Author Archives: Ben Fleagle

Training up future generations is becoming harder all the time. An officer needs to refine what is important and provide it, it is up to the firefighter to absorb it.

I’ll allow I’ve been busy lately.  Going back to school.  Self-improvement, …or maybe self-destruction, …not sure yet. But I’ve had this topic on my mind for months and wanted to get it out to you.  Pour a cup and sit yourself down…

Its been that time of year for us. Twice a year our department is afflicted with the new and uninitiated, officially referred to as recruits or “probationary firefighter”. I say afflicted, maybe I should say blessed. But the desire to drink the amber liquid is certainly strong during these times.
The process renews itself again and you are constantly bumping into the inexperience and confusion of the newly assigned probies on the shift. There is that temptation to growl and take a good size chunk the minute you lock eyes with them. Come to think of it, even looking directly at you, eye to eye irritates you, something in you wants them to just get out of the way. They get the picture quickly and give a wide berth.  Some of that comes from our exhaustion of having to constantly deal with the new and uninitiated.  And some of it comes from a belief that the new folks can never live up to those who have moved on.  So, with a sigh perhaps, we pour a strong cup of the good brew and attempt to bring them up to par.

Lovin’ the job! I take every opportunity I can to keep them learning. Improving character is on them, but giving them the opportunities is on us. Photo by Author.

Where do we start?  They of course go through the check offs and probie do’s and don’ts.  But there is so much more than that.  Especially nowadays.  Sometimes we get those golden ones, those hell bent leatherhead’s that are on the move and practically were born with a fire helmet on.  But that is getting rare.  Most of them arrive having no idea what is expected.  We need a vision to guide us in guiding them, a set of principles if you will.  I speak this way because with all of the things that are bombarding the company officer on a daily basis, paying attention to the new jake on the rig is frequently becoming a lower and lower priority, whether the officer wants it that way or not.  Time seems to be slipping through our fingers always.

Our rig slides to a stop in the icy lot, the air brakes hiss, with minimal verbage from me, the driver has placed the rig very well. Black smoke boils up in the air.  I order a line pulled and make my way to the burning vehicle. Its got a good head of steam up, assisted by plenty of engine oil and a tire. “Bam!” The tire goes and now the exposure vehicle is beginning to suffer. Looking back, probie has the line on the ground, but only just so..Sighing, I patiently wait for the snarl to get worked out..I feel impatient.  The pop and crackle ahead of me makes me think of the wall of spectators in the neighboring eight story building and that now-burning exposure. I feel a flicker of temper. Constantly having to start at square one with these people. Probie calls for water and the line goes to work. I direct the effort to save the exposure, the fireman on the irons does his job well and we quickly get results. All in all, not bad. We’ll spend more time on making the stretch in confined areas. The exposure has some paint damage and a melted bumper. Could have been worse.
Looking over at probie, he’s feeling the heat. Elated at having gotten his first fire, he’s also keenly aware that he made a disaster out of the his first-ever stretch. A dark thought dwells in my mind and the urge to lash out simmers inside me. In the past I might have torn him up over it, but I’ve grown old or something. I just look at him and smile a crooked grin. “Need to work on that..”

Its not that I’ve grown soft. And not that I am learning to control my knife hand or my drill instructor intensity. Nothing so noble as that. I think the difference is that I have become ever more convinced that it is ultimately my duty to not only see to their skills, but his or her whole being. If there is an issue there, it is my issue every bit as much as it may be theirs.    But hidden in me, at times, a is a tired longing to just go kick back and say the hell with it. I could easily just adopt a different mode of operation: pull the lines myself, break the windows myself, force entry myself, put the wet stuff on the red stuff….myself..then go find the lazy boy and call it a day.

Some do so.

Sometimes I think it would be easier. I have certainly known more than one officer that preferred to do it that way and often they would just leave the crew at the door and take care of business themselves. After all, we are there to get the job done. I think this issue is as old as the hills.  But that is exactly how my generation of firefighters found themselves without answers.  Nobody took the time to show us.  Some say that in the ’80s and ’90s they just lost interest in teaching the arts and reduced it instead to “Essentials” and certificates.  ”If you didn’t learn it there kid, you sure as hell won’t learn it here…”  I tend to think that there is some truth in that.  The new generations truly seem to have general traits or lack them, so did the ones that went before us.  That buck stops with these pinned bugles, brothers! But I digress.

Refining skills is a constant. Its is up to the company officer to foster an environment where they can be developed…”gain character”..Photo by author.

The probie.  He’ll get it. Repetition, coaching, demonstration…”no, it needs to be done like this, not like that..its important, let me explain why..” Keeping to the basics.  “Son, …you’re efforts at making coffee are lacking…you really thought I’d drink this?”.  (I need to find that coffee check sheet that LeBlanc sent me).  Demonstrating and communicating what we want to see is not one of our finer points as firefighters.  We like them to learn by some sort of osmosis.  But like I said earlier, just because this was done to us doesn’t make it a successful tactic when leading those behind us.  We have this nasty habit of pointing out the poorer aspects of our new people’s skill and lack of craft, but how many of us are quick to don the gear and gloves, demonstrating our own prowess and skill?  Sometimes I’m not the best at a basic skill.  Either the bones hurt or I don’t perform it often enough.  So along with the will to demonstrate, needs to be the willingness to be humbled from time to time.  Especially as you get older.  There’s that slip and fall technique on the ice, where you brush the snow off your knees and backside and say, “humpf…, yeah, I figured that’d be as good a place to lie down as any..”  Its’ all in the presentation.  And so the winter days go up here in the north.

But here is another nugget.  The modern leader is also respected if he demonstrates that he or she is teachable and can absorb information and new ideas from the environment and from those they are leading.  Today, studies of leadership in combat and other highly dangerous situations reveal that what causes respect for a leader, like other things in this fast-paced world, is changing.  Specifically in how the leader is perceived by those being led.  I’ll say more on this over other cups of Joe, but for now it is simply important to point out that of all the things that are important among those facing death or injury in combat, police work or even in the fire service, the leader’s ability to learn and adapt quickly to the changing environment is paramount.  To put it another way, if you are entrenched in the methodology of your past and rigidly adhere to that knowledge base, you will grow stagnant in this fast changing world.  And those you lead will not only fear your lack of ability to change and learn, but will not be as likely to follow you if they are given a choice.

Keeping yourself in a place where you can learn and be teachable is important. Uncomfortable at times, but important. Bob Pressler at FDTN. Photo by Author

Let me put it a third way.  Talk all the talk you want.  Bully and push, growl and mock.  Once they begin to see that you don’t know what is going on, that you have failed to keep current in your own profession, this generation will lose faith in your ability to lead them and you will be left behind.  They are dazzled by your sooted helmet and your bent bugles for a bit, yes.  Eventually though, like we were at one point, they need you to present them with something of more substance.  This is the failing point for so many of us.

If you’re reading this, you’re maybe getting a little tired of my rant and looking for my point.  Top off your cup..

Maybe training isn’t the issue, but understanding what they need is..May I recommend adopting a stance of the Four Parallel Lines.  Shall I explain?

Four Parallel Lines.  They define who we are and what we do, and we lay them down continually.  They are invisible, but very tangible.  They are our heart beat, our knowledge, our craft.  They are our heritage and tradition and our survival.  They are there but we give them little thought.  The recruit’s ability to see these lines and learn them makes the difference between a fire service with a well defined mission and vision, and one that is lost and wandering.  Our job as company officers is to illuminate them…so to speak.

The first line is the body.  Throughout our career, our body’s health and continual maintenance is essential.  Without it, even for a short time, we are not ridin’ the red rig.  The new folks have a much better foundation for physical health than we did at their age, but they lack application and temperance.  With them its all out, all the time.  Find ways to demonstrate and teach them pacing and moderation.   Brute strength is not always best, I would much rather rely on someone who can go the long haul on a job and endure the job.  The pounding our system takes just pulling a tour at the station is physically wearing.  It may not show now, but it definitely shows as we age.

The second line is the brain.  Constantly in need of growth and challenge.  There is so much to learn, they really cannot afford to kick back and coast along.  So even if you are time limited, fire something at them.  How is that building constructed?  What are the three priorities for hose placement?  Explain to me what the UL/NIST studies are doing to fire tactics right now?  What killed the Wooster Six, how about SFD in the Pang Fire?  “What?  You don’t know about the Wooster Six?”  And …let them see you working your brain!  If they don’t see you learning, if they don’t see you seeking answers, they will not have a model to go by.  Teach them to seek out knowledge and understanding.  Require much of them here.

The third line is character.  New firefighters are constantly being taught skills and advanced or more experienced firefighters are constantly in need of refreshing these skills.  Our skills, while dictated by our profession are really no different from other professions, they are essential steps in order to accomplish the task before us.  If we were linemen or mechanics, would it be any different?  But along with the skills, we are hopefully or should be learning character.  Character is an intangible, which shows itself as we mature.  Our character guides us in applying our skills.  Another word for it might be assembling experience, which lends itself to helping us choose the right sets of skills for a given situation.  This used to be taught on the job in the busy fire years of decades ago, but those days are fast disappearing and this character must be developed in training and daily fire house life.  Character is largely developed over time and at ones own pace, absorbed from this firefighter and that officer.  A continual process.

The Spirit of the fire service is lying a little here and a little there, all you have to do is pick it up and breathe it in. ©Michael Dick http://www.fdnysbravest.com/ Used by permission.

The fourth line, is the spirit.  Spirit is loosely used to define the personality or consciousness of a being.  A metaphysical concept.  No doubt you realize I’m referring to the “Spirit” of the company, the house, the department, the fire service itself.  You really cannot teach this.  It has to be found, lying amidst the tossed and forgotten boots on the bay floor, the helmets on the hook, the tools in the compartment, the sound of the laughter and banter in the beanery and bunk rooms.  A quiet cup of joe and a cigar out back on a summer night.  The wail of the “Q” as your company leads in.  This last line is the greatest gift that can be given to a new fireman.  Its to be found lying about for anyone who has the ability to sense it, the discernment to take it in and the wisdom to use it to further the mission.  It is who we have been, who we are now and most importantly, where we are going.  Without it, this is just another job and sometimes they need us to help them become aware of it.  Once again, the best way is to model it yourself.

“Leaders have to be knowledgeable and proficient all the way around, day and night and in all areas. That knowledge, or the lack thereof, is easily read by all followers. My basic point with being tactically and technically proficient is that leaders must know their job, know their people, and be physically involved with them; this helps the followers to know what is expected of them and what to expect from their leaders.” –Col. Wesley L. Fox USMC (Ret.)

Our own history, like the military, is well documented in photos and drawings, but not necessarily in word. Lesson are often lost. Photo believed to be public domain.

Col. Moore’s and Joe Galloway’s excellent book, “We Were Soldiers Once, ..and Young” is a textbook of leadership amidst chaos. Many in the fire service are no doubt familiar with the title due to the movie that Mel Gibson made of the spectacular combat story. But not being a generation that reads much print, many have not heard of the second part of the story. There was another battalion of the 7th engaged in combat, fighting for survival. Their story is not one of victory, but of a lack of command. The leadership in that battalion was not the same caliber. And although Hal Moore is gracious in the telling, it is obvious that there was a drastic difference in what happened to the different commands within the 7th over those few days in 1964.

What was the difference? Why would it matter to fire fighters? Well, just perked a new pot, pour a cup and take a seat on the tailboard. Let us chew on this a while. The meanderings of my mind will play out here and make more sense with a good brew.

You see, this is another area that causes me no small amount of irritation when it comes to leadership issues. We can file this one under the category of being “Tactically and Technically Proficient”. One of the 11 Principles of Leadership I have been wandering my way through. This one is fairly critical. You’ve simply got to know what you are doing…

Colonel Hal Moore USA (Ret.) co-author of “We Were Soldiers Once, And Young”

Hal Moore knew his business. He stayed up late at night studying his enemy, studying his predecessor’s failures and faults, asking himself the tough questions. He trained himself and his people to an excessively high standard, demanding that the man below knew how to do the job of the man in charge, demanding that leaders be out in front, visible. He made sure that his young officers knew and understood the tactics of the new helicopter landing zone strategy and how they were to be applied and carried out. These are many of the reasons that his battalion survived to the degree that it did in that fateful moment. This was not his Battalion’s only action in Vietnam, but it was one of those moments that comes only rarely in a single man’s lifetime. He and his people were ready for it. Tactically, his NCO’s and Officers understood what was being asked of them. They knew their jobs. The leadership in the other battalion of the 7th engaged in that fight was not up to this standard and unfortunately the men of that command paid the price for it. To make a long story short, the Vietnamese were able to create mass confusion and separate leaders from their commands and the result was devastating. And therein lies the issue on my mind. Both at Little Big Horn and in the Ia Drang fight, leaders who did not understand their enemy or the appropriate tactics to face that enemy ended up sacrificing large numbers of their people in combat. I don’t care how slick you think you are, if you aren’t dialed in to the situation you have on hand, your people are gonna pay the bill for it.

