Train To Your Environment

The aspect of firefighting is hard. There is no way to sugarcoat it and it is obviously not like what we see on TV nowadays. In order to understand our job and to build a callous to difficulty of the job, we need to train and train to our environment. 

What do I mean by train to our environment. This is where we train with a scenario-based mentality to put ourselves in simulated situations as if they were to occur or have occurred on the fireground (ie. The Denver Drill or Pittsburgh Drill). Both of those were developed from line of duty incidents in their respective cities and in turn became part of rapid intervention training. Hence, training to and for our environment.  

The more we cater our training to our environment, the better understanding we have of what we are going in to. Also, it helps us eliminate the fear of what we do not know. It is more difficult to search a room under fire conditions in a real life incident if you haven't been exposed to smoke filled environments since your days in the fire academy and do not get many fires. Therefore we must develop training scenarios to mimic these incidents so we have more confidence when responding to the actually incident.

Here's a few reasons why training to our environment is important 

• Helps gain confidence in your skills and your ability to understand the job at hand

• Helps gain confidence in those your work with

• Increases your situational awareness of the job

Training to our environment not only helps us develop our skills but also develop our teamwork with our crew by building a connection with one another and understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each other. Furthermore, it assists in guiding our understanding of what should be done as opposed to what is happening along with helping us identify when things do not look right and forecasting the future of the incident. 

I do agree with practical applications of various tasks such as hoseline deployment in open areas to understand the basic of such work, the weight of hoseline pressures and getting comfortable with each lines maneuverability. This same methodology goes into areas such as forcible entry, rope rescue and motor vehicle extrication. It is always good to train outside of situational based scenarios and go over the mechanics of the work however it is only the beginning.  

The same goes for sports and for this example baseball. No matter how great a hitter or pitcher is. Every hitter throughout their career hits off a tee and every pitcher throws off solid ground before they see live pitching or throws of the mound. So to be successful as an individual firefighter and as a crew, train for the environment but continue to practice the basic mechanics of the job.

Until next time, work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

Working with the Community: The Importance of Respect & Professionalism in the Public Eye

I recently took my 4-year old son to the doctor to get looked at after running a fever with a sore throat, congestion and a headache over the last couple of days. Being it's flu season along with a high risk of RSV going around, we wanted to play it safe. One of the practices doctors came in the room and was immediately disinterested in being there and would hardly attempt to comfortable a scared toddler when going through the routine exam. Granted I was there as his father, I could only do so much to not get in the way of what the doctor needed to do to check him out. As the exam went on, the vibe in the room went from disinterested to completely annoyed with no attempts to try and work with the patient but rather work against the patient.

As a first responder who has to work with citizens of a community on what they consider their worst day, I was very tuned into how this doctor - who seems new to the practice - was engaging with my son and how the doctor turned a slightly scared child into a now combative frightened child. Both reactions from my son and the doctor are very real human emotions, no doubt about it at all. Now do any of you recall hearing the term, "walking billboard"? Well, that's exactly what this doctor is and exactly what we are as first responders - "walking billboards". How we handle situations, speak and act becomes a direct relation to our department and our personal brand. It goes back to a past article and episode of the "5-Tool Firefighter Podcast", "Re-present Yourself to Represent Your Department". Go check out the article and listen to the episode of the podcast.

Read here: https://www.thefirehousetribune.com/blog/2019/7/8/3ht5o0jqptvrelqj0z93k85v48wanl

Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7Mw2remzctDyi4aqCGxTOV?si=sPYMIf51RGmyfq5kJA7J7A

It is completely normal to have bad days, long days and days where we simply need a break. Although it is highly important when working with the members of the community we are cognizant of how we are presenting ourselves to them. Thus how we are representing our department to them.

When the elderly woman who fell asleep while cooking dinner and sets the fire alarm off for burnt food on the stove or the little boy who fell out of the tree in his yard possibly breaking a limb, both are calling us at a low moment in their life and need our help. They expect us to have the ability to help them. Granted we are not therapists and cannot console them to the level they may want yet, it is our duty to ensure we treat them with a level of respect and professionalism to hopefully ensure to them we are here to serve you and help you at this very moment.

How we speak, act, and treat those we are there to serve will always have a direct relation to how we are looked at as a person, professional and could quite possibly the light it sheds on our respective department. We made a promise to serve those who call us for help, it is on us to ensure we provide them with a high level of respect and professionalism. Represent yourself in a way it speaks volumes for you and your department.

Until next time, work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

Be Adaptable

When you wake up each day are you prepared to handle what life throws at you? Are you ready to roll with the punches and adjust your thinking and your actions to accomplish your goals? Or are you anxious and uneasy about the possibility of encountering unexpected events?

Each day on and off the fire ground, in and out of the firehouse, we experience things we do not expect to occur or be part of the days plan. Part of growth and advancement is the ability to adapt to the changes of the environment around us. Yes, I said it. CHANGE. The two things firefighters do not like - change and the status quo. Kind of ironic isn't it? To go even deeper than that, us as humans in general do not like the word "change". We don't like the word so much that it's wired in our brains to become protective over our belongs when we hear the word "change". Where does that come from? It comes from the hardwiring in our brains which then causes the amygdala to release the "fight or flight" hormones as our response to "change"  as a way to protect our bodies from it.

 As firefighters and first responders we need to be receptive to change and to adapt to the current conditions around us. By doing so we are able to make wiser and often times safer decisions to the task at hand. If we are continually doing the same thoughtless type of decision-making and constantly repeating steps and decisions we've made in the past because "that's how we always did it" then we are not growing, advancing or thinking at all. We are staying in the sedentary state unable to keep up with the world and the advancements around us. As firefighters, we need to allow ourselves to adapt to the changes around us, which will then allow us to better efficiently utilize the resources around us and in turn display leadership. In the end, the fire service needs firefighters to step up and lead. As we know, leadership is contagious.

