Fireground StrategieS: PaSSing it on / PaYing it ForWard
Fireground Strategies: PASSING IT ON / PAYING IT FORWARD
Deputy Chief Anthony Avillo (ret.) Regional Tour Commander North Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue Incident Command 1 Director, Monmouth County Fire Academy
Traits of a Successful Officer
Supervision You ARE Responsible You WILL be Held Accountable You MAY Be Unpopular You MUST be Satisfied ---BC Montagna, FDNY
Be a Boss!! I can be your friend and I can be your Boss. If I can only choose one, I have to be your Boss. --BC Frank Vasta NHRFR (ret.)
Be a Boss!! A friend may get you killed. A Boss will get you home. --BC Steve Quidor NHRFR (ret.)
George Washington vs. George Wishy-Washington
Your People • Want to know when they are doing a good job • They also know when they are not • If you don’t say anything, they will think you don’t care! • Discipline will erode further • Do not widen the gap between acceptable and unacceptable discomfort – tougher to get back
BOTTOM LINE
You have to give a ____
Orders • What’s an order???? • How is it given? • How do they know?
• Orders should not be sprayed around like cheap perfume. • Flawed orders guarantee flawed results.
Delegation • Getting the job done through others • Huge part of the Officer’s job • Subordinate Development Give yourself the Gift of Imperfection
The Organization • Formal / Informal • What do you represent 24/7?
• Safe Haven • Games • Find the intersection of Informal Group Freeway and Formal Organization Boulevard.
The usual by-products of straying from the formal game plan: • Confusion • Uncertainty • Inconsistency • Loss of balance – throw’s everyone’s game off • Failures of leadership
The Game Below • Protect them from self-inflicted wounds • Rules of protection – To what extent? • How much do you keep from your supervisor? • Fecal gravity principle
Discipline • Begins with expectations / supervision • Continues on the fireground when Nothing is Showing • Breakdowns here cause consequences later
In other words, if you stink when there is nothing showing, you will stink when something is
CASE STUDY • Union City 22nd and Bergenline • 20 degrees • 5 buildings destroyed /damaged • Fire origin: inaccessible cellar • Breakdowns: • Communications • Command and control • Accountability
All Business • Little things done right in investigation mode pay BIG dividends when something is showing • Apparatus positioning • SOP adherence • PPE • Communications • All sides coverage and report
Dress Rehearsal Mentality
Be Consistent
An employee-centered fire service leader will understand that consistency is the key to effective and successful leadership
Be a Team Player But…. Know when to Avoid Following the Crowd Know when to cut yourself from the herd
Being Popular Does Not Make You a Good Officer
Respect the Job and its Traditions
NEVER Compromise Safety
Hitch your Wagon (and your Career) to the GOOD GUYS Everyone knows who they are and who they are not….don’t be easily influenced
Be Honest You can fool your bosses most of the time. You can only fool your subordinates once.
Dishonesty is a credibility killer.
WHAT YOU PERMIT YOU PROMOTE
Be a Problem Solver Problem finders are a dime a dozen. Problem solvers move the organization forward
Be Human
Be There for Your Subordinates
Pursue a Career of Training KEEP YOUR BATTERIES CHARGED
Don’t Eat Your Young!! Take Control of Your Department’s Future The Department’s MOST Important Resource
You are ALWAYS a TEACHER!
Know the students • New paradigm • Paradigm of small bites • Smaller attention tolerance • Instant world • Must be engaged
Your Philosophy • If one kid doesn’t go home in a body bag because of what you have taught him, you as an instructor did your job --A. Guzzi
Clean up Your Messes or Don’t Create Them!!
Learn from Your Mistakes
Learn and KNOW your Response Area
NEVER Settle for Good Enough
Be Reliable and Have Integrity
Don’t Take Yourself So Seriously
Self-Control: Don’t Let Things Stew and Always Keep Your Cool If you lose your cool, it gives everyone else that right also
Don’t Cut Corners
Deviation Amplification may not allow you to find a path back to the accepted and proper
Be Detail-oriented and Be Prepared
If It Doesn’t Feel Right….. It’s Probably Not Say Something
You Can’t Do it All By Yourself
Give yourself the Gift of Imperfection
Never Compromise Yourself When You Know You Are Right
Remember Why You Took The Oath
Most of all…. You Have to Give a __ __ __ __
Always be Yourself…. Unless you can be a FIREFIGHTER Then ALWAYS be a FIREFIGHTER
Enjoy Your Time Because It Goes By in the Blink of Eye
[email protected]
Thank you
Be safe out there Incident Command
50
Deputy Chief Anthony Avillo (ret.) Regional Tour Commander North Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue Incident Command 1 Director, Monmouth County Fire Academy
Traits of a Successful Officer
Supervision You ARE Responsible You WILL be Held Accountable You MAY Be Unpopular You MUST be Satisfied ---BC Montagna, FDNY
Be a Boss!! I can be your friend and I can be your Boss. If I can only choose one, I have to be your Boss. --BC Frank Vasta NHRFR (ret.)