Unlike the military, our battle is fought out rapidly with little build up to the issue, usually within minutes all the action that requires decisive thinking is done. There is little time to react, let alone think about changing tactics. Yet it is imperative that we challenge ourselves to do this. At a recent house fire where we had a report of a possible rescue, I made the decision to deviate from SOP’s and modify tactical practices in order to make the building more tenable for our rapid entry. With a front room fully involved, fire aggressively attacking the roof above the windows and eaves I needed to put the heat production in check in order to buy a little time to go get the victim who was somewhere in the home. With no one else on scene but my Quint and the accompanying Medic unit, I made the choice to order my nozzleman to shoot the involved roof and exposed window, just momentarily, then we lunged for the open door. Having knocked the heat from the fire, we were able to make short work of the engulfed room, changing the environment within the house dramatically. I deviated from the SOP and hit the room from outside that I intended to enter because I was pursuing an occupant that had re-entered the home. It was clear to me that with few resources on scene if I was to have a chance at finding the victim, I needed to buy time, even if that meant steaming the room a bit. Hard right on the nozzle, “tap, tap, to the right!” and minimal steam is created, lots’a knockdown power! It had the desired result.

To make that tactical decision I pulled from information I had studied from the recent UL and NIST testing on ventilation of fires in enclosed structures. I had listened to lectures when the info was released officially at FDIC and earlier pre-release info at FRI for three years prior. Both the lectures and written material available have convinced me that while the information in the studies may not be earth shattering to observant students of the profession, it has provided hard information and data that can be used to further our methodology. We may not agree with it all, but it will be the yardstick used when we neglect to account for its affects on our people.

Here’s what I’m really getting at..

I made a decision based on the newest information, to the degree that it jived with my own experience. That led me to deviate from SOP with confidence in my actions. It all took placed within less time than it takes to say it. That is how all of us make our decisions on scene, especially when a life is being threatened and we have to intervene, …now! So most of us are also aware that with that fateful moment in mind, our training should prepare us so that we will default to prescribed behavior. But most of the time, it doesn’t..

How many officers do you know of that are constantly preparing themselves for that moment? That one critical moment? I hope you all do yourselves and know of a few more, but I doubt that to be the case. I know many good men and women that fill the role of fire officer, that are truly good people and are truly good at many things. Fortunately for many of them, their natural aggressiveness and inherent courage means that they carry the day on most fires they encounter first due. I doubt that the Colonel in command of the 7th’s ill fated Battalion was a bad man, nor do I believe he was not capable. From what I have read, he failed to recognize that he was meeting an enemy that required more of him than he had prepared himself to give. I think that is often the case with fire officers who are defeated by the fire within the building. I don’t know about you, but I have never wanted to be that guy..

It would be easy here to attack the establishment. I have done so in the past, because I believe that it bears part of the blame for a lack of officer training and proficiency. But when it comes to tactical proficiency, I believe it is your responsibility to become educated. Some fire officers I have known have been blessed with departments that have clearly defined policies and educate their fire officer and even their firefighter ranks on those policies. Others give it lip service. Others do nothing, … except hand out bugles like popcorn. But many, if not most of us have to find the education on our own and not only that, we have to apply it to our own battlefield. I do not fight fire on the South Side of Chicago. Nor do I deal with the refined fire codes of the Western Coast. I fight fire in a small city, in the middle of no where. One fire marshal covers an area bigger than two Texas’s and when it comes to building construction, …..anything goes. I can deal with that one of three ways:

This was a house fire that demanded some creative thinking, at -40 below temps, built like an arch, with stilts on a steep grade. The fire behaved according to the structure it was confined to. Photo by Author.

2. I can say that we don’t get much fire here and what we do get can be handled by the training I recieved as a probie. I read Essentials. If the department is not going to make it worth my while to attend advanced training, then it isn’t going to happen.

3. I can say that while our fires here are not easily fit into the simple categories that everyone else seems to be comfortable with in the rest of the U.S., fire is fire and its methodology will behave in a predictable manner. So will gravity and construction. I need to stay current and understand these things and act accordingly when I arrive on scene.

Maybe I have oversimplified the viewpoints I don’t agree with. But here’s a thought for you…

This past year, at two separate Conferences, over 3000 miles apart, both well attended, I gave lectures on leadership and leading the younger generation. In both classes, I brought up the new research by UL and was stunned at the lack of awareness my students possessed on the subject. This research has been going on for more than just a year or two.

Need to be informed? check it out here…http://www.ul.com/global/documents/newscience/article/firesafety/NS_FS_Article_Fire_Attack_Tactics.pdf

In his landmark work, “The Face of Battle”, English historian and author John Keegan wrote of the British Officer’s education at Sandhurst Military Academy, (warning – the following quote has a distinctly English compliment of commas, but bear with it) “..battles are going to happen…For by teaching the young officer to organize his intake of sensations, to reduce the events of combat to as few and as easily recognizable a set of elements as possible, to categorize under manageable headings the noise, blasts, passage of missiles, and confusion of human movement which will assail him on the battlefield, so that they can be described – to his men, to his superiors, to himself – as ” ‘incoming fire’ , ‘outgoing fire’, ‘air-strike’, ‘company-strength attack’, one is helping him to avert the onset of fear, or worse, of panic and to perceive a face of battle which, if not familiar and certainly not friendly, and need not, in the event, prove wholly petrifying.” This is the essence of our need for constant training. To help us remain able to communicate our decisions and actions to those we lead, those whose orders we obey and to our own mind, clearness of thought and purpose in a massively confusing environment. Fighting fire is very similar to combat in its most intense moments.

“one is helping him to avert the onset of fear, or worse, of panic and to perceive a face of battle which, if not familiar and certainly not friendly, and need not, in the event, prove wholly petrifying.” Photo by Author

As a leader of firemen, it is imperative that you remain “Tactically and Technically Proficient” in your understanding of CURRENT practice, previous practices, knowledge, skills and abilities that you and your people are expected to be solid on! How could you be satisfied with anything less? If you stay on the line, your abilities will be tested at some point, someday. The failure to do so can have very negative effects, like others lacking confidence in your leadership and ability.

We have all witnessed or heard stories and have told stories of some other officer’s lack of command presence and general inability to make decisions that are effective. Not only does the leader suffer for this, but so does the company and at times, even the department as a whole. Do not be found lacking! Even in the little things.

Remaining proficient in tactical and technical areas of firefighting and in leadership itself will earn you the respect of those you lead. You can be one hell of a tyrannical ogre in the firehouse, but if you keep your people alive and produce results they will respect you for it and sometimes even overlook a lack of leadership ability in the personnel department with a little pride that they have survived working with you. But failure to be proficient in personnel skills can lead to your removal from the line, in spite of any gifted fireground skills you might display.

Spinning the table here, you might be very good at leadership in the firehouse, but lack common sense on the fireground or be reduced to a wide eyed idiot when asked to make a decision…it happens. Perhaps produced by drinking tea instead of a proper beverage like ….well coffee for example..

A Little Application

There are ways to tackle this proficiency issue, and I borrow here from the Marines again and added a few of my own thoughts as well.

1. Seek a well rounded fire service education by attending service schools, like the National Fire Academy or local community colleges; doing daily independent reading and research; taking correspondence courses, colleges, or correspondence schools; and seeking off-duty education. This should include getting yourself off to a training venue that might cost you some dimes, but is well worth the investment. Many firefighters, once beyond the initial requirements to get the promotion, never crack a book or journal again. Once the “cert” is in hand…they ARE DONE…

2. Seek out and associate with capable leaders. Observe and study their actions. Literally soak up the nuggets from these people. The ones worth listening to are few and far between, keep your mouth shut and your ears wide open!

3. Broaden your knowledge through association with members of other fire departments across the area, the region and the country. I have learned much from other firefighters outside my own territory. You have to apply some regional criteria to their information, to fit it to your first due, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have value. There is much to be learned from experienced military personnel as well, especially in the area of organization and communication.

4. Seek opportunities to apply knowledge through the exercise of command. Good leadership is acquired only through practice. Among a certain group, stepping up and being the leader the boss is looking for can get you labelled. But those people are loud in complaint and small on production, they expose themselves to the group pretty quick. Your performance can speak for itself. Leap at opportunities to demonstrate and apply what you have learned. Be prepared to take responsibility.

5. Prepare yourself for the job of leader at the next higher rank. You should strive to be a master of your former position and the positions of those you lead, a expert at your current position in the line and a constant student of the position you aspire to.

Well, we should wrap this up I ‘spect. But I want to leave you with a parting thought. The North Vietnamese Army lost thousands fighting Moore’s hundreds, because they wanted to probe U.S. strategy and tactics. They were learning the enemy they had never fought before. Maybe not the most humane way of doing it. But although they didn’t defeat Hal Moore, they did win the war. They learned their enemy. Being “proficient” in your job can take many forms these days. Paperwork, reports, diversity, budgets, etc. But none of that matters a hill of coffee beans if you can’t put a fire out, fast. Get water on the fire in a calm, quick efficient manner. The enemy is not knew to us. One day, it may be a critical moment in your career when you make the decision HOW to apply water to the fire. The greatest disasters in military history and pointedly, in fire service history often do not hinge on the quality of the education, but on how that education was applied and whether it was current with the times.

So I get a call from a young brother on the other side o’ the country.   We’ve broken bread together a coupla’ times and he’s the kind of Jake you just naturally take a liking to.  He’s all fired and up and rarin’ to go, just askin’ for a little leadership to light the way.  So what do you think the issue is…you got it, hose loads.   I’m thinkin’, “funny how things just go in circles…”   I was in his shoes years ago and made the same mistake that he has.  I presumed to give my opinion when those around me felt I was too young, or too new to make a significant contribution.  Which, with many new members is truly the case.  But not always.  Sometimes its simply a way to crush anything new or anything that makes us feel uncomfortable.   Why do we do that?

“Did you chase the kinks?” The Byrne Building Fire, Los Angeles. Courtesy of LAFire.com.

And so it goes, ..the flat load is what I was taught.  Pull loops every 50 feet.  Simplicity.  But then there is the Detroit Bundle, the Cinncinatti, the Tri-fold or Triple lay, the Minute Man, the Philly, the Attack  50, the New York way, the Poughkeepsie way, the Irish Half-Twist, ….geez, makes your head spin.  Firemen across the country will get in a full blown Donnybrook over this issue when it rears its head. Probably been arguing the point since Ben Franklin was a baby!  The culprit in my department is currently the bumper load on the Quint.  Not enough space, too much hose, nozzle in the way, can’t get it out without makin’ a knot!  I know you are feelin’ my pain.  The younger members love the bumper line idea.  It works well on some of our other rigs, but on this particular piece, I think I’d rather get rid of it and install a pre-connected coffee appliance.  ..No, really.   I’ve downed many a cupful in the bay, critiquing in loving but sarcastic tones as my crew members come up with yet another idea on how to load the bumper without struggling to deploy it, breaking the door latches or damaging the nozzle.  Fortunately, all three platoons are equally irritated over the damn thing and so the first one that comes up with a really good fix gets a prize!

“The culprit in my department is currently the bumper load on the Quint” Photo by Author

I don’t hate the bumper line, I just hate the fact that if I call for it, it invariably ends up looking like someone’s misguided attempt at flyfishing!  I’ve let the fellas know that I don’t care if they like the bumper line or not, if they can’t get it into action fast enough, I just won’t call for it.  They’ve assured me, this latest hose load will be to my liking..

