Fire Officer Principals & Practices 3rd edtn. Flashcards
Memorize!
NFPA standard for fire officer professional qualifications
NFPA 1021
Four levels of fire officer in NFPA 1021:
- Fire Officer I
- Fire Officer II
- Fire Officer III & IV
- Fire Officer I = Officer supervising a single co.
- Fire Officer II = Senior non-chief officer
- Fire Officer III & IV = Chief officers
The foundation of company officer practice came from …
WWII combat experience
Number of FF in US
1.1 mil
Professional : Volunteer percentages
31% : 69%
Medical : Fire response percentages
66% : 5%
Year the first FD was created
24 B.C. - 600 slaves - Familia Publica
First documented fire in US
Jamestown, 1607
Year Boston established first fire regulations
1630
Year first organized volunteer fire company was established
1735 - Union Fire Co., Ben Franklin
Great Chicago fire:
- Days burned
- Acres burned
- Homes destroyed
- Dead
- Homeless
- Days burned = 3
- Acres burned = 2,000
- Homes destroyed = 17,000
- Dead = 300
- Homeless = 90,000
Deadliest fire in US history
Peshtigo firestorm - 2,200 dead
Developed first municipal water system
Romans
FF in NY who developed the first hydrants in 1817
George Smith
Most fire departments are structured on the basis of 4 management principals
- Unity of command
- Span of control
- Division of labor
- Discipline
Span of control
3 - 7; experts believe no more than 5
Four functions of management as identified by Henri Fayol that constitute a continuous cycle
- Planning
- Organizing
- Leading
- Controlling
Defined:
- Short range planning
- Medium range planning
- Long range planning
- Short range planning = up to a year
- Medium range planning = 1 - 3 years
- Long range planning = longer than 3 years
The key to improving ethical choices
Have clear organizational values
Duties of the Fire Officer II can be divided into 3 categories
- Admin
- Emergency
- Non-emergency
Second most common reason for fire service response
Activated fire alarm
Third most common reason for fire service response
Investigate and odor, hazardous condition, or other service type call
Primary cause of death of firefighters within a burning building (2)
- Flashover
- Structural collapse
Developed the first hand-powered water pumper in 1720
Richard Newsham
Focus of first building codes developed in Egypt
Preventing structural collapse
Congressional act that established the civil service system in 1883
the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act
Eligibility list:
- Rank
- Banded
- Rank = Highest scoring candidate is no. 1
- Banded = Divided into “highly qualified”, “qualified”, and “not qualified”; candidates in each section are ranked equally
A core component of the civil service system and is used to determine the compensation level for a position
Class specification
6 most commonly used components of a promotional exam
- Multipul choice
- Assessment center
- Emergency incident simulators
- Interpersonal interaction
- Writing or speaking exercise
- Technical skills exercise
Three options for constructing a multiple choice test
- Committee members write the questions
- Private company develops a generic exam
- Hiring a consultant to write the questions
The assessment center process was developed in the officer corp of the ___ army in the 1920’s
German
Most common assessment center exercise
In-basket exercise
Suggested method for handling promotional in-baskets (5)
- Review
- Prioritize
- Identify options/resources/alternatives
- Follow up
- Make notifications
In an interpersonal interaction assessment, the key points are to meet 8 criteria
- Maintain control of the interview
- Tell employee exact behavior you expect
- Give employee a deadline to demonstrate
- Arrange for follow up meeting
- Get employee buy-in
- Be an empathetic listener
- Explain consequences
- Finish positive
4 sections of a personal study journal
- Info about the exam
- Calendar
- Written reference materials
- Info about components of exam
Two documents to define the KSA
- Narrative job description
- Technical class specification
Decision on which components to use in a promotional exam is influenced by … (4)
- Time requirements
- Expense
- Staff expertise
- Past experience
Emergency incident simulations take one of four formats
- Data dump
- Mock emergency
- Interactive emergency sim
- Full scale incident sim
Study techniques include …(2)
- Keeping a study journal
- Participating in role-playing activities
4 basic tasks chief officers consider vital for new officers
- Beginning of shift report (most important)
- Notifications (second most important)
- Decision making (equal in importance to Problem solving)
- Problem solving
Beginning of shift report should take place within the first quarter hour and consist of 3 things
- Staffing
- Location and condition of rolling stock
- Provide chief with must know info
4 times in a firefighters career when a major change occurs
- Completes probationary period
- Is promoted to company commander
- Is promoted to chief officer
- Retires
“Effective Company Commander” by James O. Page divides the company officer’s duties into three distinct roles
- Supervisor
- Commander
- Trainer
Widely known as the “father” of fire-based emergency medical services
James O. Page
3 activities necessary to ensure a good working relationship between a fire officer and his supervisor
- Keep supervisor informed
- Make appropriate decisions at your level of responsibility
- Consult with supervisor before making disciplinary actions or policy changes
General guidelines for for performing an initial investigation of harassment (10)
- Keep an open mind
- Treat the person who filed with respect
- Do not blame the complainant
- Do not retaliate
- Follow established procedure