 Take a minute a think about the changes in your organization. Think about the small changes your organization has made over the years and how you were impacted by them and how you adjusted your mindset to adapt to them. In order to grow, it is imperative we look at the small changes taking place in our organizations and our lives and consciously develop ways in ourselves to adapt to them. When thinking of change, we need to take it in small steps. As we know too much of it or too much all at once, is too much for humans and society to digest. The "fight or flight" will kick in and where are we? Back at square one. Growing roots. Not advancing and not optimizing our lives to the best version of ourselves we could possibly be.

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

Probie Projects: Things You Can Do

I’m a brand new firefighter. In my volunteer station at the rural edge of a mid-sized city in Ontario, Canada, our crew is about 19 strong. When I first started, I was brought into the station by my captain to have a look around and at my first practice, a good handful of people were really welcoming. Very specifically, I have a feeling of gratitude toward my station and department for taking a chance on me and I’ve used that feeling to measure against the things I’m doing to help out or ‘put back’ into the station what they’re investing into me.

I believe that’s the right way to think about this, too. The department, the station and the crew you’re assigned to is owed your attention and effort. Past the social graces that you should already be plenty aware of, I’d like to make specific mention of the work you should be focusing on as a new firefighter. 

And how dare I. 

Afterall, I just passed the first year of service to my station. That’s an important note because it means the following ideas are based solely on my experience. You may need to round out some of the talking points here to fit into your particular experience. Still, approaching your new position with the mindset that you are ‘in-service’ to the fire service itself is the right way to act.

That might be a bit bold. A strong statement - especially from the new guy. But from my stance in the back of the truck, these seats are worn in from generations of firefighters that built a foundation that I have the privilege of standing upon. That lineage depends on us to carry it forward. Further than forward, it requires us to build. 

Taking responsibility

My argument is predicated on the idea that you should actively take responsibility for your involvement in the fire service. During our recruit training, I was exposed to a keynote speech from Mike Dugan at FDIC. His word rung through me and continue to help urge me toward the best possible output I can put forward. 

“Are you making a difference? If not, why not?”

Mike Dugan

You are responsible for improving the fire service. That responsibility adds weight to the metaphorical bar, and that’s okay. We should ask for opportunities to add to our sacred craft. 

Assuming the role of a firefighter who is invested in the trade will put you into an uncommon position. Where most people share little concern about their job, firefighters stand apart. We are not most people. 

Accepting the responsibility for making things better will mean there is more work to be done. It will place you into a category of people that ask for more even when the load is heavy to begin with. To accept that burden, a stalwart mindset must match the ability to take on more - make sure you’re prepared to work. 

Build something to learn

Using the word ‘something’ in this context is wildly open. I was lucky enough to be pinned into a station that allowed me to attend the hall to train whenever I wanted. That enabled me to get out there once my family had retired for the night and train things like SCBA donning, knots, medical rehearsal and most importantly learning the trucks. 

When I attended a station practice that would have us stretching a couple lines, I was mightily confused by putting the triple-layer load into real-world practice. Or, specifically, I had a hard time repacking it. I had a good idea behind the principle, but getting all that hose back on the bed gave me a real mental hiccup in the field. I recognized this and knew I had to act.

I had a few boxes kicking around, but I needed something to emulate a hose. A local craft store had rolls of 2 inch webbing and I figured that would be good enough. I cut a long length into two pieces. After taping one end into the ‘bed’ I rigged up inside the box, I tied a water knot with the other end to connect the two lengths together. In one way, this let me drill the water knot, in another it stood in place as a coupling in my miniature hose so I could practice staging it correctly when packing the hose. 

Attending the station with my staple tea and IFSTA manual, I used this little prop to pack a variety of loads with no stress in a comfortable environment. That process allowed me to really understand the different loads not only from my course manual but from the trucks in our bay. Even as I write this, it would probably be a good idea to mock this up again - just to stay sharp.

Learn the trucks

Perhaps your most valuable skill on the first few nights you’re called out will be a rich understanding of your trucks. These rolling tool boxes have all kinds of compartments to tuck in the gear we need to do the job. Though you might not be called upon to operate those devices, you can make yourself an expert in their procurement on the scene. 

For one month, I set about documenting every single compartment - from the glove box to the back step auto-ex gear - on our pumper. It began as a chicken-scratch chart in my station drills notebook.

You have a station drills notebook, don’t you?

Over a few evenings, I had a detailed list of every nook on that truck. Through the course of that activity, I found a few things I’d had no idea were tucked in behind gas cans or flare boxes. A truly valuable exercise in discipline and attention to detail, memorizing your trucks can be a time-saving skill during a call.  

To take this project one step further, you could formalize this process for recruits that follow in your footsteps. To build on the foundation set under your own feet by the firefighters that packed these compartments when the truck first rolled into its spot in the bay. 

Take your handwritten note and type it into a document. Take pictures and label them to make the document easier to follow than a simple list. Print that out and store it in your locker or - if you’re lucky and the station leadership permits - with the rest of the inventory documentation. You can take the digital copy and archive it into a repository, too - because this won’t be the last thing you type up for the station and a digital backup of your hard copy is a great thing to append to an email if a recruit in the future has questions about the truck.

When you accept the call, you are different from the person you were. There are things that need done now - not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because you owe that to the people who set the stage for your career. There is a standard to meet and with it, a weight of responsibility most people can not attend to. You were invited into this uniform because you volunteered. Showing up isn’t enough.

About the Author

Bill Dungey is a probationary volunteer firefighter in Brant, Ontario, Canada. He is focused on fitness, mindset development and finding training opportunities to help the fire service make things better.

The Wedge can be downloaded from https://timeandeffort.ca

Avoid Regression

In order to be successful we must be adaptable. We must adapt to changes around us personally and we must adapt to the changes in the environment. As firefighters, change is something we don’t necessarily like although we necessarily need. This is how growth happens. Without change and without adapting, we are rooted and staying still.

As the world around us is growing, is changing and is evolving, standing still and doing nothing is therefore a regression.

By allowing regression to take place, we’ve allowed ourselves to become weak. Our skills have begun to diminish and our experience is no longer valid.

If we think about all of the changes the fire service has experienced in the last 20-30 years, standing still and limited our growth is a hindrance to us and those we work with and those we protect.

