EXCUSE AND OPPORTUNITY IN THE FIRE SERVICE

I recently had a friend tell me that one of the excuses he received, for lack of interest in training and improvement, was that “Guys don’t have time for extra. They have life to worry about. They have kids, homes, bills, on and on. Maybe you should try.”

I was a bit suprised, because, of course, nobody has ever had to worry about those things. To be responsible towards those things until now. My second thought: “Extra” isn’t necessary.

“Extra” is referring to the extra training and education that many firefighters seek out. I often attend training conferences and seek out extra hands on opportunities for improvement. I feel that it’s important for every member of our service to seek out a little “extra.” That’s what professionals who what to get better do, across all fields and pursuits. However, do I think it’s necessary? No. Here’s why.

All of us, we have some sort of “work” chart. If you’re a career member, you might have a 24-72 or 24- 48 chart or 9 - hour day and 15 - hour night chart and so on. If you’re a volunteer, you likely have some sort of designated drill period that occurs on a weekly basis. Whatever your situation might be, this is the time when you can and should be putting in the “extra” effort to become a better firefighter for yourself, for your fellow members and for your family.

During your shift or your designated drill period, this is the time to improve, this is the time to learn something new, this is the time to get better and do that little something “extra.” Never mind the fact that this is your job, that this is why you’re there and that people expect you to be the best you can be, every time out the door.

How do you fit in that little “extra” you say? Here’s how:

At the start of the tour, you should be thoroughly checking the tools on your rig. The air-paks the saws, the fast-pak, the re- bar cutter, the hydra-ram, the ropes, the ladders, etc. You should be ensuring that they are operating proficiently, so that in the case they are called upon, your tools will be ready to go.

At some point during the tour, you should be taking one of these tools out, going over how the tool works, what it’s capable of and when you might use it. This means taking it off the rig and using it.

Most of us are now responding to emergency medical emergencies. On top of providing the necessary care to the patient, this is a good time to be paying attention to the building you’re responding to. The type, the layout, unusual features, possible issues in the event of the fire, etc.

Many of us are responding to many “emergency runs” during our tours. Gas Leaks, water leaks, alarms, stuck elevators and so on. Again, this is another opportunity to get a look at and learn your buildings. Take a few extra minutes, after you’ve taken care of whatever ever emergency you were there for, to discuss where and what each member of your crew would do in the event of a fire.

At some point during the tour, you should take the 5 to 10 minutes it takes to stretch a line or hook up to the hydrant and get water in the pump. This is something you should be doing under normal conditions, so that you get comfortable doing this, as it is the most critical task on the fireground. You can do this with any multitude of tasks from putting up ground ladders to practicing search skills, to working with the ropes on your rig.

For those of you that have assigned positions, you should be actively thinking about what your assigned duties, on each run, whether it be for fire or an emergency. How will the building affect your assigned duties? How will you get there? And what will you do once you’re in position?

Some jobs have written procedures, SOP, SOG, etc. During each tour, you should be taking a little time to read from these “books” at some point during the tour. Over time, you will become more familiar with these procedures and be better prepared, next time out the door.

If your job doesn’t have written procedures, find something to read that will improve your skills. There are many available and their names are familiar. Dunn, Brannigan, Ciampo, Mittendorf, Norman, Brennan and so on. Or you can seek out something like the old “Urban Firefighter” online magazine, which is still available on the Urban Firefighter website.

In the event you do respond and operate at a fire, after the fire, before you return to quarters, you should gather as a crew and review what each member did at the fire, what they may have learned and what might be done differently next time you “go to work.”

If you have an experienced “senior man”, you should be seeking him or her out on the next tour and asking that person to teach you something. Come prepared with questions, with a situation or simply with the desire to listen.

You should be working often with the tools that are critical to the performance of your job. The air-pak is one “tool” that comes to mind. Use it often and at least once a tour. Get used to putting it on, moving with it and operating with it. Ladders are another “tool” that is often neglected. Get out there and use them a bit. It can only take a half hour and the returns are enormous.

These are just a few examples. The options are many and are limited only by your imagination, desire and by the effort you put in to get better and improve at your trade, your craft, your chosen profession. And hopefully, by this point, you will

have realized that it isn’t necessary to do anything “extra” to get better and be proficient at your job. All that’s necessary is to do the job you’re already there to do.