- Interview people involved
- Look for corroboration or contradiction
- Keep it confidential
- Write it all down
- Cooperate with government agencies
EEOC files approximately ___ lawsuits every year
400
An officer who has worked as a managing fire officer for 3 to 5 years, is certified at the NFPA Fire Officer III level and has accomplished formal education equivalent to a bachelors degree
Administrative fire officer
Communication cycle (5)
- Message
- Sender
- Medium (with noise)
- Receiver
- Feedback
Fire officer needs to keep the chief officer informed about three areas
- Progress toward performance goals and project objectives
- Matters that may cause controversy
- Attitudes and moral
Most common form of communication
Verbal
Most effective means of conveying many types of info
face-to-face
C A N
- Conditions
- Actions
- Needs
Supervisors first report of an injury must be submitted within ___ to ___ hours of the incident
24 to 72 hours
A popular assessment tool for promotion is to write a letter for the fire chief. It has two primary goals
- Asses writing skills
- Asses decision making skills
Elements of a decision document (6)
- Statement of problem/issue
- Background
- Restrictions
- Options
- Recommendations
- Next action
A verbal report consists of 4 parts
- Get their attention
- Interest statement
- Details
- Action
3 steps in preparing a news release
- Identify what make the story interesting
- Develop a concept and write the release
- Get news release to media outlets
Identifies who will develop a social media policy
Fire Chief
Short term directions, procedures, or orders signed by the Fire Chief and lasting for a period of days to 1 year or more
General orders
Written organizational directives that identify a desired goal and describe a general path to accomplish the goal
SOG
Written organizational directives that describe specific operational or administrative methods to be followed routinely for the performance of designated operations or actions
SOP
First step in developing an incident action plan
Understanding the causes of firefighter deaths
4 simple habits to improve the safety of the crew
- Be physically fit
- Wear seat belts
- Practice safety through training and personal example
- Maintain fire company integrity
Leading cause of line-of-duty deaths
Heart attacks (41%)
4 risk factors for heart attack
- Obesity
- High cholesterol
- Smoking
- Family history
Account for the largest percentage of traumatic firefighter deaths
Collisions
A simple requirement could prevent 8 -12 firefighter deaths each year
Wearing seatbelt
A single unit IAP includes the following basic elements (3)
- Specifies incident objectives
- States the activities to be completed
- Covers a specific time frame (operational period)
The US Fire Administration’s Firefighter Fatality Retrospective Study indicated that ___ % of fatal fire suppression incidents tallied in the report involved the death of a single firefighter
82%
Accountability system typically provides the following components (4)
- Method to identify all personnel on scene
- Method to identify personnel who are in the hazard area
- Process to account for personnel quickly
- Process to ensure that personnel do not go unaccounted for for an extended period of time
Some fire departments require a PAR every ___ min
20 minutes
Minimum size of an interior work team
2
The results of a rapid intervention drill in 2002 showed that it takes ___ minutes to rescue a downed firefighter using ___ firefighters
- 12 minutes
- 21 firefighters
Ultimately up to ___ to either approve or alter the action taken by the safety officer
IC
According the NFPA 1521, the incident safety officer must meet the following requirements (2)
- Be a fire department officer
- Met the requirements of Fire Officer I
General knowledge requirements of an effective safety officer (4)
- Safety and health hazards involved in emergency operations
- Building construction
- Local fire department personnel accountability system
- Incident scene rehabilitation
Third line of defense after the individual and the fire officer
Incident safety officer
Principals that should be implemented to prevent injuries as well as death (2)
- Physical fitness
- PPE
Leading type of firefighter injuries
Sprains and strains
6 components of the NFPA 1581, Standard on Fire Department Infection Control Program
- Written policy with the goal of identifying and limiting exposures
- Written risk management plan to identify risks and control measures
- Annual training and education in infection control
- Designated infection control officer
- Access to appropriate immunizations for employees
- Instructions for handeling exposure incidents
Most important first step with any exposure
Wash exposed area immediately with soap and running water
Documented exposures should include (5)
- Description on how the exposure happened
- Mode of transmit ion
- Entry point
- Use of PPE
- Medical follow-up and treatment
Responsible for determining member’s fitness-for-duty status after reviewing documentation of exposure
Fire department physician
Charged with investigating all fire department injuries, illness, exposures, accidents and fatalities
Health and safety officer
An investigation normally consists of 3 phases
- Identification and collection of physical evidence
- Interviews with witnesses
- Written documentation
Most significant factors in preventing heart attacks (2)
- Regular medical checkups
- Physical fitness
Second leading cause of firefighter fatalities
Traumatic injuries
Most common fatal motor vehicle collision scenario
Responding to an emergency incident in a POV
Third most frequent category of firefighter fatality
Asphyxiation and burn
HFACS Level 1
HFACS Level 2
HFACS Level 3
