Fire Officer Vocab Flashcards
A mid-level Chief who often has a functional area of responsibility such as training and answers directly to the fire chief
Assistant or division chief
Usually the first level of fire chief also called a district chief. This Chief is often in charge of running calls and supervising multiple stations or districts within a city
Battalion chief
The superior subordinate authority relationship that starts at the top of the organization hierarchy and extends to the lowest levels
Chain of command
And obsolete amplification device that Nabel to Chief Officer to give orders to firefighters during an emergency
Chief’s trumpet
A code or standard developed through agreement between people representing different organizations and interest
Consensus document
Restraining, regulating, governing, counteracting, or overpowering
Controlling
The process of identifying problems and opportunities and resolving them
Decision making
A moral, mental, and physical state in which all ranks respond to the well of the leader.
Discipline
The production process in which each worker repeats one step over and over, achieving greater efficiencies in the use of time and knowledge, the formal assignment of authority and responsibility to job holders
Division of labor
The highest ranking officer in charge of the fire department, the individual assigned the responsibility for management and control of all matters and concerns pertaining to the fire service organization
Fire chief
Historically, and identifying symbol on a building to let firefighters know that the building was insured by a company that would pay them for extinguishing the fire
Fire Mark
System that defines the roles and responsibilities to be assumed by personnel And the operating procedures to be used in the management and direction of emergency operations
Incident command system ICS
A complex process by which a person influences others to accomplish a mission, task, or objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent
Leadership
Guiding or directing in a course of action
Leading
The company officer is encouraged to acquire the appropriate levels of training, experience, self development, and education to prepare for the chief fire officer designation. (Fire officer II)
Managing fire officer
Putting resources together into an orderly, functional, structured whole
Organizing
Developing a scheme, program, method that is worked out before hand to accomplish and objective
Planning
Formal statements that provide guidelines for the present and future actions. They often require personnel to make judgments
Policies
Directives developed by various government or government authorized organizations to implement a law that has been passed by a government body
Rules and regulations
The maximum number of personnel or activities that can be effectively controlled by one individual (usually 3 to 7)
Span of control
Written organizational directives that Establish were prescribed specific operational or administrators methods to be followed routinely for the performance of designated operations or actions
Standard operating procedures SOP’s
In this role, the company officer is encouraged to acquire the appropriate levels of training, experience, self development, and education to prepare for the chief fire officer designation. (Fire officer I)
Supervising fire officer
The management concepts that a subordinate should have only one direct supervisor, and that a decision can be traced back through subordinates to the manager who originated it
Unity of command
The location and year of the deadliest fire in the United States history?
Peshtigo, Wisconsin 1871
Selecting employees who share the values of the organization?
Ethics
Generally associated with an Officer supervising a single fire company or apparatus.
Fire officer I
Generally refers to a senior non-Chief Officer level and a larger fire department
Fire officer II
Might work as a Battalion or district chief and a large department.
Fire officer III
Tends to be a fire chief or hold another senior staff position.
Fire officer IV
Employee behavior that requires an immediate corrective action by the supervisor, dozens of lawsuits have shown that family to act in the face of such behavior will create a liability and a loss for the department.
Actionable items
IAFC description of a person who has worked as a managing fire officer for 3 to 5 years, is Certified at that NFPA fire officer III level, and has accomplished formal education equivalent to a bachelors degree.
Administrative fire officer
A characteristic of a fire work force that reflects differences in terms of age, cultural background, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation.
Diversity
Decisions and behavior demonstrated by a fire officer that are consistent with the departments core values, mission statement, and value statements.
Ethical behavior
A detailed account of the fire company activities as related to an incident or accident.
Chronological statement of events
A logbook at the fire station that creates and extemporaneous record of the emergency, routine activities, and special activities that occurred at the fire station. The Company journal also records any firefighter Injuries, liability creating events, and special visitors to the fire station.
Company journal/logbook
A physical or sociological condition that interferes with the message in the communication process.
Environmental noise
A report in which all Company members submit a narrative on what they observed and which activities they performed during an incident.
Expanded incident report narrative
And official fire department communication. Such a letter or report is presented on stationary with the fire department letterhead And generally is signed by a fire chief or headquarters staff member.
Formal communication
Short term directions, procedures, or orders signed by the fire chief and lasting for a period of days to one year or more.
General orders
Enacted in 1996, federal legislation that provides for criminal sanctions and civil penalties for releasing a patient’s protected health information in a way not authorized by the patient.
Health insurance portability and accountability act (HIPAA)
Internal memos, emails, instant messages, and computer aided dispatch/mobile data terminal messages.
Informal communications
Hey Siri is a formal written questions sent to the opposing side of a legal argument. The opposition must provide written answers under oath.
