IFSTA Ch 1 - Transition to the Role of Company Officer Flashcards
Making the transition from follower to supervisor occurs over time and requires many personal changes and adjustments. Making the transition requires that a new officer know the following elements:
- Understand the ______ of the ____ of company officer
- Recognize the ______, ______, and _______ created by the transition.
- Know the _______ of a company officer.
- Know the _______ of a company officer.
importance; position; challenges, expectations, solutions; responsibilities; duties
A _____ ______ made by a company officer may make or break the organization’s reputation in the eyes of the public
first impression
Filling the position requires ______ talents, _____ qualities, and ______ skills that many new officers will have to develop.
leadership; ethical; supervisory
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As a supervisor, the ____ ______ is much like a ______ _____ to the members of the unit.
company officer; parent figure
The company officer performs the following functions:
- _______ leadership
- Acts as a _____ ______
- Gives ______
- Provides representation for members to admin
- _______ conflicts
- Applies _____ or ______ when necessary
Provides; role model; advice; Negotiates; counseling or coaching
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One of the most important tasks of a company officer is to ____ __ _____ of the unit’s members at all times, especially during emergency operations.
ensure the safety
The company officer must be able to balance the acceptable level of ____ to the unit with fulfilling the _______ _______.
risk; objectives assigned
At the same time, a new company officer is not only a _____ but also a ______.
supervisor; subordinate
What responsibility can not be delegated for a company officer
The responsibility for the members of the unit and their actions and activities
In the company officer, the public ____ and ____ the entire organization.
sees; judges
How that initial contact develops and the results of it are crucial to the impressions that the public will have of the organization.
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Challenges that a new officer will encounter consist of learning and applying concepts such as the following (LESRA)
- Leadership;
- Ethics;
- Supervision;
- Responsibility;
- Authority
As an officer, leadership is a tool that is used to ensure that the unit operates ____, ____ , and _______.
safely, effectively, and efficiently
Most of the challenges facing the new company officer will be _________ in nature.
interpersonal
During and emergency and station life, there are two forms of supervision, they are:
Station life is relationship-oriented; emergencies is task-oriented based on KSAs of members of the unit.
Perceptions can create a challenge for the new CO. Perceptions are ______, often based on _______ and not on facts, and can be difficult to overcome.
subjective; emotions
What type of leadership approach can be disastrous to the officer, unit and the organization
Authoritarian, believing that rank has its privileges
To overcome the change barrier, what 3 things must the new CO be able to convey effectively
- Explain why it is important to make the change
- How the Change will benefit the crew
- How the change will benefit the community
Learn about, be interested in, and be dedicated to the position are examples of what personal factor for the new CO
Commit to the responsibilities, duties, and requirements of the supervisory position
Accept ______ graciously and accept ____, _____ and advancement modestly.
criticism; praise, honors
What are some challenges for the new CO (4)
- Relationship Changes;
- Perceptions;
- Group Dynamics;
- Personal Factors
Personal Factors can be overcome by performing 7 actions:
- Commit to the responsibilities, duties, and requirements of the supervisory position.
- Show loyalty to the organization.
- Support all types of education and training.
- Guard conversations.
- Accept criticism graciously and accept praise, honors, and advancement modestly.
- Lead by example.
- Praise in public, discipline in private
Expectations can take many forms. There are external expectations and internal expectations. Which of the two may be the most difficult to overcome?
Internal
A new officer should rarely resort to using ____ as a reason for compliance. Instead, the officer should establish relationships based on ______ ______ for the abilities of members of the unit and the officer.
rank; mutual respect
A new officer should always remember that ______ must be _____.
Respect; earned
By starting out applying policies and procedures strictly and then ease the restrictions, instead of being lenient then strict is also known as:
Start tight, then go light
New company officers have certain responsibilities, they are responsible to the following groups (SOPPFT):
- Subordinates;
- Organization;
- Public;
- Profession;
- Family;
- Themselves
Name the NFPA standard that governs the duties of a CO:
NFPA 1021 - Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications (2003)
The 6 catagories of duties for Level I and II fire officers under NFPA 1021 are:
- HR managament;
- Community and government relations;
- Administration;
- Inspection / Investigation;
- Emergency service delivery;
- Health / Safety
Evaluating personnel performance and ensuring that eployees perform the best of their abilities is Level I or Level II fire officer function:
Level II
Evaluating personnel performance, providing company level training activities and assigning tasks is what type of catagory of duty for a CO
HR Management
Under the Inspection / Investigation duty catagory, what are the actions to be performed:
- Secure incident scene
- Preserve evidence
- Interview witnesses and emergency personnel
- Notify a fire investigator when the situation warrants
Incidents that involve criminal activity require the following actions:
Designate the scene as a ______ _____; notify the appropriate ____ _____ agency; maintain ______ of the scene until fire investigation personnel arrives.
crime scene; law enforcement; security
The Level I CO is generally in charge of the first unit arriving at an incident and must perform the _____ ____ of the situation, establish the _____, and allocate _____ to _____ the incident.
initial size-up; ICS; resources; control
Safety policies are __________, and the importance of safety cannot be _______.
nonnegotiable; overemphasized
What are the purposes of the safety stand down from June 21, 2005:
- focus attention on FF LODDs;
- promote programs addressing wellness and safety, proper apparatus / equipment maintenance, and safety operations;
- promote safe behaviors in both emergency and nonemergency activities
List the 4 roles that a company officer must learn to play effectively and simultaneously:
Leader, Supervisor, Manager, Unit Member
What attitude can be the result of an internal self-perception of importance?
Attitude of superiority
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The company officer should consider the fire and emergency services organization a _______ ______ corporation. The company officer and members of a unit must always remember who their ____ is and that the _____ provides them with the resources to perform their jobs.
Service oriented / customer / customer
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The transition to new company officer holds challenges; these challenges and expectations may be _______ (held be subordinates and superiors) or _______ (within the personality of the new officer).
External / internal
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What is a tool this is used to ensure that the unit operates safely, effectively and efficiently?
Leadership
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The role of an officer includes being a role model for subordinate members of the unit, peers, and even the public. This is an example of what challenge of transitioning to a new officer?
Ethics
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Most of the challenges facing the new company officer will be ________ in nature. They will be the result of changes in _______ between members, perceptions, and go up expectations on the part of those involved in the change and evolution of a new unit based on the challenges.
Interpersonal / relationships
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