HFACS Level 4
HFACS Level 1 = Unsafe acts
HFACS Level 2 = Preconditions to unsafe acts
HFACS Level 3 = Unsafe supervision
HFACS Level 4 = Organizational influences
Four roles a fire officer must fulfill to provide a safe environment
- Identify unsafe and hazardous environments
- Mitigate or reduce as many problems as possible
- Train and prepare for the remaining hazards
- Model safe behavior
Two generalized schools of management
- Scientific
- Humanistic
Taylor’s 4 principal of scientific management
- Replace rule-of-thumb with scientific methods
- Scientifically select, train and develop each worker
- Cooperate with workers to ensure the scientific methods are being followed
- Divide work evenly between managers an workers
Effect that says people improve their work because of the extra attention they receive as part of the study
Hawthorn Effect
Theory states people do not like to work
Theory X
Theory state people do like to work
Theory Y
3 Situation in which the fire officer must behave as a Theory X manager
- Operating at fire or high-risk activity
- To take control of a workplace conflict
- At the end of a series of negative disciplinary measures
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
- Physiological
- Safety, security
- Social
- Esteem
- Self-actualization
How the new fire officer can bold trust (5)
- Know the officer job
- Be consistent
- Walk your talk
- Support your firefighters
- Make firefighters feel strong
Blake and Mouton’s managerial grid
- Indifferent
- Controlling
- Accommodating
- Status quo
- Sound
- Indifferent - Lowest level of concern for both results and people
- Controlling - High concern for results, low concern for people
- Accommodating - Low concern for results, high concern for people
- Status quo - does not value one concern over the other
- Sound - high concern for both
Focuses on the task of managing people using physical, financial, and time assets
Human resource management
Typical human resource management functions (7)
- Human resource planning
- Employee (labor) relations
- Staffing
- Human resource development
- Performance management
- Compensation and benefits
- Employee health, safety and security
7 steps to effective delegation
- Define your desired results
- Select appropriate firefighter
- Determine level of delegation
- Clarify expectations
- Give authority to match responsibility
- Provide background info
- Arrange feedback
Commonly used compensation systems (3)
- Step-and-grade (most common)
- Merit-based pay
- Skilled-based pay
The four boarders of managing human resources
- Federal law
- Union contract
- city regulations
- Departmental policy
5 step approach to making a decision
- Clear your mind
- List options
- Weigh outcomes
- Make a choice
- Evaluate decision
Three major leadership styles
- Autocratic
- Democratic
- Laissez-faire
Types of power (5)
- Legitimate
- Reward
- Expert
- Referent
- Coersive
Yukl provides two additional types of power
- Information
- Ecological
Fire officer’s primary responsibility it to ..
the team under him
Initial radio report should include (8)
- ID of arriving company
- Description of incident
- Conditions
- Actions
- Strategy
- Safety concerns
- Assumption, identification, location of command
- Request or release resources
Methods to motivate employees (5)
- Reinforcement theory
- Motivation-hygein theory
- Goal-setting theory
- Equity Theory
- Expectancy theory
5 overriding principals apply when motivating employees
- Recognize individual differences
- Use goals
- Ensue goals are perceived as attainable
- Individualize rewards
- Check for system equality
Type of motivational theory that has four types of reinforcers:
Positive, Negative, Extinction, punishment
Reinforcement Theory
According to this motivational theory the officer must address three considerations to motivate the individual:
- Employees believe that his effort will achieve the goal
- Employees believe that meeting the goal will lead to reward
- Employees desire for the reward or the rewards value to the employee
Expectancy theory
Four step method of skill training that originated in WWI
- Preparation
- Presentation
- Application
- Evaluation
Conscience competence learning matrix
- Level 1
- Level 2
- Level 3
- Level 4
- Level 1 - unconscious incompetence
- Level 2 - Conscious incompetence
- Level 3 - Conscious competence
- Level 4 - Unconscious competence
3 qualities that make for a good mentor
- Desire to help
- Current knowledge
- Effective coaching, counseling, facilitating and networking skills
A student looses focus after __ to __ minus of passive learning
15 to 20 minutes
Psychomotor skill levels can be classified into four categories
- Initial
- Plateau
- Latency
- Mastery
Federal regulations mandate that four topics are covered as part of any emergency service training program
- Bloodborne pathogens
- Hazmat awareness/operations
- SCBA fit test
- NIMS
Skills and topics that should be taught first in any training program (2)
- Fire-ground tasks that emphasize teamwork
- Motor vehicle crashes and medical emergencies
Minimum flow capability of each attack and backup line used in live fire training
95 gpm
two separate water supplies should be capable of providing ___% of the minimum needed water at a live fire training
150%
5 steps of developing a training program
- Asses needs
- Establish objectives
- Develop the training program
- Deliver the training
- Evaluate the impact
Three types of academic accreditation
- Programs that meet specific profession or vocation
- Educational and training organizations that meet federal regulations for tuition reimbursement
- Educational institutions that meet voluntary accrediting requirements to issue degrees and academic transcripts