Interrogatory
A nationwide database at the national fire data center under the US fire administration that collects fire related data in an effort to provide information on a national fire problem.
National fire incident reporting system (NFIRS)
A decision document prepared by a fire officer for the senior staff. It’s goal is to support a decision or an action.
Recommendation report
Digital communications through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, videos, pictures, and other content.
Social media
Written organizational directives that identify a desired goal and describe the general path to accomplish the goal, including critical tasks for cautions.
Standard operating guidelines (SOG’s)
Written organizational directives that establish or prescribe specific operational or administrative methods to be followed routinely for the performance of designated operations or actions.
Standard operating procedures (SOP’s)
A form that is required by most state workers compensation agencies and that is completed by the immediate supervisor after an injury or property damage accident.
Supervisors report
Human resources system to identify and determined the pay, leave, and fringe benefits for each position in the organization.
Compensation and benefits
A type of supervision in which the fire officer is required to observe the actions of a work crew directly, it is commonly employed during high hazard activities.
Direct supervision
Human resources activities intended to provide and promote a safe work environment.
Health, safety, and security
Maslow’s description of human needs as a pyramid or ladder that starts with psychological needs and ends with self actualization
Hierarchy of needs
All activities to train and educate employees.
Human resources development
The process of having the right number of people in the right place at the right time who can accomplish a task efficiently and effectively.
Human resources planning
A management strategy that emphasizes human need an attitude, motivation comes from within the employee and not from Authoritarian control. It leads to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Humanistic management
The process of setting performance standards and evaluating performance against those standards
Performance management
The breakdown of work tasks into constituent Elements. The timing of each element is based on repeated stopwatch studies, the fixing of piece rate compensation based on those studies, standardization of work tasks and detailed instruction cards
Scientific management
The process of attracting, selecting, and maintaining an adequate supply of labor, as well as reducing the size of the labor force when required.
Staffing
McGregors description of the management assumption that people do not like to work and must be closely watched and controlled.
Theory X
McGregors description of the management assumption that people like to work I need to be encouraged, not controlled.
Theory Y
Motivational theory in which people evaluate the outcome is they receive for their input and compare them with the outcomes others receive from there and inputs.
Equity theory
Motivational theory in which people act in a manner that they believe will lead to an outcome they value.
Expectancy theory
A characteristic that leaders can be effective only to the extent that followers are willing to except their leader ship.
Followership
Conditions external to the individual, such as paid and work conditions.
Hygiene factors
A complex process by which a person influences others to accomplish a mission, task, or objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent.
Leader ship
And individuals internal desire for recognition, achievement, responsibility, and advancement.
Motivation factors
The capacity of one party to influence another party.
Power
Motivational theory and which behavior is a function of its consequences.
Reinforcement theory
A system whereby a certification organization determines that a school program he meets with the requirements of the fire services.
Accreditation
A method of directing, instructing, and training a person or group of people with the aim to achieve some goal or develop specific skills.
Coaching
The process of imparting knowledge or skill through systematic instruction.
Education
Systematic fourth step approach to training firefighters in a basic job skill: 1 prepare the firefighters to learn, 2 demonstrate how the job is done, 3 try them out by letting them do the job, 4 gradually put them on their own.
Job instruction training
A developmental relationship between a more experienced person and a less experienced person.
Mentoring
Skills and knowledge obtained from both personal development and career advancement.
Professional development
The process of achieving proficiency through instruction and hands-on practice in the operation of equipment and systems that are expected to be used in the performance of assigned duties.
Training
The highest level of conscious competence learning Matrix developed by Dr. Thomas Gordon in the 1970s.
Unconsciously competent
An evaluation error that occurs when a firefighter is rated in the middle of the range for all dimensions of work performance.
Central tendency
An evaluation error in which a firefighter is rated on the basis of the performance of another firefighter and not on the classified job standards.
Contrast effect
A reduction in rank, with a corresponding reduction in pay.
Demotion
A moral, mental, and physical state in which all ranks respond to the well of a leader.
Discipline
An employee benefit that covers all or part of the cost for employees to receive counseling, referrals, and advice in dealing with stressful issues in their lives.
EAP
An official negative supervisory action at the lowest level of the progressive disciplinary process.
Formal written reprimand
An evaluation error in which the firefighter is evaluated on the basis of the fire officers personal standards instead of the classified job description standards.
Frame of reference
An evaluation error and watch the fire officer takes one aspect of a fire fighters job task and applies it to all aspects of work performance.
Halo and Horn effect
A disciplinary action in which a firefighter just transferred or assigned to a less desirable or different work location or Assignment.
Involuntary transfer or detail
A pre-disciplinary conference that occurs before a Suspension, emotion, or involuntary termination is issued. Refers to a US supreme court decision.