The advancements in everything from building construction, fire flow, and PPE to our equipment on our rigs and advancements in fire service technology along with the changes in society has proven that we can no longer get by with the bare minimum. It has told us that it is time to evolve with these changes not just for ourselves but for the firefighters we are leaving this to in years to come.

By standing still and not adapting and evolving we are regressing.

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired

New Year New Position

The beginning of a new year often brings transition in the fire service. So before I begin, let me congratulate you on your new position. You're now a boss, the guy riding the front seat making decisions. It's more than just playing with the sirens and sitting upfront; your decisions not only impact your crew but the outcome of the incident. Whether you got your new officer position by vote, promotional exam, or appointment, there are a few simple things you can do to make your job a little easier.

STUDY UP

Just because you've reached an officer's position doesn't mean you know it all. Training should never stop; the fire service is constantly changing. Train with your company and show the crew you're not scared to engage in drills, whether hands-on or round table discussion. I've learned that the higher you move up the ranks, the fewer hands-on courses you're taking. You 100% still need to take hands-on training courses; however, it's time to start looking into the lectures. Classes focus on being an officer, such as fire officer, instruction, building construction, incident command system, and fire investigation. These courses all include officer development and will make you a better officer.

Goals

Something simple yet effective set a goal list. No one likes a new officer who comes in trying to rule with an iron fist. In fact, you should never rule with an iron fist, but you should try to better your company and department. Think about your position, and set realistic goals over a span of time. Start small and work your way up to bigger goals. No one needs to know your goal list. Keep it to yourself as motivation to leave the job better than how you found it.

Build relationships

A lot of firefighters have social media pages that you can use to your benefit. Check their pages, read their articles, and reach out to them with any questions; I promise they will help you out. Fellow officers in your department or surrounding area are also great for feedback. When you are on mutual runs or even fire department functions, build relationships, introduce yourself. Training doesn't always have to come from classes. It can come from discussions with people you meet. So build relationships with other firefighters and talk about the job with them.

Senior Man

In addition to using peers in the same position as you, utilize the senior man. Often the senior man is the chauffer of the rig, which is great for responding to incidents. When I was in my first year as a lieutenant, our senior man was my go-to guy for advice. Often, when responding to a call and dispatch would update us, I could look over to my left, and he would guide me into making the right decision on what to do next. Sometimes the senior man is riding the backstep and can be useful to you with on-scene operations. Just because you're in an officer's position doesn't mean it's above you to ask for advice. They'rethe senior guys for a reason, they've been around, and they've seen a thing or two, so use them as a resource.

In closing, I would like to bring up a few more things to remember. Always remain professional; now you're in the eye of not only commissioners and chiefs but the public. Just because you're an officer doesn't mean you still can't be a friend. You have to know when to separate the two. I wish I used this advice in the early stages of my officer ranks, but I've used it over the last few years, I've talked to other officers, and I feel it's made me a better officer today. My social media info is at the bottom of this article. Feel free to drop me a message; I'm more than willing to share ideas and hopefully learn new ideas as well! Stay safe!

"Learn every day, and use what you learn."

Twitter: @MarchianoTom

Instagram: Firemantom193

Bad Habits Good Firefighters

There’s a saying “bad habits kill good people” and sadly enough, it’s the truth. As humans we are creatures of habit and when in doubt or in times of uncertainty, we tend to go back to what we are comfortable with, right, wrong or indifferent. As we know and probably many have experienced including myself, reverting back to comfort zones could sometimes be an unsafe act.  An example of this is letting your guard down on what we call “routine calls” or “frequent flyers”. What we tend to do is not be as mentality prepared or physically equipped with the right tools should the situation take a turn in the wrong direction. This is due to the repetitive false alarm calls to the same location numerous times or various locations with no change and often times all too frequently.

In turn what does this do? This begins the creation of complacency and molding good firefighters into developing bad habits. Let’s break the habit.

1. Keep it fresh. Start each day with a clean slate. What happened in the past is the past. Start fresh and learn from yesterday.

2. Do not allow to be around those who sugarcoat your faults. Listen to those around you and determine what’s valuable and what can be discarded. 

3. Enjoy the process instead of focusing on the outcome. Preparation is your key to success. How to prepare and how your train will get you to your outcome. However, your preparation and training should be focused on what you want your outcome to be.

4. Continually learn and advance yourself and those you work with. This keeps the mind fresh and keeps the team building and morale at a plus. 

5. Finally. Rest and recharge.

Habits good or bad can have long last effects on us and how we perform. Keep your days fresh with new ideas and don’t allow what we always done deter you from getting the job done. In the end, people call us at their most needed time and we need to be at our very best.

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

Prepare to Perfrom

We are only as good as our last performance but we are also only as we prepare ourselves to be. Preparation begins long before the call comes in. It even begins before any preplanning is done and crew training. It's done, with one's own self. It's called knowing your job and performing it as if it's the championship game each time you're working. Each firefighter is responsible for their assignments and should know their job better than anyone else. On the flipside, each member of the crew should know their fellow firefighters responsibilities just as well as their own. Without knowing and understanding your role and roles around you even knowing the role above you, success is much harder to achieve and days with lower manpower will impact the rate of success.  

Some will say strategic planning is something for the command and company officers to worry about. I disagree, this is something each firefighter needs to be thinking about in some capacity. Without it, responsibilities cannot be done as efficiently and voids cannot be easier filled. When looking at this in a sports perspective, the great dynasty teams all had one common denominator, great preparation and an understanding of each other's roles. If we take the New England Patriots who won 3 Super Bowls from 2014 until now went by the mantra "Do Your Job" which stood for one thing, know your responsibilities better than anyone else on the field and understand the big picture that is looking to be achieved. By doing this, success will come. The same goes for the fire service. The more each member of the crew knows and the better they prepare, the easier a day on the fire ground becomes.

Here are a few steps on how to prepare to perform.

1. Know your role and own it. Be able to understand and explain to others the ins and outs of your role clearly. 

2. Know and understand the other responsibilities of your crew. This helps become multi-dimensional and can easily back fill other roles should there be a short staff or other circumstances that may arise.