Here’s the thing, the younger brother I mentioned earlier isn’t really saying he’s against the current hose finish they use in the disputed bed, (which just happens to be a bumper line) but he is saying he doesn’t understand why the old hands are so adamant that they use the old method and the old method only.  You know the story, he went off to Conference, learned some knew things and was able to see an application which may or may not be realistic for the piece he’s riding.  But he won’t ever know, will he, because the minute he opens his trap about it, tries to show some initiative, he’s blasted oughta’ the kitchen.  All he’s asking is, “Why not?”, or “Why do we do it the way we do, it seems inefficient to me…”   The answer is the same across the country, in many fire houses, many engine bays.  “Because that’s the way its done here!”  Beautiful how we are all on the same page so often….(that’s sarcasm)..  Its the wrong page  more frequently than we’d like to admit, but we’re all on it together.

One of my favorite 2.5″ Loads, ….not that I’m an expert. But I didn’t win that debate in my department, in fact, I don’t think I even got a word in. The hose finish we did end up with (more of a minute man), works just fine and was chosen by the boys that gotta’ pull it.   Photo by Author. 2013

But the thing that gets me most here is that the hose load is not the issue.  If he doesn’t understand why the “triple lay” (or whatever hose load is in dispute) works best, its most likely due the lack of training to demonstrate its importance to him.  Or maybe, God forbid, the guys arguing for the old way are just being stubborn and don’t have a clue why the “triple” is in use, but have no interest in having to learn something new.  Sadly, this is common in our houses and always has been.  Better to crush any of that “I’m young and know more than you” attitude right at the first chance!

Maybe I’m being too harsh here…

I had the opportunity to work with several older and younger brothers on the job this past April prior to going to FDIC.  I was privileged and honored to work alongside those who help out at Jim McCormack’s Fire Department Training Network (FDTN).  I was there for six days straight, helping to set up training evolutions, prep live fires, assisting with live fire and in general just having a rockin’ good time!  The crew working at the site this time around included a new mix of old hands and new, myself being the newest to the group but also making the longest trip to get to the site, just a few miles East of Indy and about 3000 miles from my first due.

Leatherhead109 at FDTN for April’s Engine 1 & 2, Truck 1 & 2. They put me to work with Scott Hardin’s burn crew, a coupla’ good ole Southr’n Boys!  From left, Jarrad McCorn, Scott Hardin, myself and Aaron Rhodes.

One of the things I had been looking forward to the most was that I would be working with firemen from all over the country.   Boston, Lexington, Charlotte, Orlando, Buffalo and New York, Indianapolis and several departments nearby were all represented, to name a few..  In a way, I felt like I was back in the Corps due to the fact that much of the lingo and dominant accents were definitely Southern in nature, something that always makes me feel at home.  I enjoy hangin’ with brothers that have that slow subtle humor and meandering drawl.

How does this relate to the bumper line?  Well, the beauty of working with these brothers from all across the country is just that, ..”Doin’ work” as they say.  Most of us have taken classes with members from other departments, but it isn’t every day, especially if you’re from “way out” on the ole’ peninsula, to “work” with other brothers, all of whom you have never met!

But far more important than the language bein’ ejected was the simple, basic tasks we were setting about.  The various hose loads and tool debates that we quibble and argue about back home and in many of the departments across the country were insignificant.  What was important was those things that all of us have to grapple with in order to have success on the fireground.  Such as chasin’ kinks, hose placement priorities, rescue priorities, forcing entry, getting water on the fire…fast..When it comes down to it, how the hose comes off the truck matters not at all.  Brings to mind a fire my crew and I were first due on this past summer.  When I turned around to order the line brought up, the probie nearly slammed into me, pre-connect on his shoulder, ready to place.  Perfect.  Who cares how he got it out of the bed in the end.   He was ready to do work!

“Hot time in the old town”. Maneuvering to the fire in confined area. FDTN 2013.                 Photo by author.

This is what I’m getting at here.  Back to the bumper line. Maybe the kid has a good idea, maybe you’ve already had that idea and found it lacking.  But are you helping him understand the company tool choices, or just creating frustration in him by ignoring his attempt at contribution?  The hose load you use will probably do the job just fine, if you practice deployment and placement.  So perhaps investing some time will smooth the debate.  The more the line comes off the piece, the more situations will develop in the training evolutions that will demonstrate the pro’s and con’s of the method used.

Going over the basics at FDTN with Mike Lombardo. Photo by Author. 2013

EVEN MORE TO THE POINT, HAVE  YOU made sure that the kid knows what’s really important?  I don’t know about you, but it was many, many years before I ever heard an instructor specifically spell out hose line placement priorities, let alone any officer I worked under.  For so long it was assumed you understood.  Now, as I look back, I wonder if they didn’t teach me because no one had taught them, and they were merely doing what had always been done.  Another thing, you hear some mention of getting kinks out of lines, but you hear far more about the arguments concerning smoothbore vs. combo or fog tip, but have you ever seen how fast both fail when the lines are badly kinked?  Will both nozzles work?  Yes, especially when handled in a knowledgeable manner, but like the hose loads, if they aren’t in place or used properly, they fail,..sometimes catastrophically..

VES in the flashbox with a little saw work.         Photo by Author 2013

Over the years,  many discussions have taken place in the firehouse about the critical, growing importance of getting the nozzle in place and getting water on the fire as quickly as possible.  That is far more important than which hose load works best.  Yes, those issues are valid.  Heck, several departments have gone away from pre-connected lines altogether and have returned to using a make n’ break.  But how will that particular hoseload make or break the call?  What brings success or failure is the way it is deployed, the kinks, advancement around corners, over balconies, up the stairs, enough couplings to do the job and is it the proper line in the first place?

Back in Indiana, those lessons were pounded into my head for a solid week!  It was like going back to boot camp, except I was one of the support staff, so when the students got priorities mixed up and delayed getting water on the fire  it was us guys on the burn crew getting punished for it…and I might add, loving every minute of it!

It was a place where ego’s needed to be set aside, you do the job you are assigned and each member is relying on the other member.  A place where those who love the job, come to give back.  Over and over again I kept thinking that in spite of the broad background of many of us, our list of fireground priorities was very much in tune.  It was assumed by some of the older Jakes present that I knew how to keep myself safe, to understand the evolutions and once I knew the goals and objectives, that I would get in line and help make things happen.  That assumption was based on known basics that we should all master.  I can’t say that my training from formal organizations really prepared me for the work that week.  What prepared me was experience, repetition, awareness and a love for the job, which has propelled me to seek out ways of being better at the job.  We tend to get lost in whats’ comfortable, then we fail to stir ourselves to maintain that sharp edge, which often is very uncomfortable at the start.  I needed that six days of hard core work!  It got me back in tune, helped me clearly see whats really important in the basic skills we use every day.  Even old dogs need to revisit these things, or we will become dull and will lack the sharpness this job truly requires.  So maybe instead of ranting at the new guy, take him out back and pull some line, show him why, show him the best way you know, show him the tricks in between.  And maybe, if you can spare the time, you might find that he has a good question or two and you’ll both learn a little bit.

Jarrad and “A-A-Ron” working out of the bucket to reset the roof prop in the FDTN classic Tower Ladder 456. Photo by Author. 2013

Just finished training at the kitchen table one recent morning and called out over my shoulder as I strolled to the App Bay, “Bunker out, people!”  The scramble of boots and chairs being knocked askew, the coffee cups being destabilized, the laptop computer cords being yanked gave my ears to know that they were not only on the move, but enthusiastically so!  The fellas like being challenged, they like getting caught off guard a bit, it gives them an opportunity to really show their stuff and work on improvement.  The Quint pulls around back, brake set, we all step out and I point at the drill tower and shout that we have a heavy smoke and fire showing from the second floor window, flames lapping to the third, immediate report of a man down seen moments ago in the second floor window…..and I intentionally call for the bumper line..”Oh, geez..gotta work on that..”

I need a cup o’ Joe…

Post Update:  Since this post was written, the bumper load has been brought under control…and the kid, well, ..he’s was moved to another house where the love for the job is overwhelming, they patiently tolerate his thoughts on bumper loads and he’s as happy as a pig in..ah, yeah, you get the picture.

“Leadership is intangible, hard to measure, and difficult to describe. It’s quality would seem to stem from many factors. But certainly they must include a measure of inherent ability to control and direct, self-confidence based on expert knowledge, initiative, loyalty, pride and sense of responsibility. Inherent ability cannot be instilled, but that which is latent or dormant can be developed. Other ingredients can be acquired. They are not easily learned. But leaders can be and are made.” — General C. B. Cates, 19th Commandant of the Marine Corps

Sailor Joe Plaice’s Tattoo in the popular maritime film, “Master and Commander The Far Side of the World” by Peter Weir.

Almost thirty years ago, a young Marine recruit struggled up the infamous Mt. Mother on an October night.  His equipment dragged at every muscle in his body and his feet felt like lead.  Sweat poured from his steel helmet down his face, soaking his panting chest.  Other recruits around him slipped and fell downslope, or struggled past.  This was a nightmare, climbing this hill.  He wanted to quit.  There came the summit, he couldn’t believe he’d made it, …only to find that this wasn’t the real hilltop, but merely a small rise on the horizon.  The real summit rose up ahead, one last stretch.  The agony of this false victory nearly dropped him, he was after all, a skinny little guy.  His pack weighed two thirds of his body weight.  His M-16′s 6.75 lbs felt like a ton, he wanted to sit down.   Every step leading up to the mountain had been brutal that night.  But standing on the crest of the summit, lit by the moonlight, his drill instructor stood staring at him.  That demon slurred out a sarcastic taunt that settled on the recruit’s ears like fire..”OH, no!  I can’t do it…I can’t make it..just want to quit, …don’t you!”  That drill instructor really pissed me off!  He’d been hounding me for nearly three months.  What was that guy’s gig?  In anger, I began to move forward again, every step a killer.  I could still hear him taunting us all, but every word seemed directed right at me.  Then I heard it, that ever present demon..he used my name.  Now it was personal.  The message was meant to get me over the mountain top.  I fought for every breath, my legs were screaming in pain, my lungs felt as though they would burst, but that night, the Eagle Globe and Anchor was etched upon my heart.  Don’t give up.  Hold Fast!  Don’t ever give up!..

The other day I was talkin’ with another former Marine.  He and I had just met, more or less. I enlisted 29 years ago, he within the last decade.  I was a Cold War guy.  Hatin’ the Commies.  He fought the Second Iraq War, and paid for it with pain.  But our paths here in the fire service are already marked by similar experiences.  We know a common language.   At every turn he is reminded by the modern world that the means by which he communicates and encourages are considered a little too harsh and sometimes more than is desired.  Gotta go easy with these folks.  Its the new generation after all.  They’re used to lots of praise…His standard of expectation in things like appearance, attention to detail, repetition in training, self-discipline and honor are frequently regarded as old-fashioned and unnecessary, ..”a little over the top”.  We are creatures from another world it would seem. We shared a hot cup o’ joe in my office.  Brothers who had never met.  Not defined by any of our accomplishments, but by the Eagle, Globe and Anchor we have tattooed upon our hearts.  The longer we have been Marines, the more intensely we feel it.  And we don’t ever give up.

We are not alone, far from it. There are many fine instructors at work, daily, bringing the knowledge home to the young and enthusiastic, the ones that want to learn, our future leaders. Photo by Author. Orlando Fire Conference

We are not alone though.  Far from it.  Many of you who read these pages feel the same way about the fire service.  Former military or not.  It is our calling.  And for the record, we don’t believe that every firefighter should be trained like a Marine, far from it.  We do believe that dedication and devotion to duty should be every bit as steadfast.

We old Jarheads are routinely out in the front line gettin’ shot at most often because of the direct beeline we  make at the objective to be taken..its genetic.  We’re born into the world that way and it doesn’t change just ’cause we took up a different uniform.  We do come on strong, gotta give ‘em that.  We do not admire selfishness or those who pay more attention to their pay check than their quality of effort.  My good brother Wee Gillan is a model of Marineness in this direct assault method.  He is frequently at odds with the establishment.  (He also has a heavy Scots accent when angered, which really doesn’t help)  But there are many of you fighting the same fight.  Maybe not former Marines, but dedicated in this same hard core way.  Devoted to the Service. Much like the Marine Ethos, we who call ourselves “Fireman” have an elitist spirit;

“Woven through our sense of belonging like a steel thread”.*

We get weary,..don’t we.  Its a career long battle, this fight to see things done right. It is a struggle for excellence, for the sake of being a better fireman, for the sake of doing things well for no other reason than that it pleases our sense of thoroughness.  But even more so, we took an oath of service to the public, and we aim to keep it.  Half-ass efforts leave us feeling less than complete.  A sour feeling in the stomach, foul taste in the mouth.

