Young Officers?

[PVFD233 68]

Anyone with advice for young officers?

[gpdexplorer 46]

Dont be afraid to ask for help.

[DOC22 1]

Here are a few suggestions to start this off:

1) Never tell someone else to do something you would not do yourself

2) Never vascillate, if you make a decision, stick with it (unless it is an obvious hazzard, then you should not have made it in the first place) You can discuss most mistakes back at HQ after the incident.

3) Treat people with the respect they deserve for being who they are.

[TimesUp 148]

Anyone with advice for young officers?

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One time somebody told me as their bit of wisdom " don't change" Although considering your new responsibilities I don't think this would be good advice.

Edited November 14, 2006 by ltrob

[ex-commish 490]

Anyone with advice for young officers?

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1. Be yourself

2. You are responsible for others

3. Be fair and consistent

4. Be a good listener

5. Be a good teacher

6. Be an advocate for safety and training

7. Take officer type classes ( Fire officer, Incident Command, etc) if you havent done so.

8. You will be tested so be ready

9. Dont let friendships interfere your judgement when it comes to safety.

10. Remember, you don't know it all so don't pretend that you do. Like another person here said, dont be afraid to ask for help.

Good luck !!!!

[ja3kfd 34]

Here are a few suggestions to start this off:

1) Never tell someone else to do something you would not do yourself

2) Never vascillate, if you make a decision, stick with it (unless it is an obvious hazzard, then you should not have made it in the first place) You can discuss most mistakes back at HQ after the incident.

3) Treat people with the respect they deserve for being who they are.

Also what training have you had , or does your Dept. have guidelines for this?

Remember this is NOT a popularity contest, you have a responsibility to the Public you serve,and the members you are commanding.

You hopefully know which members you have that are reliable source of good information,which ones to stay clear of, and do not be afraid to ask for help.

[danb 10]

Im glad alot of departments are letting younger firefighters step up to take charge. Sadly though more times than not alot it seems like a ton of departments are run by a few " good ol boys" who are afraid of change

[antiquefirelt 994]

Badges and bugles do not command respect and followers. You still must earn your firefighters trust. Think before acting on personnel matters, often you only get one side of the story and jumping to act and needing to recant will undermine your respect and authority. Being and officer is a huge responsibility, truly, peoples lives are affected by your decisions, if you don't know something ask!

[robert benz 344]

could be the hardest transition yesterday i pulled the ceilings, today i have to lead others in doing it. think of officers you have dealt with in the past, take and use the good traits, make sure you dont repeat the bad traits.

***LEAD BY EXAMPLE***

BE FIRM BUT FAIR

KNOW YOUR PEOPLE USE THEM TO YOUR FULL ADVANTAGE THEY CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOU

YOU HAVE CROSSED THE LINE FROM WORKER TO SUPERVISIOR, BUT NEVER FORGET WHERE YOU CAME FROM.

[FirNaTine 370]

Two of the most important things I feel to remember is, don't be a hypocrite and earn the respect of your subordinates, not demand it. This is easily accomplished and should begin as soon as your sworn onto the job, not 5,10 or 15yrs. later after you get the promotion. Always remember your first impression is a lasting one and the guys will always remember how you carried yourself as ff. and won't hesitate to remind you of it as an Officer, especially if you were a bag of $hit! Nothing worse than an Officer that was lazy, showed no interest in the job, took no pride in his appearance and last but not least was a constant thorn in an Officer's side, but now that he's been promoted, thinks the job and all the guys should be on the level. Yeah right! Remember payback can be a b****, and you really don't need the additional headaches that come with the position, because even if you were a standup guy as a ff. there will always be one or two bad apples in the bunch. GOOD LUCK! PS. Also, don't wait till you become an Officer to start learning the JOB, especially the Basics. Costantly show an interest in learning from the Day your Sworn in, until the Day you Retire, whether your a Line Officer or Chief Officer. Many guys seem to get just a little to comfortable and fall into a rut, after they get their bars or stars.

[ajsbear 11]

1. Be yourself

2. You are responsible for others

3. Be fair and consistent

4. Be a good listener

5. Be a good teacher

6. Be an advocate for safety and training

7. Take officer type classes ( Fire officer, Incident Command, etc) if you havent done so.

8. You will be tested so be ready

9. Dont let friendships interfere your judgement when it comes to safety.

10. Remember, you don't know it all so don't pretend that you do. Like another person here said, dont be afraid to ask for help.

Good luck !!!!

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Good words Andy. These are pretty much the top 10. Hopefully you learned from good officers. Know who in your department you can trust, these people can be your eyes at a job. If you have a good core of guys work with them. If not, help develop a good core. Look to some of the more senior guys for help. You'll figure out real quick who you can count on.

