Never compromise your culture because you are your culture.

Culture is something I think about A LOT. I am fascinated by how organizational culture can influence the workforce and the individual firefighters themselves. I am a firm believer that the fire department culture steers the direction of that organization. This culture is influential from the firefighter to the Chief of the Department. The culture of anorganization in the unofficial mentor and instructor to nearly every member of the department. I feel lucky with the culture I have in my organization, but culture is a funny thing and can take a turn down a dark path if that’s where the members take it. As the saying goes: ‘Garbage in, garbage out.’

Every organization has a culture, some are better than others. But what makes a good, or even great culture? It’s determined by what the members of that department allow and accept as part of their daily routine. There are training cultures, daily stretch cultures, search cultures, aggressive ladder cultures...then there’s the video game culture, ‘I don’t need to train’ culture, and the infamous recliner culture. I believe it’s the individual’s responsibility to vet his or her’s contributions to their culture.

I am a firm believer that we are the stewards of our culture, we don’t own it. Not one individual or group has control over it. Much like a sheep dog, we are there to stand in the way of the wolves who seek to break apart our culture with hate and discontent.

Anything of value requires work.

The complexities that go into creating, growing, and nurturing a culture are vast, but it starts with the individual firefighter, the standards they accept. The culture of a fire department, battalion, fire house, or company is a standard: "This is how WE operate, this is OUR Standard Operating Culture (SOC)." This is evident in company pride, accountability, and discipline. Let the unwavering commitment to mission by the Navy Seals, US Marine Corp, olympic athletes, and those 1%er Engine/ Ladder/Rescue companies out there be an example for us all. Take pride in your daily stretches, keep a stretch log, set the truck up on every run, be a TRUE senior man, set a standard, feed the culture, develop a SOC.

"If you make it ‘us vs. them’ they will be forced to take a side, and it won’t be about the job anymore. It will be about personal loyalty." -Dan McMaster

This is all very easy if you already have a thriving culture within your organization. Your job is to continue the work. I’ve had some long and hard conversations with a lot of firefighters across the country, some of which I am lucky enough to call friends and mentors. The overwhelming consensus to building a positive and aggressive training culture is through inclusion. A friend and mentor Dan McMaster explained it best to me,

“Some of the ‘slugs’ in your job are only that way because their early influences taught them that. If you show (by your example) that there is a way to be great at the job and honor the traditions of the job, they will follow.”

Building or improving a culture is possible through humility, inclusion, and time. We have to train to master our craft, but not be intimidating to others. We need to be inclusive and mentor those who may need to build their mental and/or physical skills. We need to accept criticism, not as a setback, but as an opportunity for self evaluation, which allows for personal and ultimately institutional growth. This will take time, maybe a year, five, ten, or even a whole career. It is our responsibility, you are not in this alone.

WE are OUR culture. 

Stay Aggressive, Stay Safe, Jake