Be a Boss!! A friend may get you killed. A Boss will get you home. --BC Steve Quidor NHRFR (ret.)
George Washington vs. George Wishy-Washington
Your People • Want to know when they are doing a good job • They also know when they are not • If you don’t say anything, they will think you don’t care! • Discipline will erode further • Do not widen the gap between acceptable and unacceptable discomfort – tougher to get back
BOTTOM LINE
You have to give a ____
Orders • What’s an order???? • How is it given? • How do they know?
• Orders should not be sprayed around like cheap perfume. • Flawed orders guarantee flawed results.
Delegation • Getting the job done through others • Huge part of the Officer’s job • Subordinate Development Give yourself the Gift of Imperfection
The Organization • Formal / Informal • What do you represent 24/7?
• Safe Haven • Games • Find the intersection of Informal Group Freeway and Formal Organization Boulevard.
The usual by-products of straying from the formal game plan: • Confusion • Uncertainty • Inconsistency • Loss of balance – throw’s everyone’s game off • Failures of leadership
The Game Below • Protect them from self-inflicted wounds • Rules of protection – To what extent? • How much do you keep from your supervisor? • Fecal gravity principle
Discipline • Begins with expectations / supervision • Continues on the fireground when Nothing is Showing • Breakdowns here cause consequences later
In other words, if you stink when there is nothing showing, you will stink when something is
CASE STUDY • Union City 22nd and Bergenline • 20 degrees • 5 buildings destroyed /damaged • Fire origin: inaccessible cellar • Breakdowns: • Communications • Command and control • Accountability
All Business • Little things done right in investigation mode pay BIG dividends when something is showing • Apparatus positioning • SOP adherence • PPE • Communications • All sides coverage and report
Dress Rehearsal Mentality
Be Consistent
An employee-centered fire service leader will understand that consistency is the key to effective and successful leadership
Be a Team Player But…. Know when to Avoid Following the Crowd Know when to cut yourself from the herd
Being Popular Does Not Make You a Good Officer
Respect the Job and its Traditions
NEVER Compromise Safety
Hitch your Wagon (and your Career) to the GOOD GUYS Everyone knows who they are and who they are not….don’t be easily influenced
Be Honest You can fool your bosses most of the time. You can only fool your subordinates once.
Dishonesty is a credibility killer.
WHAT YOU PERMIT YOU PROMOTE
Be a Problem Solver Problem finders are a dime a dozen. Problem solvers move the organization forward
Be Human
Be There for Your Subordinates
Pursue a Career of Training KEEP YOUR BATTERIES CHARGED
Don’t Eat Your Young!! Take Control of Your Department’s Future The Department’s MOST Important Resource
You are ALWAYS a TEACHER!
Know the students • New paradigm • Paradigm of small bites • Smaller attention tolerance • Instant world • Must be engaged
Your Philosophy • If one kid doesn’t go home in a body bag because of what you have taught him, you as an instructor did your job --A. Guzzi
Clean up Your Messes or Don’t Create Them!!
Learn from Your Mistakes
Learn and KNOW your Response Area
NEVER Settle for Good Enough
Be Reliable and Have Integrity
Don’t Take Yourself So Seriously
Self-Control: Don’t Let Things Stew and Always Keep Your Cool If you lose your cool, it gives everyone else that right also
Don’t Cut Corners
Deviation Amplification may not allow you to find a path back to the accepted and proper
Be Detail-oriented and Be Prepared
If It Doesn’t Feel Right….. It’s Probably Not Say Something
You Can’t Do it All By Yourself
Give yourself the Gift of Imperfection
Never Compromise Yourself When You Know You Are Right
Remember Why You Took The Oath
Most of all…. You Have to Give a __ __ __ __
Always be Yourself…. Unless you can be a FIREFIGHTER Then ALWAYS be a FIREFIGHTER
Enjoy Your Time Because It Goes By in the Blink of Eye
[email protected]
Thank you
Be safe out there Incident Command
50