3. Consistently train on your responsibilities and rotate through training on other responsibilities as well. By doing so, it bridges any gaps and helps develop a more unified crew. Example using engine company ops: On a 4 man engine, there's an officer (assumes back-up role), driver, nozzle firefighter and control firefighter (also assumes hydrant duty).  This is a prime example of how firefighters are responsible to one role and yet assumes another role. Continually practice in such roles plays dividends when it is used in the field. 

• Use your resources such as google maps to get aerial views, side views and street views of buildings you want to have specific plans for and even use it for the frequent flyers. Never take anything for granted.

• Develop a plan and train on it consistently and then develop contingencies and train on those. 

• Ensure all crew members understand the strategies and tactics and can clearly explain them. This helps show everyone is clear on the assignments. 

Preparation is key to successful fire ground performance. How you prepare is how you perform. Train accordingly.

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

The Social Media Fire Service

In today's world, almost everything is accessible with the press of a button with many of today's arguments behind a keyboard or smartphone finding faults or flaws in what others do or say. As the world changes, the fire service changes. Experience, response area demographics, training and years on the job all play a part in our individual wealth of knowledge and while many share this, others seems to want to tear it down. Is it for personal gain? Or is simply to hide their own insecurities?

There's a growing trend across the world and in the fire service world, called the "Social Media Warrior" trend. Many of you may recall this as being the "Monday Night Quarterback" before the dawn of social media where we'd sit around the firehouse kitchen table, in the bays or day room and critique other departments calls we buffed or heard from a scanner but in any sense, the term has evolved into a worldwide social media trend on all aspects. Nowadays, everything we do and say has potential to be posted on social media for all to see. Sometimes it's good. Sometimes it's bad. 

The fire service has seemed to have been a victim of the social media warrior, as many firefighters sharing training tips, fire departments posting pictures (with reason) of scenes they've worked on find themselves at the hands of a keyboard warrior critiquing their training and operations without adding any valuable insights or takeaways. Granted no one is going to ever please everyone -- I get it but what I'm saying is there's always a time and place for negative banter and social media commenting in my opinion, isn't one of them.  

Is this benefiting the culture of today's fire service? Or is this a hindrance to its growth?

As a fire service family regardless of status (career, volunteer, per diem, etc.) we are all privileged to do this job and should live by that notion to not only improve ourselves but assist in the improvement of the firefighters around us. It's one thing to point out others flaws and assist in correcting them but it's another thing to point out those same flaws to mock them. 

The fire service is known for traditions of honor, commitment and loyalty, to name a few and as such, paying it forward is the best way to keep those traditions alive and avoid bringing downs others.

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

Dedication and Commitment

In order to be in the fire service, each person needs to have a level of dedication to the job and a level of respect for the job. A few years while training in marital arts I had the opportunity to train with a professional MMA fighter, who at the time was in the UFC. Currently, this fighter who I won't mention is now retired from active competition. During this time, I would only train on the techniques while at school I trained at 3 days a week. That was until I met and trained with this pro fighter who did train with former UFC Middleweight and Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre. While training with him, I learned tons of techniques, gain valuable tips and other tidbits of information I could use in competitions and also in other facets of my life especially as a firefighter. Along with the information he shared, he asked me one question. "How would I train if no one was watching?" He went on further to say, because we all want to put on a show when the cameras are on us. After that conversation, those words had me reevaluate my training to see if I had that same level of enthusiasm and dedication as I did when I was training by myself or with other people outside the MMA gym and off the baseball field. To be honest, it wasn't as fulfilling and once our training was over, that question changed my course and enhanced my personal wellbeing and dedication to my crafts. 

Why am I telling this story? Because just as a professional athlete will train with or without an audience, us too as firefighter should train. 

This fighter made mention that no matter where he was training he dedicated himself 100% each time he was in there. It didn't matter if the coaches were around or he was alone, he made sure it was everything he had for that session. Cellphones, selfies and social media were nonexistent to him while he was training and for obviously reasons, the work paid off and never took any of it for granted.

Since those training sessions, I took that advise and used it for myself as a firefighter and would like to share them with you. 

Dedicate yourself to the job in the firehouseand also when out of the firehouse. Utilize as many resources as you could to better yourself as a firefighter. Do not just attend certification courses at a fire academy but also read educational books (which my book shelf is now loaded with), understand the changes in the service and how you could adapt to them. To go even further, attend fire service conferences with or without departmental funding so you could attend seminars, see new advancements and network. Networking pay huge dividends when it comes to advancing yourself and gaining wealth's of knowledge from fire service leaders. Also, read and stay on top of NIOSH reports in order to understand the line of duty deaths and the findings reported after the investigations. Make your body your machine and develop a healthy lifestyle through physical and mental fitness along with proper nutrition for an optimal lifestyle worthy of the functionally fit firefighter. Always ask yourself, would you want YOU rescuing YOU? 

Fire doesn't care of your status, career, part time, per diem or volunteer so why should you train yourself as if it's a job I just need to get through to retirement or a volunteer gig I do as a hobby?

Think about why you started with in the first place. What made you sign up for this?

To be successful and dedicated to the fire service it takes hundreds of thousands of hours of dedication and commitment to the books, in the gym, in the firehouse and on your own time to be a battle ready, battled tested firefighter. The time to prepare isn't when the bell rings because then it's too late. To be battle ready is to always stay battle ready. 

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

About the Author

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 17 years in the fire service in Piscataway, NJ, a NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor, a State of New Jersey Advocate for the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website. A martial arts practitioner and former collegiate athlete in baseball, Nick is also a National Exercise & Sports Trainer Association Battle Ropes Instructor, Functional Fitness Instructor and Nutrition Coach.  He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University, and a A.A.S in Liberal Arts - Business from Middlesex County College. Nick has spoken at the 2017 & 2018 Firehouse Expo in Nashville, TN as well as at numerous fire departments within NJ and fire service podcasts.

