When you are a rookie firefighter, getting a promotion might be the furthest thing from your mind. After all, we all get into the fire service because we love the job. When the subject of promotions comes up, you hear guys say, “They’ll never get me off the rig” or “There is too much paperwork involved with being a captain.” However, as we become more seasoned, we must realize that promotions happen, and we need to be prepared.
I was recently promoted to captain and assigned a completely new realm of responsibility—supervising a large aircraft firefighting and rescue component. I had a great foundation, having held leadership roles in a volunteer organization, so I had some familiarity with tactics, personnel issues, etc. Still, people respond differently when someone new is put in charge and it’s their paycheck that’s on the line. Emotions run much higher, and the consequences of your actions carry much greater weight. As a career officer, your decisions determine changes in the everyday lives of your crew. The possibility of getting seriously injured or killed on this job always is in the back of our mind, but making sure that we can pay the bills next Friday or buy more diapers usually is at the front of our mind.
Know your crew
As a new officer, it’s crucial to get to know the crew that you will supervise. I’ve made it a point to sit down individually with everyone who is under my supervision to formulate a game plan. (This can be followed up by company meetings or station meetings.) You must let the crew know that you are
invested in them as a leader. It’s up to you to guide the mission and the personnel in the right direction. I passionately believe that we should be “training our replacement” and developing people in their specific field.
One of the first things that I cover in my meetings are expectations. It’s imperative that your members know what they can expect of you and where you stand on certain issues. It doesn’t need to be long, but give them a minimum standard from jump street. Plus, remember, this needs to go both ways. Make sure that you give them an opportunity to express their expectations. My expectation list is kind of a Frankenstein-like creation of ideas that I pieced together from the thoughts of other, more popular leaders. Find what works for you and make it your own. The expectations for my crew can be summed up in the following topics.
Be professional
The firehouse is a tight-knit community. We love to talk shop and to talk smack, and, to some degree, we must be comfortable around each other. After all, we live together and, in some cases, spend more time at work than we do at home. When the bells drop, when we are at the grocery store, or when someone just stops by the station to ask for directions, we must be professional at all times. Have your shirt tucked in, treat the customer with respect and treat each other with respect.
Be honest
We all know that a $100 bill could sit on the kitchen table all day, and no one would touch it. What about being true to your word? Be honest with each other, with the people who you supervise and with your supervisors. Let them know that if they are honest with you about a sensitive issue, you can be trusted not to repeat it. Don’t try to “trick” them. If they give you their personal phone number, you better not use it to call them for overtime. If you burn that trust, you never will get it back. If you tell them that you will do something, make sure that you follow through.
If you must, keep notes. My guys know that if I don’t write it down, I’m going to forget, but I owe it to them and to myself to follow through and to be trustworthy.
Do your job
We all know this one can be difficult sometimes, but we are here to do a job and do it efficiently. Establish that you expect your team to give 100 percent effort on training, throughout the shift and on a call but also acknowledge that you understand that your crew needs downtime, too. Respect mealtime and downtime when you are planning training sessions.
Being professional can be tied into this as well. It’s our job to have our act together when the public needs us the most.
Do the right thing
I saved this one for last, because, to me, it’s hands down the most important one. Always do the right thing. Members of my crew know that if they can justify doing the right thing, I will back them up 100 percent of the time. Even if they are wrong but they made what they thought was the right decision at the time and can articulate that fact, they will have my support.
This goes both ways, too, because, as a new supervisor, you will make mistakes and get in trouble. When your boss asks you, “What were you thinking?” take the opportunity to explain your thought process and why you thought it was the right decision at the time.
In EMS, we are taught at the end of the day to “do what’s right by the patient.” It’s the same concept for firefighters and their supervisors but put into different words and actions.
Building a team
Showing respect to your crew is vitally important, particular when it comes to the senior members who are under your supervision. They have been around the block and know the workings of the crew, station, operations, etc.
For me, reaching out to them was imperative. I went from riding on a structural engine, to riding an ambulance every day as a paramedic, to being a captain on the aircraft side of operations. This was something completely foreign to me. I had zero experience when it came to airfields, airfield emergencies and aircraft. I laid it out for those senior members in the very beginning. They were all told “I’m relying heavily on you, and I can’t succeed without your help.” Senior members can make or break you.
I was able to give the senior members some creative responsibility—helping with truck assignments, coordinating training, and giving them the freedom to express concerns and invest in the company. This provided a trickle-down effect, and if you are willing to listen to what they have to say, they will make you shine.
Once you push through expectations on both sides of the coin, take a chance to relieve the tension in the room and ask about the person who’s in front of you. I’m all about handling business first (expectations) and then the fun stuff. If you don’t know these men and women, talk to them. Ask about their families, how many kids they have, where they live, what they enjoy doing in their free time, etc. Show them that you are invested in them. This gives you a solid background on them and might give you some insight when issues arise. Is someone just not invested? Maybe they have a family member who is fighting cancer or other serious illness. Maybe they have a newborn at home and just aren’t getting the sleep they need.
If you have some of these conversations ahead of time, members of your crew will be more comfortable sharing with you, and it will give you an idea of what’s ahead.
The other important conversation piece is to determine what you can do to help them to grow. Not everyone is looking to make rank. Maybe some want to pursue a paramedic certification, peer support training or other training or avenue. This is where you can develop your people. It gives you the forethought to begin keeping an open eye to training that might be applicable to opportunities for them. You might be able to detail them to a specific duty or throw their name into the hat for specific collateral duties.
Don’t be afraid to share your experience with them about promotional processes, exams, etc. This is one of my pet peeves. If you are so worried about sharing information and giving someone else a leg up, you weren’t very competitive in the first place.
Continue to build yourself
Lastly, don’t forget to continue developing and working on yourself. When you receive a new assignment, it’s almost like being a rookie again. Take the time (maybe even your off-duty time) to drive around and learn your response area. Don’t just hold drills; get your hands dirty and participate in them. If you are afraid to appear weak in an area and avoid it, the crew will see right through you.
As a firefighter, you had some downtime to yourself, but as a captain there isn’t time for that. Develop yourself while you’re lying in bed by reading up on materials and reviewing notes that you made. Develop a reading list for yourself and remember that “Leaders are Readers!” Get familiar with the works of Rick Lasky, Jocko Willink, John Salka, Peter Blaber, Mark VonAppen and Jarrod Sergi, to name a few.
My father, Marvin Castellow, a retired firefighter, had so much insight to this job, and I wish I could pick his brain every day.
Take advantage of those resources and their wealth of knowledge before they are gone. Establish a network of your resources and people who you can trust to continue developing as a leader. Come in early and meet the day head on, putting your gear on the rig early, and reviewing email and staffing needs for the day. Always make time for a cup of coffee with the crew.
Thomas Castellow
THOMAS W. CASTELLOW is a captain and NREMT-P with Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Fire and Emergency Services, and volunteer firefighter in Moyock, NC. He has more than 14 years of experience in public safety. He carries Fire Officer Designation with CPSE and has a bachelor’s degree in fire administration and an associate degree in fire science from Columbia Southern University. He is a member of the North Carolina State Fireman’s Association as well as the International Association of Fire Fighters.
