“If you’re not feeling the burden of this job in some way, if its not weighing you down to some degree, then you’re not doing it right.”   There is a burden associated with the job…it can be very heavy or to be more accurate, ever present.  One does not feel it at first in […]

  Change sweeps over us all, sometimes like an on rushing train.  As the fire service leadership, we must lead our organizations successfully through it, while making sure we ourselves are still on the train. Back in the early ’90’s, I had the opportunity to spend some quality time with an old Baltimore fireman, my […]

For whatever reason, this third year after the ten-year anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center in New York seems for many of us to have felt different. Different as in, forgotten. This was the first topic of discussion this past Wednesday morning as a few of us gathered on Fire Engineering’s Humpday […]

“My fundamental duty is to serve humanity…” We all stood. “All rise and raise your right hand”..The clatter of the old wooden auditorium seats clapped and banged as the entire academy stood as one. “Repeat after me..”, said the Chief officer in attendance. The thunder of male voices rang through the auditorium. Our families sat […]

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 […]

“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; […]

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. […]

“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 […]

“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 […]

“Spend quality time with the team, learning who they are and what motivates them.” — Lt. Col Hal Moore, USA Ret. 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 […]