Re-Present Yourself to Represent Your Department

From the time we enter the academy to the time we are sworn in as firefighters, we are training to become a better version of ourselves. Even after we graduate and begin our time as a firefighter we are still training each and every day to improve ourselves to become a better version of ourselves but what about the department and community we serve? They say the name on the helmet represents the department and the name on the jacket represents who raised you. Well, what if the name on the helmet and the name on the jacket are not only being represented by you but your “re-presenting” those names through you? 

Think about that for a minute. The 2 names on your uniform are being “re-presenting” through you. The town, the communities and other agencies know the department on the helmet and may quiet possibly know the name on the jacket but it’s how the names are carried and “re-presented” that makes the difference. It’s easy to put the uniform on and go to work but it’s another thing to put the uniform on and go to work with humility, honor and respect. Ask yourself these questions when you’re “re-presenting” the names because this is how you are “re-presenting” your department and your name to others.

1. Am I respectful to my boss and my crew?

2. Am I humble?

3. Do I respect the job?

4. How do I want these names to be “re-presented” to my fellow firefighters and the community?

5. Am I training hard each and every day to improve myself mentality and physically?

6. Would I be able to lead myself?

Being a firefighter and wearing the uniform isn’t a right, it’s a privilege. A privilege many people wish they had and a privilege that can be taken away at any moment. Be conscious of how you act and speak when wearing any part of that uniform on and off duty, it’s showing how you present yourself and also how you are “re-presenting” the names on that uniform. So do a service to your department, the community you sworn to protect, your fellow firefighters who ride alongside you, your family and most importantly yourself and “re-present” them the way you would want someone to “re-present” you. 

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

About the Author

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 17 years in the fire service in Piscataway, NJ, a NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor, a State of New Jersey Advocate for the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website. A martial arts practitioner and former collegiate athlete in baseball, Nick is also a National Exercise & Sports Trainer Association Battle Ropes Instructor, Functional Fitness Instructor and Nutrition Coach.  He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University, and a A.A.S in Liberal Arts - Business from Middlesex County College. Nick has spoken at the 2017 & 2018 Firehouse Expo in Nashville, TN as well as at numerous fire departments within NJ and fire service podcasts.

Blank Slate

This past year my wife and I were blessed to welcome the birth of our first child. For those who are parents know the thoughts that go through your mind; joy, excitement, nervousness, and worry just to name a few. The last 7 months have been the most amazing and important yet difficult time we’ve ever experienced.

Each day we watch our son grow, learn and take on life. He learns a little more and more about himself and us each day and us the same about him. The one thing I’ve noticed as he discovers life and becomes his own little person is his impressionable innocence. Everything he’s exposed to and everything he’s taught is absorbed like a sponge.

The same is true for those entering the fire service. New recruits come in as an empty slate who, for the most part don't know anyone or how anything works and will absorb everything they hear, see and read like a sponge. In order to keep the fire service family and brotherhood alive, it is upon us, the current generation to do our best to not allow any negative emotions or feelings towards a fellow firefighter and departmental policies be absorbed by the newer generations coming in. The best thing we could do is to look at the things we don't agree with and turn it into a positive remembering why we signed up for this job. Just like babies, new recruits are excited and have an eagerness to learn, grow and a hunger to prove themselves worthy of this job. So let's embrace the newer generations entering the fire service and show them that although there is downsides to what we do, we can always walk in with a smile on our face,  have an eagerness to learn and a willingness to always pay it forward with the hopes of developing the generations to come.

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired

About the Author

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 17 years in the fire service in Piscataway, NJ, a NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor, a State of New Jersey Advocate for the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website. A martial arts practitioner and former collegiate athlete in baseball, Nick is also a National Exercise & Sports Trainer Association Battle Ropes Instructor, Functional Fitness Instructor and Nutrition Coach.  He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University, and a A.A.S in Liberal Arts - Business from Middlesex County College. Nick has spoken at the 2017 & 2018 Firehouse Expo in Nashville, TN as well as at numerous fire departments within NJ and fire service podcasts.

The Dance of Life

I'm sitting in my room, studying with an intensity I didn't know I had. It's the mid 1980's and I am in middle school. My mom and I had just moved from Philadelphia, PA to Augusta, GA for her first military assignment. It might as well be a different world. There aren’t any Philly cheesesteaks and sports teams that I’m used to seeing. Yet, in this very different place, there is one thing I feel connected to; the very thing I am so intently studying: Breakdancing.

Middle school is an age where I wanted to fit in and be cool. Being prolific in breakdancing isa ticket to coolness. I carefully read, and reread my beloved practice poster (yes, there is a practice poster for breakdancing). I watch and study MTV like a must-see webinar. And the movies! Oh, I watch every single one the day it is released. Now, I’m not really all that good. Dreamsof being a dancer on a rap video are just dreams. But I can spin around on my head and not get sent to the hospital. I work at honing these skills leading up to the next military assignmentthat my mom and I take to Belgium, then Germany. During my high school years, I find to secure the social life I want, I amgoing to need to learn different dances for different occasions. Sure, breakdancing is a great fit for house parties, but what about the Semi-formal winter dance or the Formal Prom. If I amgoing to get dates and not look like a fool, I am going to need to dabble in the right kind of dancing to move my social life along.

Advancing your career with training and education is a lot like learning the right dance. All of the dances are great, but serve a different purpose.

• Dances at the house party is down to earth, wild, sometimes crazy or zany. In your career, this equates to training in the fire service. The drills for new people. Improving the skills of tenured people. Working with other stations and units. There is a general way it should be done, but there is room for creativity.

• Semi-formal dances have a bit more structure. These are your conferences, conventions, 1-3-day trainings. Going to regional schools. Going to FDIC and FRI. They are home grown classes that may have originated at the fire station, but are now on a bigger stage.

• Formal danceshave set expectations for how the event is happening. Dress like this. Move this way. These include official college certifications and formal classes such as Fire Officer I. They take more time and have a set structure. That structure allows for your education to be comparable to others across the world. It helps to measure your investment. It helps to increase your creditability.

Just like my dance life, you will do the most good for yourself by attending all the dances. Over reliance on station training may mean not keeping up with best practices. Over reliance on college and other formal training classes will lead to understanding theory, and not practical application. You are advancing your fire service life; your fire service career. Be sure to take part in training and education in all three parts to be ready for the big dances that are coming. And you won’t need to spin on your head, either!

