Co Flashcards
The company officer performs many functions including, but not limited to
-Providing leader ship
-Acting as a role model
-Giving advice
-Evaluating Firefighters performance
-Providing representation for members to the administration
-Seeking to resolve interpersonal conflicts
-Providing counseling, coaching, or discipline when necessary
-Directing the work and ensuring operational readiness
-providing company level training
The company officers most important task
Is to ensure personnel safety
A new officer is challenged to learn, apply, and model the following
Leadership
Ethics
Supervision
Responsibility
Authority
This manual addresses fire officer level I and level II while IFSTA’s chief officer manual contains information that applies to level III and level IV fire officers. the categories of duties for all levels, as listed in NFPA 1021 are
-community and government relations
-administration
-inspection and investigation
-emergency service delivery
-health and safety
Those who deliver services to the public or external customers typical functions include fire suppression, emergency medical services, inspections, education, and investigations
Line personnel
Those who provide support to the line personnel and internal or external customers typical functions are training, logistics, auxiliary organizations, and personnel administration
Staff personnel
Decisions are made by one person at the top of the structure. This model works well in very small organizations, such as an individual fire company.
Centralized authority
Decisions are made at a lower level with the effects of the decisions reported through the structure. To work effectively the chief must ensure that all members understand the organizations direction, values, and goals. Decision making authority should be delegated to the lowest level possible.
Decentralized authority
When assigning a task, the company officer should
-Describe the task and its relationship to the overall goal or objective
-provide support for a successful outcome
-Identify time and safety constraints that apply to the assignment
-Follow up on assigned tasks
When a subordinate _____ the immediate supervisor and takes a problem to a higher officer, the unity of command is broken. While it’s sometimes necessary for a subordinate to do this, it is generally an attempt to circumvent the chain of command
Sidesteps
Within each work assignment group, sub groups are assigned to complete specific tasks. Work groups may be created according to
-Type of task
-Geographical area
-Time of year or season
-Available resources
-Skills specialization
Fire and emergency services organizations follow certain basic principles of organizational structure. Based on organizational theory, research, and practice in both public and private organizations, these principles include
-scalar structure
-line and staff personnel
-decision making authority
-unity of command
-span of control
-division of labor
To achieve command presence, it may be helpful to model or develop the following qualities
Self-confidence
Trustworthiness
Consistency
Responsibility
Tolerance/acceptance
Expertise
Accountability
In addition to demonstrating these qualities, leaders can take the following eight steps to develop a command presence
Step1: determine what the situation is
Step2: Know what resources are available to apply to the situation
Step3: Develop the strategy and tactics required to resolve the situation
Step4: listen to all points of view, when appropriate
Step5: Make the decision
Step6: Implement the decision
Step7: Evaluate the decision and modify as necessary
Step8: take responsibility for the decision
Employees are initially uncertain of their roles in the group. They are not certain that they can trust or work with the other members. As relationships grow, trust and respect develop. Members begin to see themselves as part of the group and become enthusiastic about the challenges of a new project or task. This phase is critical within the team development process and one in which a company officer can have a significant effect
Forming
Conflict may result as members compete for a position of informal leader ship or attempt to exert their personal influence over the group. The leader is supportive in this stage. He or she actively listens to members and provides explanations for decisions. The most critical aspect of successful team development is to reduce the amount of time the group spends in the ______ phase
Storming
The group establishes and adheres to its own set of norms and values. Members become closer and more cohesive. The company officer again must be aware of team norms and values as much as possible to make sure that those norms don’t violate the sense of decency. The leader transitions into the role of a peer, allowing other team members to share leadership responsibilities
Norming
The supervisor works to maintain team spirits as the group accomplishes its objectives. At this stage, the group is a true team with all members sharing leader ship
Performing
skills that contribute to an individual’s overall level of emotional intelligence