[exmrvfc 0]

Don't be afraid to listen to those below you when they come up and say Lt/Capt/Chief something aint right here. Usually something is wrong and it is time to reevaluate the strategies/tactics.

On the same note, let those who came before you, be the "little bird in your ear" who gives you helpful advice based on their experience.

[unleashedff248 3]

Im glad alot of departments are letting younger firefighters step up to take charge.  Sadly though more times than not alot it seems like a ton of departments are run by a few " good ol boys" who are afraid of change

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AMEN!!! I had a friend who had a phrase for describing those individuals, "100 years of tradition unimpeded by progress." Change isn't always a bad thing, but when you do something the same way for a number of years, change is a hard thing to overcome, hence the necessity of training and continuing education. Don't be afraid to change things, and definitely don't let friendships and disagreements influence your judgments.

Edited November 14, 2006 by unleashedff248

[Guest]

People in your department might tell you don't change. You will now be in charge of others, you will change some. Don't let your new position go to your head though. Keep in mind that you do not know everything. Take classes, keep learning, pass on what you learn to your men. Your crew can make you look good or they can make you look bad. The way you train them will decide this. There is a scene in the movie "Saving Pvt. Ryan" where the capt. asked the sargent, "mike what would you do?" As a young officer don't be afraid to ask your senior men for their opinion. They might have seen a situation, in their time on the job, that you have'nt. But remember the final decision will be yours . Don't ask your men to do something that you have not done yourself or would not do. Your men will test you, to see how far they can go or what they can get away with. Set YOUR standards early and stick to them. Finally- When I was promoted I went to First Line Officers school in N.Y.C. A FDNY Batt/Chief came in the class room on our 1st day. He congradulated us all on our recent promotions, then he said, You have made your last rescue. From now on your men will be given credit for the rescues. Your reward will be knowing that you trained them to do this. How true

[firecapt32 282]

train ! train! train! take classes! take classes! take classes !

if and when you have to suggest changes in the department or company do it slowly... page by page make sure every one understands page one before you go to page 2.

take things slowly---seek advice but make sure that its advice from people who know.

be confident in your decisions but understand the consequences of your decisions.

good luck stay safe and remember one thing--the men are your responsibility and you shoud do everything in your power to bring them back home safely

[PVFD233 68]

Im glad alot of departments are letting younger firefighters step up to take charge.  Sadly though more times than not alot it seems like a ton of departments are run by a few " good ol boys" who are afraid of change

I agree...it makes it even better when the older members stick around and help out...

[jd783 64]

John Salka wrote a good book (FIRST IN LAST OUT) LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM THE FDNY This is not just a firefighting book it is a supervision book. I enjoyed reading it and I'm not a boss, can be found on amazon for about $14

[Arrowxt 8]

Anyone with advice for young officers?

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Know your firefighters, and do not bark orders. For the guys who you know cannot handle an assignment , put them on another. If you are a young officer, and should be a "young" officer , be yourself you are there for a reason!

[IzzyEng4 427]

one word........

LISTEN

[PVFD233 68]

Very nice and Helpful response..Thanks to all!

[firemoose827 324]

Never forget training. Most people stop training when they are officers, dont be like most people. Encourage it, support it.

Officers are nothing without their firefighters...respect them and they will respect you.

Ask the experienced firefighters for help, like so many have already said a good officer will ask for help when they are unsure. Just because you are an officer doesnt mean you know everything.

I have something that motivates me every day that I heard when I was a Junior Firefighter in Northport, Long Island. "I'd rather go into a burning building with someone who is constantly learning rather than someone who thinks he knows it all." I first heard that over 16 years ago and I live by it today. I never let a training opportunity pass by.

Above all, have fun, be yourself, and try to learn from everyone as well as teach. Hope my ranting helps.

[ltjay157 10]

Some other advice that I can give having been a young officer myself is, just because they offer you the position, you don't have to take it if you don't feel ready. Wish I had turned it down because I didn't have enough experience or enough knowledge. Take as many classes as you can. Wish I had done that when I had the chance. Don't get a big ego just because you're an officer. It's still a learning process. Be fair and don't fall into a clique. Pick up a broom or rag when people are cleaning/ washing the trucks. I resented officers that would bark orders to wash this/clean that while they went and hid in the office until the work was done.

[PVFD233 68]

I resented officers that would bark orders to wash this/clean that while they went and hid in the office until the work was done.

Very good point...the white helmet doesnt exclude you from helping out...

[gss131 212]

John Salka wrote a good book (FIRST IN LAST OUT) LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM THE FDNY This is not just a firefighting book it is a supervision book. I enjoyed reading it and I'm not a boss, can be found on amazon for about $14

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Would you mind if i borrowed it??