Ordinary People Have Extraordinary Impact.

About the Author

 NICK BASKERVILLE Nick has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 18 years of fire service time, with 15 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and as one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance. Nick is one of the many trainers for Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN) to offer awareness and prevention training about cancer in the fire service. Nick has the honor of being one of the many contributors for The Firehouse Tribune.

Building a Culture of Improvement

Recently, I had a conversation with a good friend of mine who has just been appointed chief of his department. I congratulated him on his promotion and also asked him about his outlook for the role and what he hopes to accomplish. He stated, he would like to bring the department closer together and instill the family values of the fire service back into this department. His one concern however, was dealing with some of the older firefighters already ingrained in their ways and continually use the term, "because that's how we always done it!" Well, for this chief who can relate in age to a few of these firefighters doesn't care about how it was always done. His mentality is "but was it done right?" In his mind, he's looking to not change how the department is operating but IMPROVE how they are operating and looking to do that through team building and acknowledgement of firefighters accomplishments.

After hanging up the phone, I left for the gym and started thinking about the talk we just had and thought, this is what it's all about. It's about improving yourself and instilling discipline. Change is all around us and everything is evolving each and every day especially in the fire service. Sometimes when we look at what someone is looking to do, when they are on their mission, we forget that we are all fighting the same fight and all have the same objectives to accomplish yet how it is done vary based on rank or assignment. As humans, in our minds we get turned off that someone is trying to CHANGE what we are doing but are they really trying to change it? Or are they trying to take what is already set up and IMPROVE it?

As we've seen for generations upon generations, there will always be generational gaps within people but we can also see that the blueprint that was laid out by older generations isn't being thrown away yet are still very well alive and kicking. This can be seen from the first strategies and tactics books written by Chief Lloyd Layman which isn't many pages to the numerous books today that are hundreds of pages. All of which is built off of a foundation laid out for us decades ago. So as the fire service is evolving, the tactics and decision making skills aren't changing but are evolving and so to the firefighters, we are evolving as well.

Here's my advice to you, find things you do each day in your life and as a firefighter that is very routine and find ways to improve them. Not change them but improve them. This can be anything from improving your time in donning your PPE, to improving your time hitting the hydrant so when it's time for the real deal you aren't going through the motions that might've taken you 2 minutes to do but now takes 1 minute or less. This is how things, even the small things, get improved. This is how we can develop a culture of improvement for everyone in the house to do the same and develop a healthy competition amongst members.

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

About the Author

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 17 years in the fire service in Piscataway, NJ, a NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor, a State of New Jersey Advocate for the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website. A martial arts practitioner and former collegiate athlete in baseball, Nick is also a National Exercise & Sports Trainer Association Battle Ropes Instructor, Functional Fitness Instructor and Nutrition Coach.  He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University, and a A.A.S in Liberal Arts - Business from Middlesex County College. Nick has spoken at the 2017 & 2018 Firehouse Expo in Nashville, TN as well as at numerous fire departments within NJ and fire service podcasts.

What Are You Telling People?

I say “Good afternoon!How are you doing?” I am stopping to getodds and ends at a supermarket. It is atypical day during the summer here in Maryland;so being inside provides a bit of relief from the heat and humidity. The cashier is who I give this standard greeting. He is tall, lanky, and young. My guess is that this is probably his Summer job. Admittedly, I ask the question about his day out of rote practice. I just heard the conversationbetween the cashier and the person before me. I already know his answer. His response?“Oh, I can't complain.” That’s not the answer he gave the other guy.

In speaking with the person just before me, this is the response I hear him say: “Man it’s hot in here. It feels good at first, but then, it’s hot again.” Now, this is a supermarket, not a court of law. I will not prosecute him for telling me one thingand another person something else. And given that he and the other person are wearing the same uniform shirt, it makes sense. He is more comfortable with a known, coworker than anunknown, customer. We all have things that bother us. We are just not up front about telling everyone about them. And that’s fine, until you aren’t fine.

Everyone has problems.Whether or not someone will talk about them is another story. Over the last few months,firefighters in nearby jurisdictions have taken their own lives.An article from CNN article last year* states “Last year (in 2017), 103 firefighters and 140 police officers committed suicide, whereas 93 firefighters and 129 officers died in the line of duty, which includes everything from being fatally shot, stabbed, drowning or dying in a car accident while on the job.” In a discussion I had shortly after that, a question was posed to me; if I had a problem, who would I tell? Who would I tell what I felt, versus what the pre-canned answer of “Oh, I can’t complain.”

There are many people better qualified than I to speak on mental health. What I give you then, is not vast knowledge, but perspective. One that focuses on just on aspect of the problem of mental health in the fire service. Many people wouldn’t know who to tell their problems to if their life depended on it. If you had a problem, who would you tell?Not just any problem, but the kind of problem that would make you question being alive. How much trust you have in another person is proportional with how much would you revel to him or her. Who do you trust enough to tell that kind of problem?

I don’t feel like fire service culture makes it easy to talk about weakness, mistakes, and problems people tend to face. In order to have a conversation on that level, there has to be a sense of closeness between 2 people. A sense of trust.Listening to the comments of the young cashier and the guy he was talking to, they are obviously closer to each other than to me. They know each other. They have history. I'm just some dude picking up some odds and ends. No need to trust me with a problem statement.

As leaders, I ask we all take a look at what we are doing to make it easy for people to talk about problems. To find the common places and build bridges of trust and safety. Part of leadership is figuring out what that is for each individual. That's a pretty tall order. I've had a fewsuccesses and many more failures throughout my entire career.I don't know that I have a set answer. I will tell you what life has taught me so far. Keep saying “Good morning! How are you doing?” If I go back to that same store on a regular basis and interact that same cashier, eventually, we will get to know each other better. Eventually, we will talk about more things. Eventually, he’ll let me know when the heat is getting to him. Eventually, he’ll trust me enough to tell me what he really feels. Relationships are a lot like planting fruit trees. It takes a while to nurture the progress, but in the end, the fruit that is produced is worth it. As a leader, make trust your everyday order of business. Make trust ordinary, and you will see extraordinary impact.   