Loudermill hearing
The first level of negative discipline. Considered informal, this discipline action remains with the fire officer and is not part of the firefighters official record.
Oral reprimand, warning, admonishment
An informal record maintained by the fire officer that lists firefighter activities by date and includes a brief description, it is used to provide documentation for annual a valuation’s and special recommendations.
Performance log
An evaluation error that occurs when the evaluators perspective skews the evaluation such that the classified job knowledge, skills, and abilities are not appropriately evaluated.
Personal bias
An initial check to determine if there are responsible grounds to believe that charges against an employee are true and support the proposed termination.
Pre-termination hearing
A process for dealing with job related behavior that does not meet expected and communicated performance standards. The level of discipline increases from mild to more severe punishments if the problem is not corrected.
Progressive negative discipline
An evaluation error in which the firefighter is evaluated only on incidents that occurred over the past few weeks rather than on the entire evaluation period.
Recency
A temporary work assignment during an administrative investigation that isolates the firefighter from the public and usually is and administrative assignment away from the fire station.
Restrictive duty
A designated period of time when an employee is provided additional training to resolve a work performance/behavioral issue. The supervisor issues an evaluation at the end of the special evaluation period.
Special evaluation period
A negative disciplinary action that removes a firefighter from the work location, he or she is generally not allowed to perform any part apartment duties.
Suspension
Documentation system similar to an accounting balance sheet listing credits and debits, in which a single sheet form is used to list the employees assets on the left side and liabilities on the right side, so that the result resembles the T.
T – account
A situation in which the organization ends an individuals employment against his or her well.
Termination
A written document that is part of a special evaluation period. The plan identifies performance deficiencies and lists the improvements in the performance or changes in behavior required to obtain a satisfactory evaluation.
Work improvement plan
Resolution of a dispute by a mediator or a group rather than a court of law. Any civil matter may be settled in this way.
Arbitration
Method whereby the representatives of employees and employers determine the conditions of employment through direct negotiation, normally resulting in a written contract setting forth the wages, hours, and other conditions to be observed for the stipulated period.
Collective bargaining
Federal legislation passed in 1938 that provides the minimum standards for both wages and overtime entitlement and spells out administrative procedures by which covered work time must be compensated.
Fair labor standards act (FLSA)
A legal requirement of both the union and the employer arising out of the national Labor relations act. The parties are required to meet regularly to bargain collectively for wages, hours, and other conditions of employment.
Good faith bargaining
A dispute, claim, or complaint that any employee or a group of employees may have in relation to the interpretation, application, and or a ledge in violation of some provision of the labor agreement or personal regulations.
Grievance
A formal procedure process that is employed within an organization to resolve a grievance.
Grievance procedure
A situation in which the parties in a dispute have reached a deadlock in negotiations, also described as the demarcation Line between bargaining and negotiation.
Impasse
The intervention of a neutral third-party in an industrial dispute. The object is to enable the two sides to reach a compromise solution to their differences, which the mediator usually does by seeing representatives of both sides separately and then together.
Mediation
Mutual discussion and arrangement of the terms of an agreement
Negotiation
And organization formed by corporations, Union, and other interest groups that solicits campaign contributions from private individuals and distributes these funds to political candidates.
Political action committee (PAC)
A worker cannot be compelled, as a condition of employment, to join or not to join or to pay dues to a labor union.
Right to work
A union member appointed or elected to be the first line of labor representation at the workplace. The steward enforces the contract, collective agreement, or memorandum of understanding and represents the union members at that fire station or work location.
Shop steward
A concerted act by a group of employees who withhold their labor for the purposes of effecting a change in wages, hours, or working conditions.
Strike
Employer or union practices forbidden by the national Labor relations Board or state/local laws, subject to court appeal. It often involves the employers efforts to avoid bargaining in good faith.
Unfair labor practices
Pledges that employers required workers to sign indicating that they would not join a union as long as the company employed them. Also known as Norris – LaGuardia act of 1932
Yellow dog contracts
A fire department training program to help citizens understand their responsibilities and preparing for disaster and increase their ability to safely help themselves, their families, and their neighbors in the first 72 hours of a catastrophe.
Community emergency response team (CERT)
The characteristics of human populations and population segments, especially when used to identify consumer markets, generally includes age, race, sex, income, education, and family status.
Demographics
A comprehensive NFPA school based program focused on injury prevention.
Risk watch
Forms of electronica outlets through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content.
Social media
A method of shared problem-solving in which all members of a group spontaneously contribute ideas.
Brainstorming
Expression of grief, regret, pain, censure, or resentment, lamentation, accusation, or fault finding.
Complaint
A state of opposition between two parties.
Conflict
A systematic inquiry or examination.
