Firehouse World: Officers Reminded to Spend Time with Rookies

Find full coverage of Firehouse World in San Diego this week on Firehouse.com and also on Twitter and Facebook.

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. – A good commander is one who knows their team.

“You have to know what makes them tick,” Palo Alto Capt. Mark vonAppen told firefighters Tuesday during a session at Firehouse World.

He believes holding people accountable for their actions is a two-way street.

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“I’m not perfect. My guys hold me accountable. They call each other out…”

Instead of just talking about his command philosophy, he took it a step further.  He hung a large banner in his fire station that reads: “Excellence is my Responsibility.”

Firefighters who believe that saying have signed it. “We even have people from out of state who’ve signed it.”

The captain said if you and the team follow four basic rules, there will be success. They include do your job, treat people right, give an all out effort and have an all in attitude.

Among the attributes of a successful leader are consistency, respect and a sense of humor.

He said it’s important to spend time with the firefighters, teaching and mentoring.

He then read a letter from a rookie:

Look, I know I am just a rookie.  I am not experienced, that is the point.  That is why I hound you to train me, to drill with me, to make me sharp, to help me hone my skills. I know that there is much merit in tradition, but the things I want and need to do have merit as well.

I want to learn.

 "I look up to you. I want to learn. I am watching."