Fire Chief Jason Caughey emphasizes the importance of developing thinking firefighters from day one. He critiques the traditional approach where rookie firefighters are told to follow orders without thinking and advocates instead for fostering critical decision-making skills early in their careers. Caughey challenges firefighters to engage in training that builds not just physical skills but also tactical and cognitive abilities, promoting adaptability and strategic thought processes in diverse fireground situations.
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Many new chiefs and fire officers struggle to find the right balance between micromanaging and letting go
We tout our cancer prevention measures but then take turnout gear into schools, place weight rooms in engine bays and puff on cigars outside the station
To expand our perspective, we must look outside our insular ideas and accept that we may not have all the answers
Grant funds are the lifeline of the volunteer fire service so we must set ourselves up for success in the application process
Chiefs, are you seeking out new ideas and approaches from different departments?