*From <https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/04/11/officers-firefighters-suicides-study/503735002/>

 About the Author

 NICK BASKERVILLE Nick has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 18 years of fire service time, with 15 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and as one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance. Nick is one of the many trainers for Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN) to offer awareness and prevention training about cancer in the fire service. Nick has the honor of being one of the many contributors for The Firehouse Tribune.

A Perfect TIN

My choice of title may have you question my high school diploma. It may also have you question if I understand the difference between self-confidence and being self-absorbed.  Rest assured, my diploma is valid, and many of life's lessonshave kept me humble.After spending just over a year on an ambulance as a probationary supervisor, I learned a number of things. Three of those things that come to mind can be put together in the acronym TIN:

• Theory

• This is the starting place, not the ending place. When I left home after high school, I thought to myself "Now I get to show my mom I know what I'm talking about!" like so many folks leaving home, I knew the answers that I came up with would carry me though life. Most of those answers didn't last the first year. Life as a new supervisor was no different. I already had 10 years of supervisory experience from the military. Yet, this first year I found myself tweaking and adjusting how I thought things would go. As the military saying goes, "No plan survives contact with the enemy." What theories do you have that are awaiting contact with real life situations?

• Information

• When I prepared for the promotional process, there was an exercise where I interactedwith role players to show my interpersonal skills. I knew that the role player may have info that I needed. If I didn't ask for it, however, Iwasn’t going to get it. So, when it was brought to me that there was a difference between what I thought was happening my first year, and what was actually happening, I realized I didn't have all the info I needed. After talking it over with my boss, I completed a 360-degree survey at my station. I gotfeedback from my boss, other supervisors, and the firefighters there. I found where my Theory was working, and I found where it wasn't. I didn't make all the changes recommended, but I did change my approach on a number of things. Sometimes, you won't get information unless you ask for information. When is the last time you asked for more info?

• Network

• Having a network is huge! You've used your Theory. You've gotten Information you didn't have before. Still coming up short on leadership answers? No problem. Phone a friend from your Network. Your Network is a grouping of people you respect and depend on to be the best version of yourself. Getting the insight and perspective of another person can be just what you need to get on the right track. Who gets to be in your network? Your mentors to start with. Getting advice from someone who cleared the path of wilderness before you can help greatly. Respected peers are some others. I was lucky enough to be at a station with 6 other supervisors that I interacted with. Each person was able to provide me with an angle I may not have considered. Don't have 6 supervisors where you work? Connect with others in your organization. Join professional groups. Attend local conferences and trainings to network with people. Finally, don't forget about the people you know, that know nothing about your job. One of the best relationships I've had thus far, is the older gentleman I used to ride with to the men's prayer breakfast. As we rode, I would just soak in all the life wisdom he was nice enough to bestow on me. Who are you calling in your Network to be a million-dollar supervisor?

Are there more lessons that I learned I that year? You bet! I’m still digesting some of them. Luckily, being a good supervisor is a process. One that I hope to get better at every day. All with the hope that one day, I’ll be an ordinary person, who had an extraordinary impact.

About the Author

 NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance.

Unexpected Wisdom

 "Ah, nothing like the smell of propane to wake you up in the morning!" That's what I tell myself riding on the back of the hazardous material unit. We are off to a propane gas leak at a home. Some of you may only be familiar with propane containers used for home grills. Trust me, that is not what we are going to. Imagine a container the size of 4 of those entire grills put together. If that not's big enough of a problem, have that container buried underground. Grab a Snickers bar, we are going to be here awhile.

As expected, we ride down the road with red lights turning and the siren yelling. Once there, we make sure we have on all our fire department gear. Our hand-held meter for detecting propane is turned on and working. Someone has laid out and charged a hose line just in case the gas finds a spark and goes boom just like the YouTube videos. With some specialized training, and some not so specialized items found at the local hardware store, we stop the leak. So now we wait for the expert to come fix the problem: the guy from the gas company.

A white van moseys on up to the scene. The side has the gas company's logo on it. One guy steps out with the usual attire for an event like this: jeans, t-shirt, and work boots. To make sure he meets the right level of safety, he puts on a helmet and some gloves. Don't worry, I am pretty sure these come from the same local hardware store we got our hazmat stuff. We sit there, with structural firefighting gear on, ready to save anyone in a 50 ft radius. Meanwhile, the gas company expert is dressed the same way I dress when I mow my lawn, minus the helmet.

I then hear a voice say "This is what an expert looks like?" That voice, was just me thinking really loud. Have you ever done that? Looked a person and said, "Where is the REAL expert? You can't be it." If you have, then you now know what it is to be bias. When we talk about it in regards to ethnicity, or gender, or religion, people get real nervous or defensive about being called bias. Truth is, we are all bias about something. Bias works the same way no matter what yours happens to be. The question is, what are you doing with yours?

I decided to go talk to this so-called expert. I asked questions. And I listened, and listened, and listened. I learned a lot about underground propane tanks worked. The gas guy really was an expert. And I really was self-righteous for thinking otherwise based on a look. It's really a pretty simple concept: Asking questions gets you information. Not just about propane, but about people as well. You never know when an ordinary question will have an extraordinary answer.   

About the Author

 NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance.

Playground Lessons

Today I got to do something I don't normally get to do: Sleep beyond the sound of my alarm clock. Really, I could do that on any other day. To do so, however, would mean missingclass or work. Neither are good options. Even without an alarm clock, I still wake up at 6 am.

Like most people in public safety, that IS what sleeping in looks like. The morning is a bright summer day. Yet, it’s not hot and sticky yet. A perfect day for taking my 5-year-old daughter, Baby Girl, to the playground. The playgrounds I went to as a kid hadscorching, metal slides that could cook an egg in the summer time. The swing sets normally had 4swings, with 3 missing or broken. These days, my kid gets to enjoy playgrounds that really are an amusement parks without the admission price.

