Why Seniority Should Be the Major Player in Fire Department Promotions

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Firehouse.com recently posted an article about a fire department in Ohio that is switching from testing-based promotions, to promotions based on a combination of seniority and training.

This obviously prompted all of the world's greatest firefighters on social media to weigh in with their opinion. Surprisingly to me (maybe not so surprising) there were a number of guys who thought this was wrong. Some argued that seniority and experience doesn't make you a good officer. Maybe not. Lucky for me, I get to write for UniformStories and everyone wants to know what I think...right? Haha. Well here's what I think anyways.

http://uniformstories.com/articles/opinion-category/why-seniority-should-be-the-major-player-in-fire-department-promotions

[antiquefirelt 994]

I like a testing system that allows experience to show through but doesn't hurt an eager firefighters motivation. In as small FD like ours, this can easily be done, I'm sure it's not as easy for large metro departments to conduct a promotions process that's on the up and up, but allows for verification of a firefighters skills and abilities. I know of decent sized career FD's that stripped away so much of the experience and officer's input that the smart kids promote every time. Then there's the Detroit method: all seniority. I cannot see a no testing promotion fairly gauging one's abilities. I've seen years on the job and training certs do not equal the best candidate.

[AFS1970 504]

I would like to see a system that takes all of this into consideration. I have no problem with tests, but I think seniority should count. Certifications are not the be all and end all of a good firefighter or officer, but they are the best industry standard we have right now. So if you had a test, and then after passing points were added for certifications and seniority, that would seem fair to me. A senior man would have an edge, so would an educated man. a senior & educated man would be neqarly unbeatable, unless he had retained nothing and scored low on the initial test.

[FFPCogs 863]

While both written testing and seniority are good barometers to use for promotions, I think there is a third leg to the triangle that is often overlooked, and that is an actual ability to lead. The senior man may be the most experienced and know his way around the fireground and the good test taker the most knowledgeable with a wall full of certifications but that doesn't mean either can actually lead others. Remember too that much of what officers do takes place off the fireground, especially the higher up the chain one moves. Keeping a crew or shift or department working smoothly with the myriad of personalities, pressures and administrative demands in play is no easy task, and it's been my experience that some who are promoted just aren't up to it. Personally, although probably impractical, I would like to see some form of practical testing used to gauge a candidates all around leadership skill, on and off the fireground, coupled with the written and seniority criteria.

Edited December 7, 2015 by FFPCogs

[WPFD37retired 5]

What should be ended in New York is the cherry picking that goes on with the one out of the top three law. If a man writes the mark has a good fitness rating he should be awarded the promotion on a 6 month provisional basis. If he does well the job is his and the politics are taken out

[antiquefirelt 994]

I think there is a third leg to the triangle that is often overlooked, and that is an actual ability to lead. Personally, although probably impractical, I would like to see some form of practical testing used to gauge a candidates all around leadership skill, on and off the fireground, coupled with the written and seniority criteria.

I've participated in two tactical simulations for promotions in departments other than my own. One was to hire a career Fire Chief and the other for a lieutenants promotion process in a career FD. The aspect I thought was missing, that is a real factor, is the urgency of the situation. Candidates are very calm, collected and methodical in the simulation, almost algorithmic, whereas we know some people who are challenged on the fireground when faced with some many factors all at once. That being said, I like this better than not having any evaluation of practical tactical applications.

One of the factors we use to evaluate leadership potential in firefighters is their ability to teach others. A hallmark of nearly every decent officer I've worked for or with, was their ability to pass on knowledge. Some don't have it, and that is generally reflected in how tight their crew is. Some crews have a few bright individuals that "get it", but others that don't, but where the officers are good, the baseline of the whole crew is raised.

Edited December 7, 2015 by antiquefirelt

[Architect 24]

There seems to be a ribbon of young guys who demand respect before earning it. They don't give a crap about the older guys or their insight. A good leader needs to be built off those that came before them. I never went to college but have had extensive training in my profession since getting hired. I recently had a newly promoted officer tell me that he deserved it because he went to college to better himself while others didn't.

[FFPCogs 863]

There seems to be a ribbon of young guys who demand respect before earning it. They don't give a crap about the older guys or their insight. A good leader needs to be built off those that came before them.

I couldn't agree more. There's a good number of younger members I've volunteered and worked with who, for some reason, think their mere presence in the room means they should get respect. They are quite taken aback by the notion that respect is earned not given. Seems that number is growing too, but fortunately there's still enough of us around to impart, and when necessary, reinforce the message. More often than not they get with the program or get on the next bus outta dodge..either way the message sinks in.