Firehouse.com

Did I ever tell you the story about the Captain I knew in the City of Newark who would never help his crew load the hose back onto their pumper? It did not matter if the crew was full or riding short. This bum would sit in the cab of the pumper smoking a cigarette while his people worked to reload the hose. What a terrible example of first-line supervisions and leadership. But do not think that I am limiting my comments solely to the realm of the first line supervisor.
 

Do you have any idea when it will be time to consider a merger between fire departments in order to provide better fire protection for your community? Let me suggest that the first step comes when you look around and finally notice the true state of affairs in your fire department. Where are the people and where are the fire trucks? I noted this phenomenon at a recent multiple-alarm fire.
 

There are some really basic rules in the world of fire. Before you board the fire truck, you need to know what you are doing. If you want to perform your job correctly, you must train to the standards established for you. If you want your team to succeed, you cannot leave it to the other guy. Everyone must pull equally on the oars of you boat, and most importantly. Should it be your goal to have a culture of safety in your fire department, you need to be the one who provides the example for your people.  
 

After a busy couple of weeks, I have once again found myself sitting on the front porch of my home pondering the path that the Lord has laid out in front of me. Many of us think that we are in control and celebrate the manner in which we have chosen to move through life. Sorry my friends, but the simple act of gazing up at the stars tends to give a man the proper sense of perspective. How can any of us think ourselves to be all that important, when placed in the face of such endless beauty? 
 

A great deal of time and attention is regularly devoted to exploring the many facets of leadership. The collective labors of a wide variety of people have been devoted to creating a proper understanding of just what constitutes the makeup of those among us who turn out to be good leaders. Many among this research throng are looking for a magic formula. These people believe that it is possible to create a "magic mental bullet" which, when shot into the brain of a receptive person, will suddenly make them an effective leader. Sorry.