As I spend more time in the fire service, I’m starting to realize the importance of a strong backstep fireman! I am also starting to realize how ill-equipped some of our officers are at leading their men and women into “battle.” They lack some of the basic skills in leadership and do not know how to form any type of unit cohesion. Unit cohesion is vitally important in any organization! Training is one way to build that cohesion. Have a day out with your shift or simply cooking together. There are many ways to achieve this goal and many of our officers do not realize the simple things they can do to make it happen. 

Many great aspiring officers get off track chasing “fame” and acceptance.  They become so focused on making a name for themselves that they forget why they wanted to become officers in the first place. They forget where they came from and the things they stand and advocate for. The mission of operational gain not personal gain or acknowledgement is disappearing! Remember where you are and with the right support from your officers you can help lead the company or department to succeed tenfold! 

You may be asking yourself how can a backstep fireman effect such change? The answer is quite simple. Your officer first has to be willing to go to bat for you, have faith in you and trust you. You can simply see these actions by the way the officer treats you on a daily basis. Does he let you lead trainings? Does he rely on you to help make certain decisions? Does he support you if you organize a daily drill? If you and your officer are on the same wavelength, the crews will begin to bond and work flawlessly together! If you are that officer, you’ll know which guy or gal is leading from the back. He or she can be the biggest asset or worst asset. A mutual trust must be gained! At the end of it all, the real prizes are found in outcomes and achievements on the fireground. After a snotty fire, don’t be afraid to discuss the good, the bad and the indifferent. One of the strongest ways to build unit cohesion in my eyes is where everyone can admit negatives and positives of themselves. If your officers are not doing it, help and guide them tactfully...see if it works!  We need more people who want to move hose lines, conduct searches, climb ladders, train people and less people who want to seek their next bugle!! After all, real fame is found in our legacy and leaving our departments better than we found them which is realized long after we have been forgotten.  

Most people won’t remember who did something, only what has been done.  So, put your head down and keep pressing on.  Stop worrying about who is receiving recognition and start worrying about the results. A great officer will lean on you more than just riding the right front seat in an acting capacity. He will give you projects for the betterment of the company and department. If they don’t give you any, volunteer to take some on.  Not for yourself, but for the guys you serve with! Will there be hate coming your way because you are being proactive and leading from the backstep? You can bet your ass there will be! Someone will fling poo on you quicker than you can shake a stick at. 

If you want to make headlines, be a rock star! If you want to make a difference, be a student of this craft we call firemanship.  Sometimes that may even bring some appreciation, but it will always bring what matters most in our profession.  The mission of serving with a purpose bigger than yourself!