At the playground we go to today, it’s amazing. It’s really 4 – 5 large playgrounds within 20 feet of each other. They have themes like pirate ships and dinosaurs. Never mind slides. One of them actually has a zip line that allows my kid to travel between the monkey bars and some other contraption I can’t describe. Most importantly, there are swings. A whole row of them. They are on the outer edge of the playground. And they all work!

Swings are one of Baby Girl’s favorite parts of the playground. Still, using swings is a new concept. She says, “Can you just push me?” and I explain “Big Girl, I want you to do it all by yourself. You’ll have more fun that way.” I talk her through the motions. Feet forward, then back. Lean in and back. We spend about 10 mins of swinging sideways and turning in circles. After some good laughs,I finally get in the swing next to her and show her how it's done. Watching me, she mimics what I'm doing and starts to get the hang of it. She's not necessarily on her way to the Olympic trials in playground swings. But she should be able to have fun at the playground. 

How often are you the example of how to do something? The reason the phrase “Actions speak louder than words” is so true, is because people don’t think in words. They think in pictures and movies. Getting a mental picture or mental movie into a person’s mind is key to getting understanding. At times, this can be done with words. Other times, you just have to get on the swings. Make being an example apart of your ordinary day, and watch it have an extraordinary impact.

 About the Author

NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance. 

Things Have Changed

 "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but…"There are few ways to get a group of firefighters to be quiet. This one works pretty well. I was doing some training with a group of firefighters recently. In the mist of training, one of our department’s retirees stops by. He’s a well-respected firefighter. He retired as an officer and is known to be a great on the fire ground. When this guy spoke of how to handle an incident, knowledge just oozed out of his words. The way he started out this story made it even easier to listen. He goes on to say, "Back when we got acquired structures to burn in, we would use a live victim for rescue. That probably would not go over too well these days."Boy is he right! Anyone who knows current safety standards, or has read Line of Duty Death (LODD) reports in recent history realizes the danger those people were put in.   

As I soaked in the words he said, it made me think. The retired guy realized that even though what was done in that era was commonplace, it is now known to be extremely dangerous. Learning has occurred for him, and hopefully, for the entire fire service. For those of you that can’t fathom how anyone would have ever done this practice, consider this question: What common place things have you done that you later you found out could be the worst thing to do?

I am just beginning to teach my youngest kid, baby girl, to ride a bike.She has a helmet, and knee pads, and elbow pads. All of which matches her bike, by the way. What did I have when I learned to ride a bike? An afro. That's what protected me. My afro.My mom wasn't a bad parent for it. That was acceptable. Just like the retired firefighter, I realize that times have changed for the better. It may take more effort and resources to accomplish training in the fire service or training on the playground, but it's worth it.Change for the best often requires more work. But before change can happen, one must realize the need for change. If you don't see something wrong with what you are doing, why do something different?That retired firefighter understood the need for the change in training. What changes do you see a need to make?In yourself?Your organization?Your profession?Change is inventible, why not make it a change for the good. It takes ordinary people to make a change to have an extraordinary impact.

About the Author 

NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance. 

Cruising to a New Perspective

We just arrived in port at the Baltimore harbor that morning. As I drink my coffee on the 9th level of the cruise ship, I can see my pickup truck in the parking lot. Looks more like a toy truckin a sea of Match Box cars. With time left before we disembark the cruise ship, I begin to think: "What a different view."

Nine days prior, I made my way to that very parking spot as directed by parking attendants. With my wife, we got our bags and made our way to the passenger terminal. We could barely see pass the sea of other cars and trucks. There was no missing the ship, though. It Looked more like a floating high-rise city. Once inside the terminal, the real boarding process began. We navigate through the maze of zig zag lines, paperwork, and check points until we finally made it to our cabin.

An announcement over the PA brings me back to that morning as I sit sipping coffee. I see a new perspective on the same place I've been before. Our truck is still in the sea of vehicles, but Inow see it on the left of the passenger terminal that we entered the first time. Further left of the ship I can see other ships of varying sizes in port. Straight ahead of the terminal building, the highway is in sight. With a steady increase of cars and decrease in speed, I'm reminded that the Monday morning commute is starting.

All of these were probably visible 9 days earlier, but I had not risen to the 9th story of ship, so I had no awareness of this. Why tell you this? In 2007 I attended the first offering of the Virginia Fire Officer's Academy. Over the course of a week, instructors were brought into the campus of the University of Richmond. Once there, they gave new and aspiring fire service leaders the chance to learn leadership from a different perspective. One of the speakers did a class demonstration using three people. All stood in different parts of the room. The presenter explained that as a person rises in an organization, he or she begins to see the same things in a different perspective. Perhaps, in a perspective that could not be understood at any of the other levels.

As a leader in any fire service organization, how do you go about having the perspective of the levels you are not currently at? How do you get the view from the 9th deck, the parking lot, and everywhere in between? Driver operators in the fire service understandhow to use gallons per minute (GPM) to provide flow for water. The fluid motion of the frame of reference of leaders also requires a GPM:

o Guide

• This is a person at a higher level than you. A person at a level that you aspire to be. He or she gives you a bird's eye view. Helps you to develop the possible visions of future goals. Having regular contact with people ahead of you is vital for achieving goals. You cannot be what you cannot see

o Peer

• This is someone from another organization or area that gives you a different perspective at a similar level. Thisperson lets you know that the grass might lookgreener because it artificial, or better taken care of. You may have arrived on side A of the building, but the peer is giving you a report from side C.

o Mentee

• Remember the version of you at beginning of your career? People say that they do. But their minds tend to play tricks on them. We all sometimes suffer the ‘Curse of Knowledge’. Once we have learned information, we can’t imagine us, or anyone else, not knowing that information already. We need someone that reminds us what life looked like in the beginning. This is how we relate what we know, to the people that need to know it.

Each new day and each new level in life affords us the chancesee and know things we never knew before. But as human beings, we only get to see the perspective of the level we are at. If we are to move us, our organization, or our cause to new destinations, we will need to use GPM to provide the proper prospective to get there. The story of our journey may seem ordinary, but the impact can be extraordinary.

 About the Author

 NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance.