma, and heightened anxiety after a traumatic event.

Behavioral Health Resources

• Organizations are focusing on providing support; notable resources include national firefighter alliances and behavioral health programs.
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are vital for addressing underlying issues and maintaining workforce stability and performance. For EAPS are successful, the office must recognize that there is stress

Definitions

• Training- a process of achieving proficiency through hand on practice and instruction
• Set-Group of consecutive reps.
• Resiliency- process of adapting well in the face of adversity/trauma -Rep- One complete motion of an exercise.
• Psychological contract- mutual expectations. -PTSD- Post Traumatic stress disorder
• Moral injury-Damage to conscience when one perpetrates
• Mistake-Error/fault defective judgement.
• Mentoring developmental between more/less experience.
• Job instruction training-4 step to teaching investigation
• complaint
• Environmental noise
• EAP- Employee benefit with counseling for stress.
• brain storming
• Acute stress disorder