Investigation
An error Work called resulting from defective judgment, deficient knowledge, or carelessness, a misconception or misunderstanding.
Mistake
A condition in which the desired situation is different from the current situation.
Problem
A supervisory position that is responsible for the management of all actions that are directly related to controlling the incident. This position reports directly to the incident commander.
Operations section chief
Responsible for the collection, evaluation, dissemination, and use of information about the development of the incident and the status of resources. Also part of the general staff.
Planning section
A command staff position that is responsible for gathering and releasing incident information to the news media or other appropriate agencies.
Public information officer
A supervisory position that is responsible for the collection, evaluation, dissemination, and use of information relevant to the incident.This position reports directly to the incident commander.
Planning section chief
The person who is responsible for monitoring and assessing safety hazards and unsafe conditions, develops measures to ensure personal safety.
Safety officer
A specific function in which resources are assembled in an area at or near the incident scene to await instructions or assignments.
Staging
Command level that entails the overall direction and goals of the incident.
Strategic level
A specific combination of the same kind and type of resources, with common communications and a leader.
Strike team
Hey supervisory position that is in charge of a group of similar resources.
Straight team leader
Command level in which objectives must be achieved to meet the strategic goals. The tactical level supervisor or Officer is responsible for completing assigned objectives.
Tactical level
A form that allows the incident commander to ensure all tactical issues are addressed and to diagram an incident with the location of resources on a diagram.
Tactical worksheet
Any combination of single resources assembled for a particular tactical need, with common communications and a leader.
Task force
A supervisory position that is in charge of a group of dissimilar resources.
Task force leader
Command level in which specific tasks are assigned to Companies, these tasks are geared toward meeting tactical level requirements.
Task level
A guideline created in response to OSHA respiratory regulation, which requires a two person team to operate within an environment that is immediately dangerous to life and health.
Two-in/two-out rule
Either a geographical or a functional assignment.
Unit
Who makes up the command staff?
SAFETY LIAISON PIO
What are the four standard components in the ICS model under the command staff?
Finance Logistics Operations Planning
A system in which firefighter stay together as a team of two or more members.
Crew integrity
A building that lacks windows or doors of sufficient number and size to provide for prompt ventilation and emergency evacuation.
Enclosed structure
At the point, edge, or a line beyond which some thing cannot or may not proceed, confined or restricted within certain limits.
Limited
A situation where a firefighter is experiencing a life-threatening emergency.
MAYDAY
Careful, restrained, calculated, and deliberate.
Measured
A building that has windows or doors of sufficient number and size to provide for prompt ventilation in emergency evacuation.
Opened structure
Rules developed by the international Association of fire chiefs to promote safety for the firefighters and fire officers working at the task level of fire suppression operations.
Rules of engagement
The level of understanding and attentiveness one has regarding a set of conditions.
Situational awareness
On the alert and watchful.
Vigilant
An agent often an ignitable liquid used to initiate a fire or increase the rate of growth or spread of fire.
Accelerant
The crime of maliciously and intentionally, or recklessly, starting a fire or causing an explosion.
Arson
The remains of the material first ignited, the ignition source, or other items or components in some way related to fire ignition, development, or spread.
Artifacts
Carbonaceous material that has been burned and has a black appearance.
Char
Tangible items that can be identified by witnesses, such as incendiary devices and fire scene debris.
Demonstrative evidence
Evidence in written form, such as reports, records, photographs, sketches, and witness statements.
Documentary evidence
Luminous discharge of electricity from one object to another, typically leaving a blackening of objects in the immediate area.
Electrical arc
The documentary or oral statements and the material objects admissible as testimony in a court of law.
Evidence
A logical, systematic examination of an item, component, assembly, or structure and its place and function within a system, conducted to identify and analyze the probability, causes, and consequences of potential and real failures.
Failure analysis
The process of determining the origin, cause, development, and responsibility for a fire or explosion, as well as the failure analysis of a fire or explosion.
Fire analysis
Physical marks left on an object by the fire.
Fire patterns
The process of re-creating the physical seen during fire scene analysis through the removal of debris and the replacement of contents or structural elements in their pre-fire positions.
Fire scene reconstruction
What the ignited material is being used for.
Form of material
That exact physical location where a heat source and a fuel come in contact with each other and a fire begins.
Point of origin
The destructive distillation of organic compounds in and oxygen free environment that converts the organic matter into gases, liquids, and char.
Pyrolysis
Devices or equipment that, because of their intended modes of use or operation, are compatible of providing sufficient thermal energy to ignite flammable gas air mixture’s.
Source of ignition
Witnesses speaking under oath.
Testimonial evidence
Materials used to spread fire from one area of a structure to another.
Trailers
What the ignited material is made of.
Type of material
