How Do You Select Which Officer to Vote For?

[firemoose827 324]

When it is time to nominate and vote for officers in your volunteer department, how do you base your selections? Does your department have any qualifications for their officers and how does it vary from one position to another? I would like to hear from some other small departments like mine as well as larger ones.

I guess you could say I am getting frustrated with hearing the "Campaign Promises" from some of the "younger" members with barely any experience who want to be officers. Does anyone think that a 21 year old firefighter with only a year experience as a firefighter I who WANTS to be an officer and THINKS they can do the job can actually be an effective line officer such as Lieutenant or Captain? Does anyone feel that experience in the National Guard or other armed services should be all they need to be an effective line officer in the fire service?

How many of you are tired of the "Popularity Contests" and want to have some form of control over the nomination and election of volunteer fire officers? How many of you actually want experienced, trained, knowledgeable fire officers instead of the most popular person in the station??

Sorry, just frustrated, but I thought it would make an interesting conversation about officer qualifications, and the election process in volunteer agencies.

All input welcome, positive of negative, I dont even own QTIPS so dont worry about me taking it personally. Thanks.

Moose

PS- Anyone know how to add a Poll Question to this topic??? Im a past moderator and even I forgot!

Edited December 12, 2011 by firemoose827

[FF1 172]

Our department has recently put trainning requirements, as well as years served requirements into effect for our line officers.

Lt. is 3 years served with FF1 FF2 FF survival ICS 100 and 300 Intro to fire officer and Evoc

Capt. is 5 years served and must have served a term as Lt. with all Lt. trainning requirements as well as ISC 700 Truck Co. ops Fire Officer 1 and Fire behavior and arson awareness

All officers must have continuous 15% monthly attendence to run

We post a form in our house for all candidates. This is filled out by the cadidate and states amount of time served, all trainning, skills from personal life (jobs, military, other emergency service experiance, ect.) that you can bring to the table as an officer, and your vision and goals for the dept. as an officer.

We also have anoymous ballots for voting. It is a sheet with boxes next to the candidates names stating check x number of names. This seems to create a situation where the best person for the position gets elected.

With that said, volunteer elections will never be a perfect system.

Edited December 12, 2011 by FF1

[conman 40]

In my department Lt's are required to have at least one year as a firefighter which includes FF1, pump operator and EVOC. Captain requires two years as a Lt. Asst chief and Chief requires two years as a Lt or one as Captain, fire behavior and arson awareness. When I got voted in I was a young Lt ( 19 or 20 i think). I know I wasn't believed in when I first started out but I proved myself as a knowledgeable and trustworthy person to be an officer. I'm now 22 and got voted in again. We are a small department so we all know each other and we know our capabilities and we vote for who we trust. We don't require any active service or anything like that. The only problem with this system that I don't like is those who don't have the knowledge or their helmet size grows because they have power get put into positions. And we don't have any real requirements. So its a give and take system pretty much. When I put my letter in to run for a position, I don't make promises or anything of that nature. It just comes back to bite you in the butt lol

[Alwaysinheat 26]

I think its very simple unless you want to see your department run like your high school student council with elected positions of dept. clown, nicest blue light package, again its simple b/c your life depends on it.

Regardless if no dept. standards exist for the officers, past experience, training, knowledge of district should all be taken into consideration. But your election is limited when you don't have the right membership stepping up to the plate.

Having military experience is great, however, one should still have FF 1, ICS, various tactical and building construction familiarization. Just b/c one person can lead a group of FF's, if he doesn't know were to lead his crew to he is useless.

The only way to get qualified people into the ranks is to change the dept. policy and establish a training program that will allow new and existing members to to get the necessary training to become officers is so desired . FF's to be worth there weight should be certified in either interior/ exterior operations. Building construction, various fire fighting tactical and operation classes. As a firstline officer one should have one level higher of those to be supervised. ICS training, specific tactical training truck, tanker or engine ops. And once the training program has been in place for a couple of years FF 2, instructor courses etc. Can be added.

I think the most important thing is to establish a training program that will standardize your FF's the first year, then continue with those classes and begin to offer the officer level training. As your years of training increase so will your ranks of qualified members for potential officers.

If you don't have a good foundation, what you try to build on top of it will be worthless.

[CHIEFPHIL 90]

We just changed the by-laws and one of the biggest task I had (chairman) was to reduce/streamline the officers and put into place officer requirements. We made some very drastic changes and they passed.

To be an officer you need to be certified at the FF1 level for a minimum of 2 years, attend all mandatory training, pass a medical evaluation (physical) be certified as an interior firefighter.

We reduced the number of Lieutenants from 9 fire to 4 fire, 2 ems to 1 ems and added 1 fire police. The fire police must be a sworn/certified fire police and is appointed by the chief and has no position in the chain of command other then overseeing FP duties. We reduce the Chief officers from 4 to 3 as well.

The idea behind that was that we would limit the number of people running for office and hopefully get the best candidate to win.

As how I personally vote, I always voted for who I thought would do the best job for the position he or she was running for.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Dude...what do you mean? Totally by the pens, rounds bought and who I think is going to let me do what I want to do...not what is supposed to be done. And oh...my highest consideration goes to anyone with facial hair. I mean who doesn't want to be led by someone with a full beard? That way I can pick and choose what regulations I want to follow.

All kidding aside guess first I'd be impressed if there was actually some choices of people who would be qualified on the same level that civil service requires by both time and education. Not re-treads who haven't moved along with society or the fire service or who feel they are even more qualified because they've been around instead of working on professional level improvements. Overall I think most elections are extremely outdated and with the fire service evolving the way it is, the increasing liability I think more municipalities and towns are seeing they need to see what's going on behind the curtain and are finding that maybe they should conduct their business with the FD "heads" similar to how they do with any other position. And to me this includes fire districts. You might be a separate entity but you are responsible to a town or section of a town and if I'm a Town Supervisor you can bet your @ss I want to know my town is being served well and its emergency services are being managed well also.

[newsbuff 286]

I just vote for whoever the guy next to me votes for.

[ex-commish 490]

Moose, good topic. The election process has always been a pet peeve of mine and should be banned. Period!! Unfotunately the laws are written that allow fire companies to establish the qualifications. How I vote is simple. You have to ask yourself do you trust this person with your life or those of your kids? If you have any doubt....than you have answered your question. There are volunteer departments in other parts of the country like Minnesota and Florida that do not elect thier officers. They are appointed positions with qualifications.