-leaderships skills (social awareness, empathy, decision-making)
-self management skills (time management, drive strength, and commitment ethic)
-intrapersonal skills (self esteem and stress management)
-interpersonal skills (assertion, anger management, and anxiety management)
ELS process steps
A- self assessment: explore
B- self awareness: identify
C- self knowledge: understand
D- self development: learn
E- self improvement: apply and match
EI skills that contribute to effective leadership
-social awareness
-empathy
-decisions making
-positive influence
individuals with a fully developed commitment ethic demonstrate the following skills
- internal pride and satisfaction
-outward dependability
-self motivation
-persistance
the process of directing, overseeing, and controlling the activities of other individuals
supervision
refers to the administration and control of projects, programs, situations, or organizations
management
emotional intelligence and communication
assertion and “I” statements
first line supervisor should categorize activities into 3 priority levels
-emergency response
-preparation for emergency response
-organizational duties
establishing and communicating goals and objectives
SMART help officers develop goals and objectives and communicate to unit
s - specific
m - measurable
a - action-oriented
r - relevant
t - time sensitive
counseling employees four step method
1-describe the current performance
2-describe the desired performance
3-gain a commitment for change
4-follow up the commitment
mentoring includes:
-providing guidance in career choices
-assisting in gaining specialized training
-providing outside resources
-making challenging work assignments
-monitoring subordinates achievements
-understanding how diversity affects the workplace
primary resources provided by tax or fee payers
-personnel
-facilities
-apparatus
-tools and equipment
-legal jurisdiction
4 universal functions of management
-planning
-organizing
-directing
-controlling
types of planning
-standing (policies, procedures, and rules)
-single use (accomplish a specific objective)
-strategic (take into account external factors that affect an organization)
-operational/admin (how objectives will be accomplished)
-contingency (alternate plans)
the company officer can use the following steps to solve problems or make decisions
1-identify
2-select
3-design
4-implement
5-evaluate
a favorable work environment includes compliance with
organizational policies, practices, procedures, and the law
an unfavorable work environment occurs when
employees are subjected to a pattern of offensive conduct or behaviors, such as sexual harassment or hazing
Three levels of action for progressive discipline
-preventative action
-corrective action
-punitive action
Interpersonal communication basic elements
-sender
-message
-receiver
-feedback to the sender
-interference
Elements of listening
-attending (focusing)
-understanding
-remembering
-evaluating
-responding
Type of communication company officers use to communicate with their shift on a daily basis
Interpersonal communication
Help keep the public informed and address community concerns. May be informative or persuasive
Public relations speeches
Steps for preparing a speech
- Select topic
- Determine purpose
- Generate ideas
- Develop central idea
- Gather supporting evidence
- Organize speech
- Rehearse speech
- Deliver speech
- Evaluate speech
Company journal functions
-documenting activities of each shift
-serving as pass a long log
-equipment tagged out of service
-id public concerns that need to be forwarded to senior staff
-documenting exposure risks and injuries
-keeping ongoing record of company
Used to determine organizational decision making
Policy
A detailed plan of action that is similar and closely related to a policy
Procedure
Policy and procedures basic format
-statement of purpose
-statement of scope
-contents page
-procedures or policies by topic or function
-appendices
Basic information found at the top of policies and procedures
-subject
-policy or procedure number
-dates
-supersedes
-approvals
-distribution
-applicability
-pages
-revision
-forms used
Normally operated from the jurisdiction’s telecommunications center, stations, and other facilities
Base radios
Mounted in emergency response vehicles.
Mobile radios
Sometimes referred to as walk-in talkies. Allow personnel to remain in contact with each other while they are away from an apparatus’ mobile radio. May be operated on multiple channels
Portable radios
Receives a signal from a radio, boosts its power, and then transmits the signal to the receiver.
Repeater systems
Two primary types of repeater systems
Apparatus mounted and those prepositioned in geographical areas
Incident command functions that require one or more radio frequencies on large incidents
-command
-tactical op
-support op
-air to ground communications
-air to air communications
-medical services
Communication procedures must accomplish two objectives
-establish the use of common terms
-establishing a system of transmitting periodic progress reports
The five C’s of radio communication
-conciseness
-clarity
-confidence
-control
-capability