Former Marine or not, I know many of you reading this feel as we do.  There are many, many devoted members of the fire service.  I do sometimes question the focus of their efforts.  I suppose that sounds a might bit arrogant.  Well, I do not mean it so.  Marines are not known to be overly humble, and if not arrogant, then very direct.  However, the fire service, the department, the battalion, the platoon, the company, is what it is because of the efforts of the whole, for better or worse.  That means that the contributions of each and every one of us to the greater good are vital to keep things moving forward and in balance, off-setting the damaging affects of a self-centered, self-absorbed, lazy generation and all of the societal, economic and cultural issues that come with it.  So like Battalion Chief Anthony Kastros stated at FDIC this year, “Think of the consequences if you give up…”

Think of it..in each little world where you and I serve, your company, your platoon, department.  What would the affect be if you no longer cared?  If you half-assed everything you did except your PT time?  The good chief follows this with, “this is our time, one drill at a time”.  Amen to that.  He really spoke to my heart there.  He was talking about the vital place leadership holds in the future of our service and if you know me, well..he was singin’ my favorite song.  If you are teetering on the edge, HOLD FAST!  It takes all of us, marching on, every day, every year to keep the service on track.  Don’t ever give up!

Each recruit feels the desire to move, to fidget, to look around, to itch. The precision required within drill and ceremony teaches self-discipline and adherence to standard. Honor, dignity, pride and bearing come into play, and the appreciation of history and heritage. Photo property of USMC

I do believe each and every instructor who devotes just a little more time, a little more of his soul, makes a difference.  Holding the line fast against the tempest of the modern world.  Every quality instructor leaves behind the seeds of leadership in the ones he or she has taught.  And leadership must be taught.  Every bit as much as any other skill and every bit as much as other aspects of the modern fire service.  It must not be left behind.  It is intangible and hard to define.  And it is a mistake to believe that they ways of the past are no longer relevant.  This generation will make excellent firefighters!  You can lead them, but you have to be the living incarnation of what you yourself are trying to teach them.  If you won’t be the role model, they will not follow you.

I was teaching my lecture, “In the Trenches” at a recent conference.  All went well.   The classroom was definitely defined by the two camps.  There were those that like to work, like to learn, love and honor our service and its people, vs. those that sat quietly sizing up the hidden agenda, critiquing my social mistakes (of which there are a few) and wincing when I raised my voice.  I get loud when I speak about topics I feel strongly about.  The latter group was either not sure what to think of me, didn’t want to be there, or hadn’t stepped over Travis’ sword tip yet.

One fellow from the audience came up to me and made a few comments, most of which I really don’t remember, but what I do remember is that he stated my presentation was simply covering the same old thing, ..Principles and Traits.  I took a friendly stance, (difficult for me when low on the Java) and suggested that if they were the same old thing, so familiar, so well known and so “yesterday”, why was it that so few people know them and fewer live their lives by them?  I suggested that perhaps greater attention to them was necessary, maybe it isn’t the followers that is the problem, maybe its not the generations at fault, but the leadership involved or …lack thereof.

Leadership within our departments, our firehouses is most definitely the hot topic these days.  It won’t last though.  Its harder to re-cert on leadership than on ropes and knots.  And  its not as easily taught as a nozzle sweep or a saw cut.  There are no catchy stickers for your helmet when the class is done.  But brothers and sisters, I believe this is where the fight is.  This is where we meet the world and its modern misguided values head on, with skilled leadership that can take the modern firehouse, with all its issues to the very edge of excellence.  Hap-hazard leadership is not enough.  Talent as a leader is not enough!  It takes self-discipline, constant self-awareness, skill and understanding, experience and learning from mistakes.  Born leadership is  an edge, but not a refined one.  It will grow dull in time if not nurtured and sharpened.  Leaders must be developed and led to acquire what they need to succeed.  These things give birth to true leadership. This is where the battle is won.  The young men and women are willing to be led, willing to follow.  You need to understand that.  What they need is for you to lead.  And lead them well.  Don’t give up, no matter how weary you feel.

The Marine Drill Instructor is one of the most fearsome things a recruit is ever going to meet. This Marine is the best the Corps produces, the most professional, the most devoted and self-disciplined. This is the first Marine a new recruit meets. A Master at ceremony, drill, killing and self-discipline. They shape the Corps. If we are really the community’s bravest, shouldn’t we send the best we have to train our newest firefighters? Photo property of USMC

So this old Jarhead and this war vet are convo’n about the differences between the Corps and the other services which of course brings up the topic of military style academies.  I am a drillmaster in the local fire academy and I am routinely called upon to justify what benefit all the marching, yelling, polishing and drill is?  This is a good question.  I enjoy answering it.  Time is money and the para-military affects take time to develop.  When there is only so much time to check off the skill sheets, is it truly worth the time?  I believe it is.  Like I said, this ol’ boy and I are on the same track and he says, “Well hell yeah.  Other folks march to get from point A to point B, but Marines march for the love of self-discipline, ..just to do it!”  That is the answer.  We do it in the academy for the same reason, because it teaches self-discipline and striving for excellence, bearing and pride in ones purposes, the beginnings of leadership.  It imbeds the drive to excel, to never give up.  And why wouldn’t you want your young firefighters to excel?  Why would you ever teach them to give up?

Each phase of training, whether it be for new firefighters or advanced, should be realistic and driven by enthusiastic and dedicated firefighter/instructors. Men and women that love the job. Photo by author.

I made it over that mountain top.  That drill instructor dared me, challenged me to discipline myself and go beyond my limits.  You should’ve seen the grin on his leering face as I passed him up.  He growled, “You better not let me pass you on the way down!”  I believe firefighters should be taught firemanship in the same forthright manner, with intense, realistic training that pushes them to discipline themselves and go beyond their limits.  Its easy to push yourself physically, until you no longer control the program.  Then you have to come face to face with yourself and dig down deep.

“GET BACK!  DO IT AGAIN!  HIPPETY HOP BOP STOP!  JUST STOP!  START OVER, DO IT AGAIN!  AGAIN!  AGAIN!”

Hold the line, lads!  Hold FAST!

Oorahh..that was a really good cup o’ Joe..

*”Leading Marines”, United States Marine Corps.  2002

“The blaze was a stubborn, dangerous and heavy smoke fire–but every man faced this with the highest courage that men can attain. There was work to be done, and these brave men did that work without a look behind..”  from the Firemen’s Grapevine.  Nov. 15th 1939

The Gray Building Fire, Los Angeles, Ca. 1939, courtesy of LAFire.com.

On a November day in 1939, a fire broke out in a small novelty shop, located on the second floor of the Gray Building on the east end of Broadway in Los Angeles.  Due to faulty reporting of the fire, the fire department responded to the wrong address.  Shortly after 2 pm, with smoke pushing out of the building into the street, bystanders pull a box and firefighters responded to the correct address.  A familiar story, one countless firefighters across the nation have experienced.  Naturally, things being what they were in those days, the fire rapidly spread and quickly became a raging, working fire within the ordinary constructed building.  Thick, dark smoke blanketed the street while aerial ladders rose to the hot work above.

L.A. Fire’s Truck Company No. 3 at the time of the Gray Building Fire, circa 1939. (Double Click to View)  Photo courtesy of LAFire.com

Among the firemen arriving on scene, were two veteran firemen, FF Joseph W. Kacl of Truck Company 3 and Operator John C. “Red” Hough.  Red was Deputy Chief Blake’s driver and a winner of L.A. Fire’s Medal of Valor and at the time of the fire, the only living member with that honor.  Assigned from Engine Company 3, Hough had been detailed to Chief Rothermel for the day.  A newspaper of the time told the story as the reporter looked up into the building and watched in amazement as the firemen stepped in the upper windows, belching black smoke¹.  Aghast at their bravery, the reporter questioned their ability to enter such a dangerous “hell” and their very ability to breathe while doing so.  Whether a fanciful writer or not, the reporter claimed to have watched Joe Kacl enter the building in this way, leaning into the work on the large handline, which he stated “Their hose kicked and slithered as they played it on scorching hot flames that seared their faces and their hands through dense, choking smoke.”

The Gray Building Fire goes from bad to worse as heavy printing presses crash down into the lower floors. Original “Grapevine” Cover, Nov. 15, 1939. Photo courtesy of LAFire.com

Any Jake that has worked a 2 1/2″ line inside a hot fire knows exactly what this is like, whether the writer could actually see it or not.  The fire rapidly grew into a multiple alarm job, with some 60 plus firemen working it.  Several different occupancies existed in the Gray.  Sources report “heavy machinery” occupied much of the upper floors².   At the time the reporter stood in the street watching the drama unfold, several employees had already been rescued and lives saved.  The fire spread so rapidly, much of the initial response appears to have been occupied in rescue alone.  Accounts differ, but Truck Company 3 was aloft at this point, assisting the engine men in getting the line into the structure.  FF Kacl was on the pipe.  Without any warning, the 2nd floor gave way and although the other two firemen with Joe Kacl were “flung” to safety by the lurching floor, FF Kacl was not.  He was taken down with multiple floors to a wicked hot grave.³

Admirably and true to form, our brethren of old struggled tenaciously, to reach FF Kacl.  Accounts state that although debris continued to fall, they desperately attempted to reach him.   Additional collapse of the upper floors made any further attempt impossible.  Called out of the building by the Chief in command*, they were ordered to wait until the fire, now completely out of control, had been knocked down.  Once that had been accomplished, according to our unknown journalist, the Chief himself entered the structure at the collapse level and surveyed the situation,  debris still coming down.  He gave a “nod” and the firemen waiting in the street rushed in to hunt for Truck Co. 3′s lost man.  They did not heed the falling bricks and coping stones, timbers and flames, but went right to work, digging to find Kacl.

This photo, taken within the collapse, shows the rescue attempt as the body of Kacl is located (indicated by the arrow). Photo courtesy of LAFire.com.

But the fire was not done with the city’s bravest, and the records and photography of the time show that even though the rescuers had found and uncovered Kacl’s body, a sudden secondary collapse reburied it among cascading debris, machinery and flame.  Several firemen were injured at this point and among them, John “Red” Hough.  Taking a joist to the helmet, he staggered from the structure to gather his bearings, shook it off, then returned to the work.  FF Kacl’s body was not recovered until the early hours of the following day.  Following the fire, Red Hough struggled with several periods of paralysis, usually while lying in bed at the firehouse or at home.  Although he continued to work through November,  he finally took time off to recover.  Several days rest seemed to help, but a little over a month after the fire, Red collapsed to the floor right in front of the doctor who was beginning to suspect he had a brain hemorrhage.  In spite of all efforts, FF Hough passed away around 7 pm, on December 11th, 1939.  He gave the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of a fallen brother.4

This photo, taken at the moment of the collapse which reburied FF Kacl, shows the rescuers reacting to the sound of impending disaster. One of the firemen in the photo is “Red” Hough, who within split seconds would be struck in the helmet by a large joist. Photo courtesy of LAFire.com.

In the article by the unknown reporter, he states dramatically, “ I was there, standing on Broadway as your firemen rushed up a none-too-safe-appearing fire escape and without so much as a look back to their chief down on the ground, stepped into the inferno with hose lines and axes.  Stepped off of the fire escape, stepped off of ladders into a raging inferno of seeming oblivion.  How they lived–how they even breathed–was a mystery and will continue to be a mystery to this person who likes his air clear and without even a trace of morning fog.  And they climbed those ladders and fire escapes as death-dealing bricks, sharp-edged pieces of cornice and window sills sprayed down around them like a hail storm of death.  But your firemen had a job to do –a job they had been trained for –a job that they knew might bring death, injury, suffocation.”3

It is often thought that in the old fire service, they threw lives away unnecessarily.  And I suppose sometimes they did.  But that is not my purpose here.  Our efforts to increase safety and protect the lives of our members have steadily improved.  Yet still we die.  I don’t think we’ll stop that for some time yet.  Each time one of us goes down, it injures countless others who are affected; the wife or husband, children, brothers and sisters at the firehouse.  And each time this occurs it takes a toll, leaves a scare that is hard to recover from.  We have begun to learn that for some, the weight is too great.  I think of the Deutsch Bank Fire and the burden there that could be carried no longer.  Add to that the losses that we cannot possibly stop or defy; losing your loved ones to cancer, to car accidents,divorce and of course …war.   The toll is heavy indeed.  What can be done?  The Good Book makes no apology for suffering.

We must still enter the burning, smoke filled maw.  But we as officers, dedicated to the lives of the men and women we lead can continue to strive for professionalism, for understanding fire behavior and why buildings come down, fatigue and strain, following the SOP’s, improving our skills as tacticians, as teachers of the art of firemanship, as listeners, as communicators, seeking out information, constantly keeping ourselves ready, constantly being battle ready, studying our failures, knowing our people and setting the pace.  Be the example, the public servant at his best.

LEAD…

So, there are a few reasons why I chose to put this story before you, reader.  One, I suppose is the love of the job and all things historical and traditional.  What leatherhead doesn’t enjoy a real intense story from back in the day, especially when there’s a cup of good Joe to be had.  But I’m also telling you about FF’s Kacl and Hough, because I found some comfort in their story, something to admire, to set my sights on.  I write this as a requiem, a tribute to all those firemen of old, and the firefighters of today who continue to fall.  I am pouring the shot from the glass in remembrance of their service.  But even more so, because I must find a way to get past my own heavy heart.  I write this to pay tribute to all my friends, brothers and sisters who have lost someone off their company, from their house, their department, their training mentor, their friend.  The fireman who came home to find his wife dead, asleep in her bed, the one who lost his wife and child in an accident, the loved ones who fought the good fight, yet still died of cancer and all those who still are in the thick of it, the brother or sister, son or daughter who couldn’t hold on to life any longer and took it with their own hands.  We stand there helpless, trained to save, yet unable to save those who have admired us, lived with us, worked with us, laughed with us, prayed with us, believed in us.  And in some convoluted way, we feel as though we failed them.  This is written because my heart is heavy for those firemen in my life who come to work every day bearing such burdens.

To Captain Larry Schneider, whose love for the job, his department and its long history led him to meticulously record these stories at LAFire.com, for us to read and grasp inspiration.  And to John, whom I know has seen so much loss, I just don’t know how he finds the strength to come back each day.  But he does, and with a good sense of humor, a smile, and dedication to devote to yet another day.  I draw strength from that brother, he walks tall.

So raise a glass lads, to Joe and Red, who gave their lives serving in this glorious profession.  RFB

For more on the Gray Building Fire click on the link below:

http://lafire.com/lastalarm_file/1939-1211_Hough_Kacl/Kacl-Hough.htm

¹Unknown writer and publication, November 7th, 1939.  Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Archive.  Web.  22 May 2013.   lafire.com.  http://lafire.com/lastalarm_file/1939-1211_Hough_Kacl/Kacl-Hough.htm

²Bass, George.  Box 15 Club, Los Angeles.  November 1989.  Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Archive.  Web.  22 May 2013.  lafire.com.  http://lafire.com/famous_fires/1939-1106_GrayBuildingFire/110639_GrayBuildingFire.htm

³Unknown writer and publication, November 7th, 1939.  Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Archive.  Web.  22 May 2013.   lafire.com.  http://lafire.com/lastalarm_file/1939-1211_Hough_Kacl/Kacl-Hough.htm

4Goss, Bill.  “In Memory of Fireman John C. “Red” Hough”.  The Firemen’s Grapevine.  March 1945.  Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Archive.  Web.  22 May 2013.   lafire.com.  http://lafire.com/lastalarm_file/1939-1211_Hough_Kacl/1945-0300gv_Hough.htm

Old Man Winter keeps crackin’ on here in the North.  I’m lookin’ forward to Spring.   Had a garage fire the other night.  Two snowmachines (snow mobiles for those of you down in America), caught fire and the fella had the sense to shut the door behind him as he dee dee’d out o’ there!  Never felt the heat till we opened the door from the backside and then she came with a vengeance.  I was the dummy standing up…

“Old Man Winter keeps crackin’ on here in the North. Hasn’t loosened his grip just yet.” This is a great old rig, only drawback is the heater cuttin’ out with sub zero temps..Photo by author.

Before entry, I had popped the roll up door out front, lazy smoke came out.  I shut it and we moved quick.  Cody was on the fire before you could shake a stick and I caught up to him and the guy on the pipe.  Cody’s proved himself to me before, so I didn’t bother telling him his business.  The fire was locked up tight with sealed windows for the winter, it was lookin’ for a way out.  We opened that door and started into arguin’ with it.  Like I said, I was the dummy in the vertical position.  A quick knockdown and that was it. Time to look for extension.

Should have been looking above the fire already, but up here in the North, especially in our department, fire ground officers and those with that kind of savvy are few.  So it is expected that the officer be on the move and that meant I needed to get myself above the fire and start looking for heat.  Now, ..at that point, when you’re spread thin, you can opt to micro-manage..Right, be everywhere at once, trust no ones opinion, be the man of the hour and get it all done.  Or…you can delegate. Delegation requires knowing your people.  Cody hasn’t seen a lot of working fire, but he’s no novice either.  But I have known him for a time, he used to work for me and he has a passion for the job.  He’s not looking for handouts either.  He earns his way.  Knowing this, I can leave him to snuff the fire and get myself upstairs to do the rest of the job.  Its a critical moment.  You may not have the fire licked.  Construction can betray you and especially Alaskan Type Six.  So turning overhaul and chasing that fire over to Cody took an intentional choice on my part.

My heritage. Most firemen in Fairbanks are from somewhere else. I’m no different. This was the Nordale Hotel fire (Feb. 22, 1972), back in the day. +4 degrees and bitter cold. Our people were on that fire, in the cold, all night long. University’s firefighters have always been young, leading them is a decades old privilege. Photo clipping from an old copy of the Daily News Miner.

Let me change gears here for a moment. Fill your cup, lets continue our discussion with Leadership Principle #3, “Know your firefighters and look out for their welfare.”

You should know your firefighters and how they react to different situations. This knowledge can save lives. Knowledge of your members personalities will enable you, as the leader, to decide how best to employ each member in a way that will make the most of their personal skill set¹.

In our little department, morning debrief is still done the old fashioned way and is probably one of those things that the guys would do away with if they could, no one really enjoys it. Especially me, I have to leave my coffee behind on the desk. You know, setting the example…

No one would say they enjoy the morning line up, (especially when nursing a headache from last nights festivities), but it functions well in communicating information to the oncoming crews and that face to face interchange is beneficial, even in our small organization. The Chief feels that it really contributes a lot to our department and therefore, its here to stay for the time being.  The contrast would be the way other departments allow their members to go as soon as the relief is in. We have often been envious of that. But I must admit, I do like the effect debrief has in that as the other officer and I line up, we get a moment to see the members in their glory ….or lack thereof. Disheveled, needing a shave, (for cryin’ out loud cut that mop on your grape!), gear missing, or the critical component, the member him/herself, completely absent or standing tall and looking ready to go to work. This is not a moment for persecution, but a moment to be a leader, to issue out a little grace, a moment to be real and connect with your people. As company officers, how many of you take this opportunity to know your people?

Once the other shift fades away, I take center stage. Usually I take shot across the bow of the first soul that presents a target. A little humor at the price of one of their com-padres lets the company get a feel for my mood and I them. I can instantly pick up on the sullen one, the eager one, and the one who is lacking the most situational awareness that morning, …or every morning as the case may be. This is another opportunity to learn your people.

Know Your People

17′s in Marion County, heading out on a run. Scott’s got a great crew, good guys. A large part of that is his leadership. He has invested time into them and into their well-being. Its shows. They follow him enthusiastically. Photo by author,..after a great meal and fellowship.

“Well”, (sipping your coffee), “what’s so difficult about that? I’ve been on this crew a long time, they know me, I know them.” So you say. But do you? Folks seem to think its no big deal to be a company officer, but there’s way too much lack of leadership displayed on a daily basis for that to be true.  The finest organizations in the world stress involved leadership.  I trust you are aware of each of your members struggles, background, success stories, home life. Many of you probably are, but many of you I suspect deal with the same thing I do, a constantly changing line up. Not every day, but likely, ever couple months or so. Usually in the lower ranks, the folks are moving about trying to find their place, looking for the best opportunity and often, trying to figure out where they fit. Each person, should they stick, will add some value to your crew’s efficiency, although often that is not readily apparent, is it…

I will admit, I have high expectations for those who work with me. I also am very relaxed (I think) in letting the members of my company have their own way in many of the daily decisions that are made. I take that approach because often I am not particular, but also, it gives me an opportunity to give them a chance to exercise their own will and decision making. Its the standard I am looking to keep.  I’m willing to negotiate on how we get there.  Therefore, I am inviting them to invest in the company, the piece, the house, the department. If they do not take the opportunity, I quickly rearrange the leadership profile and they meet the more aggressive style I harbor within. There is little gray area on my crew. I prefer you participate willingly, but I don’t mind driving you to participate either. We will get the job done and leave nothing behind for the oncoming platoon to deal with.  But mostly, I’d like it to be something you want to do.

The crew at Fire Station 36, LAFD. Circa 1925. Take a look at this ole’ pic. Not all are old Smoke Eaters. Some look just like my whole crew, …shaving has yet to be a meaningful experience. Photo used by permission, LAFire.com

Here’s the catch. In order to find our way as leaders, we need to know our people well. This includes learning about their goals, concerns, hopes, fears and struggles. This is where a skilled leader, not just an officer, uses the all important element of CARE. In so many ways, this investment of time in learning about what is important to your people will pay great rewards. Often our time with some of them is limited, so you must take the time available and pursue it. I spend time getting to know every one of my members, and even those that I am likely to come into contact with on a trade. I want to be able to lead them as effectively if I’m working over on their platoon or if they are doing so on mine. This builds familiarity and in so doing, provides the leader with the knowledge necessary to make effective assignments. As you know, these assignments can make all the difference in efficiency for the tour, and therefore also on the run later that night when the lives of the public and or just your crew members are at stake.

Our guys are young. But no younger than those fighting in our wars or down the road at your local volley house. But in order to lead them, and to help them become skilled leaders themselves, you have to get to know them. That includes training with them to see how they roll! Photo by author.

What about delegation? If you know your members well, or …the member working over, then you can take advantage of his or her strengths and abilities. On that garage fire the other night I did so, taking the mission statement of our department at face value, I left Cody in charge of mopping up the fire compartment immediately after knocking the fire, (our Lieutenants are student firefighters who likely do not have more than four years on the job at best), while I moved up to the second floor to look for extension. I was working over that night. So in delegation, I was banking on knowledge of the Lieutenant’s past performance, enthusiasm for the job, and experience. As I said earlier, manning in our town being what it is, my fellow officers and I are often alone in getting the supervision done for some time until the recall has generated some help. I can put our best and brightest to work, in spite of their youth, or I can stretch myself thin to the point where I am inefficient and risking mistakes. I choose to believe in our people. If I did not have that confidence in him, I would not have been able to thoroughly trust his judgement. This would have led to me, as the one held responsible, to go back and check his work, sending a message that his years with us have not resulted in the department having confidence in his efforts. It also sends a message that I don’t believe in our own department’s ability to create good leaders and skilled firefighters. THAT is NOT a message I want to send…

What if we were faced with life and death? Or a very high level of risk? Who will you trust? Who will you delegate to? In a perfect world, we would all work downtown, with plenty of manning, 30 plus veterans on every fire, and we would all spend every off shift with each other and be a big family. But that isn’t reality is it? It seems like a No Brainer..but teamwork and high performance don’t come about without leadership, both formal and informal. If you haven’t invested yourself in your company members, how then can you claim you don’t understand these young people today? Yelling at them from the door of your office while you plan your next hunting trip or work on your finances is not leadership, that’s being a manager (of sorts)..and if that is how you intend to lead your company, then you deserve to reap your harvest. The real question is, ..did they deserve to reap yours?

Well, I better shut up before you fellers leave me at the table talkin’ to myself…

¹Leadership Principles adapted from “The Eleven Leadership Principles, United States Marine Corps”

  “You young men of the department today will perhaps see fire apparatus propelled or driven by a rocket, and many new evolutions to fight fires. In time to come the lessening of fires by fire resisting material will cut your work down. Yes, we men of 1909 have lived to see rapid advances in fire work, just as you will see. So time and the world travels on.”                    – CAPT. H. J. GRIFFIN, LAFD Retired *

Live burn training per NFPA. New studies by UL involving fire behavior and ventilation practices are revealing important fire dynamics affected by modern fire load and building construction that every fire officer should be familiar with. Tupperware can change your life….Photo from Author’s Collection.

To fight fire. Its never been an easy job. Oh, we will admit, not all firefighters have to work at the same level of intensity on a regular basis. But when there is a job to get done, its a job. Fire is an impartial taskmaster. There are houses that have never ceased to be busy, in spite of economic change, always work to do. When I was new to the job, the Loo told me to get to a busy house and I managed to start off in one, but as I have moved up in rank there have many hours in various houses, waiting and waiting for the call to come in. If you’re not living in a Metropolitan area, you are unlikely to have a working fire per shift, let alone two. Although, even in small cities, there are days….Sit down.  Coffee’s hot, pour yourself a cup and we’ll talk some more about these things called “Leadership Principles”.

Leadership Principle #2  Be technically and tactically proficient”

The officer and men of LAFD’s Engine 36 in the year 1915. Used with permission. The Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Archive, LAFire.com.

Maintain a high level of competence in your fire profession throughout your career.  If you’re on the truck, be a top shelf Truckie!  If you’re on the Engine, make it your passion! If you’re like me and you run on a Quint, you best be good at both!  Your proficiency will earn the respect of your firefighters. All of us, regardless of the number of runs we log, are responsible to our members for the level of proficiency we provide to them. Back in the days of old, when our job consisted primarily of fire runs, the list of competencies was minimal compared to today. But proficiency to some degree came with the job back then. Knowing how to fight fire was similar to most blue collar trades. Constant repetition of skills and technological advances taking place at a moderate pace in the work place, enabled a hard working stiff to move up in the ranks with time in,.. perhaps some schooling on the side. No school like the old school. Hard work, a lot of guts.  Plus many of these men had worked other trades and that experience was brought into the fire house.  Looking among old photos of crews lined up for a pride shot, there is a mix of ages.  Sometimes the company officers are surprisingly youthful.  Usually these men are marked by a confident look in the eye.   Others are middle aged, looking tolerant and gruff and so is the Chauffeur or Engineer.  The hose jockeys are often very young and full of mischief, helmets and hats tilted at a rakish angle.  Those are things that haven’t changed much due to the nature of the job and the kind of people it attracts.  But what has changed is the place where the job is done and the wide range of knowledge that the officer must master.  Leadership remains an art, a skill that you must develop to be a leader of firemen.  True yesterday and still very true today.

The crew of Engine Co. 27, also taken in 1915. The two men in front are the officers, the whole crew is fairly young. Used by Permission. The Los Angels Fire Department Historical Archive. www.LAFire.com

Part of that leadership skill is maintaining your tactical and technological edge.  Not only your skill as a firefighter, but your knowledge of the profession is observed and tested by the men and women you lead.   They expect you to have a solid foundation in such things, they have been led to believe that you do.  They are a little disappointed when that foundation isn’t there. Such are the things an officer must do to earn the respect and cooperation of those he or she leads.  Being knowledgeable and proficient in the job is one of the primary ones and sadly is often one of the first to slip.  And we get away with it for a while.  I don’t mean to give the wrong impression. I know there are many excellent officers out there. I applaud the example they set. But there are also many who spend there days doing everything except preparing themselves for the test to come. If you’re in a small town, the chances of your knowledge being put to the test in front of the crew (or worse; leading to their injury or death), are reduced.  If you’re in a big city working on the edge of “Crack St. and Central” then the chances of your knowledge and proficiency being tested are certainly higher, but usually in a focused area.  In my first due, it isn’t the fully involved structure that concerns me, its the room and contents fires, the basement fires, the lightweight construction.. those fires, will test me.  And that is just the fire end of this business.  A small town fire officer must excel or be well versed at being an EMT or a Paramedic, NIMS, Hazmat, extrication and technical rescue, an instructor, and familiar with an ever expanding set of technologically advanced equipment.  The list is long.

I’m probably preaching to the choir on this one.  After all, if you’re reading this, than you’re probably already lined out in this department.  But be careful.  Complacency creeps in on even the best of us.  Fighting the inevitable lack of desire to keep moving forward is critical for the “Battle Ready” officer.  I don’t always like the changes I see, but I don’t want to be left behind in the dust, either. So I purposely focus on the things that are most likely to affect the people I lead and the job we do. The changes Captain Griffin referred to back in 1944 have already come about in so many ways.  Although he was off a bit on the rocket propelled fire engines, he wasn’t that far off, .. was he.  Change is happening constantly now.  We have to keep up. The lives of your crew members may depend on it. Even though they may never give voice to it, their confidence in you and their respect for you is based in some part on your mastery of this job.  You convey that mastery by being open and honest with them about what you do and do not know and what you are doing to improve.  A good example of this is the work that Underwriter’s Laboratories has been doing:  http://www.ul.com/global/eng/pages/offerings/industries/buildingmaterials/fire/fireservice/ventilation/  There is some very valuable information revealed here for any officer to take note of.  How many have? Perhaps not as many as you might think.

There are officers who put up a fantastic front.  Their convincing mastery of the profession is based on their behavior around the fire station, perhaps a reputation for being extremely aggressive at fires, being the tough talker or just simply getting lucky over the years.  But where previous generations of young firefighters were willing to work hard, put up with verbal abuse and risk their lives without asking why, this generation of young people is a little different.  They are also not afraid to work hard, not afraid to risk their lives.  But they are not inclined to listen to bravado unaccompanied by action and they also like to know the why…they like to feel as though you value their view of things and can offer them a valid reason as to why something is or is not done a certain way.  Many of them are better read on tactics and the latest studies than the older crowd, and they like to show that knowledge off.  If you aren’t up to speed, you will not be able to offer wise counsel on the value of the latest article or blog post.  Like it or not, this is how they function today.  They will be able to “fact check” you on the web before you can finish blowing smoke up their backsides. Many officers are so busy with the business of administration these days, that they have little time or energy left to take on new tactics and new technology.  Just when you felt like you had learned it all and you could relax a bit, they go and introduce something new on you. Then there are those of you who received your bugles through no merit or display of tactical ability, but simply by attending a certification course and putting in your time. Now, you do have to earn it. For those of you in that boat, stay out to sea, don’t give fate a chance to come calling. Someone might pay for it with their lives.

“..you have to make time to participate.” Training with your people is a way to demonstrate your proficiency, show them your willingness to learn and teach them by apply experience to problems and procedures. Photo from Author’s Collection.

This is also a generation of adventurers.  They like to train.  They like to go farther and push harder and you, with the reports due, the projects that you have been assigned by your battalion, the inventory, the SOP contribution you are making, have to make time and participate, to show them you are not ready to be put on the shelf..AND, you need to be there through the training to help them see the positive or negative affects of the latest fad in roof cuts, ladder tosses and nozzle moves.  If your presence isn’t felt here, you are abdicating your leadership.  Somebody will lead in your absence, for better or worse.  That being said, it is not productive to crash your way into their efforts to learn something new just so that you can show them you’re savvy and already an expert.  This is where the leader’s character traits of  Enthusiasm and Knowledge must be balanced out with good Judgement and Tact.

I’ll leave you with the following thoughts:

1.  Be real and transparent with those you lead.  We all need improvement, we all get complacent, we all make mistakes.  Own up.  Don’t try to snow them with your objections to something you haven’t studied up on and therefore can’t credibly defend your stance.  “We don’t do it that way” no longer holds any sway. They want to know why it CAN’T be done that way.

2.  Be knowledgeable in current fire service issues.  Be able to say to them, “Yeah, I read about that, and this is the question I’m asking myself…” or “True, but the other side of that argument is…”  For instance, Captain, what is your department’s stance on Survival Profiling?  Do you know?  Are you well versed in the debate?  How will you justify your actions on the fire ground to those you lead?

3.  Train with them.  Show them what you know and allow them to see that you don’t know everything and are willing to improve your understanding.  Your followers will really value that kind of honesty. I have made plenty of gaffs in front of the members I lead. I find they are eager to show what they have learned, especially if I am willing to be teachable. This in turn requires me to have a solid grasp in the basics so I can validate the knew information.

4.  Teach them what you know.  Don’t know what you know?  Well, what are you doing wearing bugles then?  Maybe you should be back in the bucket?  Oh, ..yeah.  Need the nice paycheck, or maybe no one ever asked you, they just promoted you…Well, Captain…its not too late.  Begin by learning something so that you can teach them.  Teaching increases the teacher’s knowledge through preparation and application as well as those being taught.

5.  Lastly, if nothing else, know your organization’s standard operating procedures, and apply them according to sound principle.  If we want our people to follow our leadership, we must also demonstrate for them our own followership to those above us.  Don’t just do what the department says because the department says.  Gain understanding of the reasons and thinking behind the decisions made by your superiors.   If there is anything we can quickly learn from the young people filling our fire houses it’s that they don’t follow blindly.  Most of them expect to be told why before they buy into commitment.  But if you know and can explain, then they will most often jump on board and be enthusiastic.

One more thing. I look at the issue this way. Many officers are promoted beyond their ability or ambition. You may not have realized when you put that brass on your collar that you had stepped into the position of role model and mentor. Well you’re there. If you set a bad example, many of those who follow you will adopt your mode and methodology. If you are honest and upfront with your short comings, you might find that they’ll cut you some slack. But don’t take that to the bank. It will stretch only as far as a bumper line. You will still have to earn it. As the old saying goes, “Lead, or git oughta the way..”, there’s a rocket propelled pumper comin’ through!
*Excerpt from “Fireman’s Line Up”.  THE GRAPEVINE, June 1944.  www.LAFire.com

Move over a skosh,..got hot Joe comin’ through!  Man,..its cold up here in the North today!  Say, a fella’ I know was discussing fire service leadership, and you know me, I’ll allow that is right up my alley!  So we sat and brewed up some thoughts together and this is what spilt out:

Before we go on to our next Leadership Principle, “Being technically and tactically proficient”, we’ll chew on a few of the traits of leadership between principles.  I mentioned them in my last diatribe, and they are important because they provide the character to put the principles of leadership into action.  There are 14 Leadership Traits that I have in mind, but depending on your list there may be a few more or a few less (although I wouldn’t be cuttin’ much).  This pot o’ joe is only intended for one of them.  Let us discuss our “deportment” or our “bearing”..

“A leader must be visible and exhibit confidence under any set of circumstances. The determination to prevail must be felt by all.”  –Lt. General Hal Moore USA Ret.

I am always learning. My good friend Berg is always teaching and I’m pick’n up little bits from him and he from me. Berg is fun loving and loud, but he also has a way with folks, a confidence that tells you he is not only capable, but competent. A self assurance. BEARING. Photo by Author.

One of the most misunderstood aspects of leadership is how to present yourself as a leader.  From the beginning of your efforts at leadership the way you “deliver” yourself as a leader to those who follow, whether conscious or subconscious, has as much impact on your performance and its effect as does anything else.  I’ve known men that could recite phrases from the company officer manual, and quote various dissertations on the science of leadership, but couldn’t get the fella’s to push a broom in the engine bay let alone listen to them at critical moments.  Among all of the skills and traits which come together to create leadership, “Bearing” is one of the least understood and taught, yet is a foundational trait.  Most leadership training barely gives it lip service.  Bearing can make the difference between whether a message is clearly understood, received willingly or with hostility and often whether or not its heard at all.  Bearing is mufti-faceted as well.  It may hide your fear or if you have poor bearing, display it.  It might convey your anger while you withhold wrath.  It can be a motivating factor or it could be the de-motivating factor if you lack it.  It is that which causes the group to stop and take note. It all depends on how you employ it, whether you are aware of its effect or not.  Its more than how you hold yourself, it is how you physically communicate yourself.

Lets talk practical application.  You move to the door, the black hallway beckons.  Sometimes you are moving so fast, and taking in so much information, there is not time to think.  You are in the door, on the floor.  Moving forward, looking for the orange glow.  But other times, there is that pause.  Too much time to think and you begin to feel the presence of danger and the split second comes where you think, “I hope I come out of this”.  Maybe you’re just caught flat footed and don’t know what to do, maybe you weren’t ready for fire.  Maybe you’ve walked into something you’re not sure you can get your people out of.  Few men or women in our line of work express these thoughts, but it is critical that it doesn’t show in your ..bearing.  An aggressive, determined officer moves confidently and with purpose in those moments, deliberate, informed action, calm voice, a positive attitude, exhibiting a  state of mind that says “the mission will be completed, we will get the job done” and showing NO FEAR.  Often in the fire service, instead of fear, the problem is a lack of focus or indecision.  Not knowing exactly what to do or say to get results.  So you just start yelling instead!  Among the many things that go into being decisive and taking action, your bearing is that which communicates your self-confidence.  Your “Poker Face”.   Anything else conveys indecision and in the case of a structure fire, ..or worse, communicates doubt to those you lead.  EVERYTHING you do in front of those you lead, involves bearing.

Another old “snap” from Weegee’s lens. This one shows Jakes working a cellar fire, likely in the 1940′s. Such men measured much about a man by his talk, his walk and the manner in which he gave orders. What would it take for you to lead such men? Photo used by permission.

So what is “Bearing” and why is it such a decisive trait?  Well, its very simply how you conduct and carry yourself, how you convey confidence, how you walk, how you stand.  It is also how you take in your surroundings, how you meet another person’s gaze, how you physically handle adversity or excitement, how you talk to those you lead, your voice on the radio.  Your “bearing” conveys a message as sure as your words.  Mostly, it is a reflection of your true self in action mode and is largely an unconscious trait or a byproduct of your other traits.  Have you ever met a leader on an emergency scene or maybe a training event when you just couldn’t help thinking, “This guys’ in command? Geez’…”  What was it that caused the voice in your head to think those thoughts?  Aside from per-formed biased, ..was it the way they looked at you, or didn’t look at you while speaking?  Was it a lack of confidence you sensed in their manner?  Maybe they seem confident enough, but lack any acknowledgement that you exist.  A leader who consciously and/or skillfully employs bearing in such a way as to win your confidence or compliance is using your first impressions in their favor and whether cultivated or naturally gifted, these first impressions carry enormous weight.  At times, this first impression is so strong that it can tip the balance for the leader in a difficult situation.  But you must be a discerning follower too; not all leaders with excellent bearing know what they are doing.  It can be a front to hide other problems.  With a leader you know well, bearing can communicate a variety of messages;  “All is well”, “This is bad, but we’ve seen worse”, “This looks bad and I can’t decide what to do about it” or maybe “You stay here while I go see if the chief needs help..”

Mike Strank. Gave the ulitmate sacrifice on Iwo Jima in WWII. Known as a Marine’s Marine. I was once told by the wife of an old Marine, that you can tell a Marine by his bearing, “you boys got moxie!” She said. Mike died leading his Marines from the front.

I am a fan of military history.  The course of military history is full of crisis points, when at the moment of impact, decisive actions were carried forward due to the “bearing” displayed by a variety of leaders at every level.  Bearing isn’t  dependent on rank or position.  It is a mark of self-confidence, awareness of surroundings, and self-control.   An excellent example from history would be the way an officer in the American Civil War Era was still expected to lead his people from the front.  He was expected to stand tall, ignore the air, thick with shrapnel and lead showing no fear or indecision.  The reason for this suicidal behavior, (and it did cost an enormous toll in officer lives) was that the infantryman of those times looked to the “gentleman” or “officer” to determine whether or not things were going well.  They looked to their officers for a sense of direction and purpose.  If the officers were afraid, the troops were afraid.  Seeing the officer in front, leading the way, frequently made a huge difference in tactical success.  Even though tactics changed throughout the centuries, the presence of the officer or sergeant as a stable, knowledgeable, guiding influence among men going into combat is still the same.  There are many well known examples of this, but sometimes the best examples are of leaders that are not much removed from you and me.  I think back to the officer who led my company as we headed into the L.A. Riots back in ’92.  He was calm and didn’t say much, but that which he did say was calculated to keep the crew focused and ready.  I don’t think I saw him ever run or break stride the entire time we were in danger, but when it came to protecting me, he was there at my side to toss me into the jump seat when the threat present indicated we needed to get gone in a hurry.  His calm ever present grasp of situational awareness (a phrase we didn’t ever hear back then) was instrumental in my own mental condition.  Its no secret in this crowd that firefighters rarely need encouragement to rush into danger, but far more often, they desire and praise that calm, steady officer who provides a sense of self-discipline and control that we all admire, even when the greatest threat is our own impulses that need to be properly managed.  Who do you want to lead you into the fight, the guy running all over the place and trying to control every single nozzle and tool or the one who stands in the center of the storm, sizing things up, providing guidance and orders where needed, but other wise, allowing the leaders within the organization room to operate and do their job?  I have been both.  I have been in the midst of chaos and even though in my mind I knew what I wanted to do and for my company members to do, my words still came out jumbled or accelerated.  I have also had moments of victory over myself when I knew that things were flowing a little better and my “bearing” reflected that.  It is embarrassing to admit to yourself or to your peers that you were “wiggin’ out” or behaving in a headless chicken mode.  But, nonetheless, unless you are the gifted one who was born with the “chillin’” expression on your face, most of us have to face these moments as we learn to control ourselves in the midst of the initial chaos created on scene.

I cringe when I hear civilians, with armchair QB skills state emphatically, “things weren’t too bad until the fire department got there”..  We have to be better than this.  Like Bill Carey frequently points out, “Expect Fire”, http://backstepfirefighter.com/tag/expect-fire/  Things things shouldn’t surprise us.  Practice exercising control over yourself as you lead the company or companies into battle.

“SeaBass” is a young Jake I know who exemplifies the up and coming leadership in the fire service. Aggressive and alert, he needs no bravodo, the way he carries himself says it all. Such traits indicate leadership potential.

What about in the firehouse?  How is “bearing” applied there?   Everyday, every hour and every moment!  On and off duty.  If you have displayed excellent bearing, then you have attracted attention and people have noted your self-confidence and charisma.   And they will expect it all the time.  This can cause jealousy and envy among those who do not wish to put forth the effort to develop bearing or those who simply lack any comprehension of its critical place in leadership.   It will also attract those who seek to be competently led.   But keep in mind, one can have excellent bearing, yet at the critical moment, lose control or find a way to not be present when needed most.  Those who know the work and are looking for decisive leadership are aware of the difference instinctively and even if they cannot define it, know when it is genuine if they have been around long enough to learn to recognize it.  Those with good bearing, but weak character in other traits, win the crowd with first impressions, especially those that are not discerning or lack experience.  But eventually, the weaknesses in character shine through.  Sometimes embarrassingly so.  I’m sure you can think of an officer who has dropped in your estimation through a lack of good judgement, integrity or self-control.  And when those bad moments happen, they can be brutal.  It takes a long time to recover from them.  24/7.  When you are in a position of leadership, your performance is being watched all the time.  Careless moments can cause serious setbacks.

I used to know some gents who specialized in forcibly instilling lessons in bearing and deportment that literally last a lifetime. There is a reason they still ingrain this kind of training, it sets a standard..it sets it very high. Photo by USMC. Public Domain.

So what should we do to develop our own bearing?

1. Set the highest standard for yourself in personal conduct, on and off duty.  Tell yourself that even if no one is watching, your own consciousness is aware.  You will know the truth.  Be known for integrity.

2. Study your role model if you have one, if you don’t, you should be looking for one.  Even us old dogs look to the older dogs of the past to find our way. 

3. Do not accept the minimum requirements, but go beyond, striving to improve.

4. As a self-motivator, remember that as you are watching your role model, someone lower in the clan is watching you as well, take up slack on a regular basis!

Take Care, Leatherhead109..

Ok, the Joe is hot..lets evaluate the probie’s coffee skills.  I have with me the FDNY Probationary Firefighting Skill – Coffee Making check sheet, obtained from Brother LeBlanc.  We can check things off while Probie makes another pot and we talk a little about my favorite topic, ….”Leadership”.  I promised I’d continue with Leadership Principles and I intend to.  But I wanted to polish the first principle before we move on.

Leadership Principle No. 1 “Know yourself and seek improvement”

If you’re wearin’ a bugle, do you remember your first night as the CO?  I remember my first night on duty as a company officer.  I had pulled plenty of shifts bumpin’ up, but this was my first night as the assigned company officer.  I can still remember it crystal clear.. Nothing happened that night.  Except if you had lingered near my bunkroom, you probably could’ve felt my pulse through the wall.  It was pounding that hard until I fell asleep from mental exhaustion.  I don’t know why the thoughts didn’t hit me earlier, it wasn’t until I lay down in the firehouse that night, my first night as an officer.   Part of it is my conditioning.  I hold officers in high esteem, I expect them to perform, devote themselves to the profession and to their people.  I set high marks for those above me.  And I am frequently disappointed and realize I set the bar impossibly high.  Or did I?  All I can say is I expect the same of myself.  What I struggled with until sleep took me, was the thought that was pounding in my head, “I am responsible for anything that happens tonight.”  That thought cost me some sleep.  I’ve known a few officers who noted the same experience, even when they became officers late in their career.  Suddenly the game has changed.  Suddenly you OWN those lives ridin’ on your rig…You must account for them.

The thing I admired about Phil, was that he always led from the front. He was in his turnouts, cold and wet with his boys! He always challenged me to keep growing, learning and to take an honest, humble look at myself. Photo used with permission.

I don’t know about you, but as a young fire officer, I felt as though I had not been properly prepared for the task at hand.  The testing process had evaluated my head knowledge, but lacked any real evaluation of my practical skills.  There was no certification available, no training.  Just time in grade and are you a lead medic?  Did you make engineer?.OK, you can test.  That was a long time ago, its different now in that department.  But still, there are departments that continue to promote in house or imported firefighters that have very little or no training for what they are expected to do.  Its often learn as you go in this job, so I lay there, evaluating all my training, all my experience and trying to find some shred of self-confidence.  Now anyone that knows me well, knows I do this with everything.   I self-eval, perhaps to a fault.  I usually stop when someone says, “Knock it off, you know what you’re doing”.  But that night, and many after that, I lay awake identifying all the areas that I felt inadequate.  From then on, I began attacking everything I thought I was weak in, whether it was tactics, or organizational skills, time management or training evolutions.  I went after it with a voracious appetite.  Back in those days a popular saying that I’m sure you’d remember was, “Let no man’s ghost claim I let him down”.  I took that to heart and lived by it.

Needless to say, my driver immediately asked to work for someone else, and various others found ways to get away.  No one wanted to work for the new guy on the block who wanted to train all day and act like we cared about the quality of our work.  Other officers reminded me with increasing irritation that we had a low run volume, fires were rare, “this ain’t New York!”  I imagine I was somewhat difficult to deal with at times.  But I was driven.  I didn’t want to be caught unprepared.  I didn’t want to deliver mediocre performance.  I dreaded the day some new kid would look at me the way I looked at the officers when I was new and wondered where they had got the idea they deserved respect.  Respect is earned, its earned through merit.  There is no other way.   It can be given, when not earned, but otherwise, it must be earned.

Some of the victims of my early days as a Company Officer. They always gave me their best. Old Engine 4, left to right Beauchamp, Bishop, myself, Logan (kneeling), Richardson and our resident Afrikaner, Lombard. Circa 2000.

Eventually, a group of guys that wanted to train hard and work out their profession found their way to my company and we mixed well together.  It was a good time.  Lots of training, sharing ideas, buckin’ the system, we had fun.  But those early days as an officer were tough, and they were tough because I was not satisfied with status quo. A condition I seem to be plagued with, I think it runs in the family.

One of the things that helped me to get a handle on this was the Fire Officer 1 certification process.  I do not believe that certification is the end all be all.  But its a start.  I was one of two in our department to go through it for the first time when it became available to us, the department certification process was in its infancy.  So much so, we were just handed the 13 text books and told to read and test.  There was really no way to know what would be on the test, so I had to read everything.  And I think that was a good thing, although perhaps not efficient.  I absorbed a lot of material.  Now days you sign up, go take it for two weeks at the local training center, some retired chief or instructor tells stories and reads power points, and then you test.  Two weeks and you’re an officer.  Well, it took a HELL of a lot longer than that when I did it.  But, I was going at my own pace.  Nor am I bashin’ the learning of some fine officers.  But I think all of us here recognize that certification is not the end.  Its only the beginning.  Just like FF I, its meant to provide a foundation, but that is where the fire service falls down.  Nothing comes after that, except more certifications.  In between, you should accumulate experience to add to knowledge.  But in this day and age, that rarely is the case.  Certifications DO NOT a competent leader make!

So I realized I needed to find experience.  Not only more runs, more fires, but to draw from my past and make use of what I had learned in other places.  I began to fall back on my training and the firefighting philosophy of the area I had come from.  I started applying the Marine mentality I had learned in the Corps.  I leaned heavily on my basics, which had been firmly ingrained, but differed greatly from the area I now served in.  There were several text books I dog-eared the heck out of.  The Internet came about and I found a wealth of information there.  I also took classes, I sought out mentors, I sought out situations that put me outside my comfort zone.  Since our small town holds only so much fire, you get jobs under your belt as best you can, so recognizing that was a weak spot, I adopted the idea that I would never stop learning. At the cost of seniority and retirement time, I moved myself to a busier department and continued to seek improvement.

“The House of Stags”, back in the day. Left to right, ..Foster, myself, Paddy Roarke, Jr. Mead and GB. Circa 2004

Over the years, this drive to improve has left its imprint.  There are always those around you who are waiting to see someone lead the way.  But how you lead is what makes or breaks it for you.  Your drive for self-improvement, IF centered on your SERVICE to those you LEAD, will draw people after you.  As you learn to lead, you begin to understand that you excel and improve yourself, by putting your people and your mission first.  Your effort will be recognized by those who look to see, both above and below you on the line.  Those looking for command presence within the department will gravitate to you, BECAUSE you are denying yourself on their behalf.  I’m not talking about neglecting your own career welfare, but in the performance of your daily routine and emergency actions, putting the welfare and morale of your members before your own well-being.  Yes, you put yourself on the line at times.  But the return on your investment is ten-fold..

The thing that grinds on me is that so many of us make the grade, get the bugle, then just stop dead.  Learning and self-evaluation begins to cease, most intensely in the area of leadership and follower-ship.  Worse yet, many officers have reached their position without ever having learned anything about leadership, except the school of hard knocks. Therefore that is their understanding, …teach with blunt objects.  Not overly affective with this new crowd.

I recently learned the word “entropy”.  Among other much deeper ideas and definitions, it is basically the concept that eventually, energy runs out.  A ball loses momentum, a comet will burn out, the Universe will eventually stop given enough time.  Makes me think of some of the firefighters I have known.  I don’t care where you are, it is the same.  There are burned out folks who just can’t or won’t move forward anymore.  There are those who feel left behind by the pace of change and those who resent change.  I am often the latter.  I will push hard for change, then when it comes, I don’t always welcome it with open arms.  Speaking of change, we can’t help but do so as we get older.  I don’t like that much either.  And there are those whose passion for the fire service only included the drive to get hired.  Once there, they’ve become part of the equipment on the shelves.  When they’re on duty they do the job well, as in to the letter of the law.  When they’re not on duty, …they’re living life to the fullest.  I don’t knock the desire to have a good wage, enjoy great time off and all the benefits of being on the job, but failure to improve who you are as an officer will perhaps one day fail you.    And then there are people who are driven,…. often in a direction that has nothing to do with improvement of the service you perform, but they are driven.  These people don’t often look for faults in themselves, they don’t have time for that. Just get the job done, “anything you need to learn you should have already learned”  A dedicated officer learns to balance these things.  A dedicated officer seeks to balance these things within himself.  Seeks to manage change  and improvement in their career,  in their departments and in their company.

Young officers will often repeatedly crash into peer groups with little tact, have to learn to temper attitude, speak less and take a good look at the message being sent. I have often and sometimes still do struggle not with my message, but how I send it…The Sparrow Crt. Fire, 2005. Used by permission.

Ok, here’s your homework. Take a look at yourself……let’s revisit the list:

If you are reading this blog, then you are probably willing to take an honest look at yourself.  But are you willing to ask your brothers and sisters in the service to evaluate you, to identify your faults, your weak spots, your strong suits? We look in the mirror and often convince ourselves that we are doing just fine, even though we may be dragging around a broken leg.  Others we trust and who have a best interest at heart will often give us a piece of the real picture, the one we are blind to, but need to see in order to grow as leaders.

• Self evaluate.  Using the 14 Leadership Traits, compare yourself to them and identify areas where you need to improve.  This is an ongoing, life-long effort.

Justice, Judgement, Dependability, Initiative, Decisiveness, Tact, Integrity, Enthusiasm, Bearing, Unselfishness, Courage, Knowledge, Loyalty and Endurance (Fortitude).*

• Seek out the opinions of those who hold your respect, even if its going to hurt a bit.  

• Study success and failure, don’t just whine about what’s wrong, identify what is causing the dysfunction you are witnessing, then learn to avoid that trap.  A serious student of his/her position will take the time to study the failure of leadership in several areas, not just the fire service.  The military is an excellent source for this kind of study.  History abounds with failure.  Its value is the lessons it offers us if only we are willing to look.

• Become interested in people.  I was recently talking with another brother who pointed out that he and I shared this trait, and he felt it contributed to who we are as leaders and I have to agree with him.  Studying people helps give you a foundational vantage point for listening, comprehending and engaging those you lead.

• Become masterful at writing and speaking.  I have watched as several officers I have known struggled to express themselves adequately in writing or in public speaking.  Not something that projects strong leadership, even though it may be there.  Set your goals.  No, ….really.  A map, a trip tick, a plan for getting from one point to the next.

…And always, drink coffee!  It helps the mustache grow!

*I might add here that I believe that failure to adopt these traits and  live by their corresponding principles are the main cause of our nation’s leadership woe’s. If you are doing anything in your career that you know is questionable in a moral or ethical sense..stop.  Don’t call yourself a leader if you can’t give yourself over to selfless service!

Here we sit at the kitchen table. I enjoy the table in the back lot too, but there’s no C’gars allowed these days. Can’t say as I like it, but can’t argue much with it either. So its hot Joe, n’ we’ll make do. Had a heck of a time, this past several weeks. Been mullin’ and cogitatin’ on it all and I’ve come to the conclusion its best to write it out. That seems to work for me. So pull up a chair…

Wherever you find stacked leather helmets, …there you will find warrior poets..

A few years back, I was attending the Leatherhead’s Convention in Seattle, a laudatory event I might add. A gathering of FOOLS and it was there I first encountered the auditory power of an ole’ brawler named Bobby Halton. He gave keynote that rocked the house that night, calling upon the Leatherheads to be the Warrior Poets of the fire service, to fight to preserve heritage and tradition within the American Fire Service. To hold the line! To remember those who had gone before and tell their stories, to do honor and homage to the past and not trash it, under the force of political correctness.

Well, you could say I got all fired up. Who wouldn’t? Surely you have heard the Chief speak at one point or another. If not, I’m sure you will seek out an opportunity. The man is a master! Needless to say, I took it to heart and as I continued to write about the things that spur my passion, someone took to calling me the “Warrior Poet” in concert with that speech of Bobby’s. It persisted, so I took to it.  I still take to it, …

Now I wasn’t alone in the audience that night.  There were many warrior poets there.

Not everyone can write, but like the original “Warrior Poets”, we can tell our history to the young ones, give them the passion of our cause.  Our cause, …our people.  The American Public, the ones we serve, the ones we protect.  And in this time of economic hardship and shriveled paychecks, vanishing pensions and browned out fire houses, it is that much more important that we continue to be the Warrior Poets Bobby called us to be.

“Leather helmets are heavy, but they are also a mark of pride in heritage”. Detail from collection of Arthur “WeeGee” Fellig. Used with permission.

I’m sure I don’t have to remind you who we are, you all know.  We are the legacy of two hundred plus years of Iron Firemen.   I use the word Firemen.  Those who know me, who follow me, know I admire them and I love them as my own, regardless of their gender or color.  And it is these that we must teach of the past.  Teach them their legacy of fortitude, suffering with honor and endurance in times that are hard, our legacy of iron constitution and work ethic second to none, a legacy of pride and tradition, which when properly applied demonstrates to the people we serve that we are not common men and women, but are made of leather and sinew, …strong to the core.  Our pride in our country is our creed, our integrity is our shield, love of God is our light through the smoke, love of our brothers and sisters our passion, down the dark and terrifying hallway.  We hold our lives precious, our families paying dearly, so that we may serve the public through the long night.  These are the things we must teach them.

We should not seek to dance in beer halls half naked in our bunker pants like some in the news lately, not to flex our muscles on calendar glossies, not to wear “I fight what you fear” shirts or worse yet, that we terrorize our recruits in the firehouse with pranks that defy common sense in this modern age, or paint our elected official’s faces on bathroom stalls…need I go on?  Where is the honor and integrity in these acts?  Such behavior reflects the depth of depravity our society plunges to.  Such actions reflect the part of society that places itself first and glorifies its ugliness, revels in its depravity.  We are to be above that.  We are to be better than that. Self worship and depravity should not be our legacy.  The world will see these things through the rampant social media that records all.  Our politicians, our city managers, those who set the budget will remember.  Yes there are those who cheer on such behavior and encourage us to “live it up!”  we have earned it, ..so they say.  But these sorry souls know little of what awaits us if we lose our way.  Will those who cheer us on when we are out of control be the same ones to defend us when we have lost our jobs?  Will they speak up when the local or national press are crucifying us on the front page?  In times of social discord, in times of moral disintegration, it is the public servant, among a few others, who will be the ones to hold the fabric of society together.  In order for that to be, we have to protect our reputation jealously, and with tenacity.  Our standard must be worth attaining, our honor untarnished, our integrity infallible.  There is a reason a firefighter can walk untouched among the most vile members of society.  But that doesn’t mean we should become like them.  Forgetting our place in society would be fatal to our profession.  Society as a whole will grow bored with hero worship.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand that we are in a different age, a different time. Acceptable social behavior has changed and the general public is far more accepting that in the past.  Maybe a time will come when firefighters are no longer expected to be a cut above.  A day when no one will care who we once were and what we meant to our people.  I don’t want to see or be a party to that day. If we, as public servants, are free to be like everyone else, free to exercise ALL our God given liberties, then we are NOT SERVANTS at all..We will then just be employees, taking from the public coffers..I don’t want a legacy like that.  I will not be such a man.

The public does need  us, but if they are to pay for us, they will expect more of us as human beings than is sometimes reasonable, they will hold us to a higher standard than they will hold themselves.  I’m okay with that, I took an oath for my badge.  I have many friends and brothers whose desire to celebrate life takes them deep into the night on wild rides, feeling as if tomorrow may take another beloved brother, their passion says, “Today we are alive, tomorrow one of us may die!”  The general public is very understanding and tolerant of off duty firefighters, a little in their cups…But there is a difference between that and the behavior that I am referring to.  We are members of an elite calling, the passion of service.  We cannot be common men, “for common men go nowhere”, as Coach Brooks said to the U.S. hockey team in 1980.

“We must help them navigate these troubled waters they are about to inherit, teach them to lead, teach them to endure, teach them to put themselves aside for each other” Photo by author.

If we hope our young firemen and firewomen will carry this legacy forward, we must first set the pace, and be living examples of what it is we profess to believe or they will not know what it is we value.  They are not so different, this new generation.  But they do not take our word blindly.  They expect us to live what we preach, they call a spade a spade.  So it must be.  We must tell them of the iron men who brought our profession to the hallowed ground.  We must help them navigate these troubled waters they are about to inherit, teach them to lead, teach them to endure, teach them to put themselves aside for each other and teach them to feel compassion for a fickle public, that one minute will praise us, then the next cut our wages down.  We must teach them humility, and accepting praise with honor, not for self-benefit and glory.  I’m not advocating that we be pure as the driven snow, not that we be like priests.  But that in times of social upheaval, it is our character that will tell.  Our elan, our heritage.  If we are not who we say we are, we will no longer be able to make a difference.

My father taught me the code of an upright man, gave me my heritage, and gave me my name.  The Marines taught me their code of conduct, their heritage and gave me their name.  Chief Croker, Chief Halton,  and many like them have done the same for us from the days when we were young in the public service.  And if we are who we say we are, we will do the same for our young ones in the firehouses, and lead them in the way of the American Firemen; men and women of character, integrity, honor, courage, judgement and fortitude.  Put action to your words..

Hangin’ with the original fire service “Warrior Poet” himself! Thanks for leading us, Chief! FOOLS Convention 2012 in Fairbanks Alaska

Yep,…that was a good cup..