Page 29 - UFRA Straight Tip Spring 2023 - Volume 24 Issue 2

serving others, there is no limit to the leadership you can exert in your department. Be about a bigger purpose, not just all about yourself.
TRUST is a big word, but it is essential to what we do and how we deal with each other in the fire service. Why is this so important? We ask other firefighters to trust us with their lives and they do the same for us. We watch out for our family, and they watch out for us. We protect each other. Why is this so hard? It really isn’t that hard; it is just something that takes some time with each other as a family, and as a team.
Yes, we are a team, and this line of work requires TEAMWORK from us all. To build a strong team, you must see someone else’s strength as a complement to your weaknesses, not as a threat to your position or authority.
ACCOUNTABILITY is not just how we keep track of each other on the fire ground. You should hold yourself and each other accountable to the expectations that you have for each other, the expectations
of your organization, and the expectations of your city/district. You should be the person that stands up when something is not right and says, “Not on my watch!”
ATTITUDE is a choice. I believe that you are in control of YOU, and it is your choice to have a bad attitude or be happy. Maybe you have heard this, but it makes sense when talking about attitude. Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude deter- mines how well you do it.
David Griffin wrote, “The power of your attitude and energy can be posi- tive or negative. We often forget that we control this 100 percent with the way that we carry ourselves, the way that we speak to one another, the way that we treat our teammates and the level of care that we have for others. . . . You just need to be human and to care about others. It goes back to the golden rule: Treat others as you would want to be treated. If you actually believe in what brotherhood and sisterhood in emergency services really means, start improving your personal skills to include having a positive attitude and the energy that’s needed to influence oth- ers in a productive way. That’s what takes organizations to the next level. You and I control that, and that’s called power. Use that power to help others, instead of to bring them down.”2
“Every day is a TRAINING day” should be your mantra. It is so impor- tant in keeping us safe and ensuring that everyone goes home. Remem- ber to make it fun, but make it a challenge. Come up with ideas that keep it interesting and not so repetitive (or death by PowerPoint). Make train- ing so important that it becomes muscle memory or a reflex response when it is needed. We train each other, our family, and eventually our replacement. Give the “new guys” some help when it comes to training. Show them the ropes so they can have the operational confidence that they need. Do all this training as safely as possible. Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson wrote, “The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice.”3
Now, specifically, I want to speak to the first-line supervisor (lieutenant/ captain). You are the ADULT in the room. This is YOUR family and their safety is in YOUR hands. Pay attention to the little things that are
going on around you, not just on the fire ground. Too often we are too willing to criticize others. You can control that before it gets out of hand. Your family is YOUR responsibility, and the consequences are REAL!!
Morale is up to you! I don’t specifically believe in the “morale” band- wagon we jump onto so fast anymore. Morale can be a problem, but it is usually tied to a communication problem. It is usually the first-line supervisor that is not communicating to his or her team or to his or her superiors. This goes back to being the adult in the room, not letting rumors get out of hand, and watching out for your family!
Most of these are really the SIMPLE THINGS we do or should be doing. Remember:
• When it’s important enough, it’s personal.
• Never walk past a problem you can solve.
• Give it your ALL!
• Be nice!! Even at 2:00 a.m. to the frequent flyer who just needs
some attention or someone to talk to. • Leave it better than you found it.
And lastly, these are questions I ask myself and I ask my department to consider each day/shift:
• What have I done to make MYSELF better?
• What have I done to make my SHIFT better?
• What have I done to make my DEPARTMENT better?
1. “Servant Leadership,” https://www.leadershipfirst.net/post/ servant-leadership.
2. David Griffin, “Leadership Lessons: The Power of Attitude and Energy,” Firehouse, June 20, 2022, https://www.firehouse. com/leadership/article/21266659/the-power-of-attitude-and- energy-in-the-fire-service.
3. Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, Dune: House Harkon- nen (New York: Del Rey, 2000), 532.
Craig Golden, fire chief for the Roy City Fire Department for the last 3 years, has been a firefighter for over 34 years. He was the fire chief for RAF Menwith Hill (UK) and the deputy chief of the Hill Air Force Base Fire Department. He also served with the
Provo Fire Department and others. He retired from a 26-year military career after serving in the US Army and US Air Force (active, reserve, and National Guard).
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