Chapter 12: Coaching the Functional Fire Company Flashcards
Chapter 12: Coaching the Functional Fire Company p254
What two things are required to have a functional fire company?
The Fire Chief has a responsibility to create that environment in the department.
The company officer has the responsibility for creating the environment in the firehouse.
Chapter 12: Coaching the Functional Fire Company p254
What does fire ready mean in TCFD?
Fire ready means preparing for the fire shift, expecting fire upon arrival, and expecting the search to be positive.
With this mindset surprises are minimized, the company set up and prepared to go to work.
Chapter 12: Coaching the Functional Fire Company p255
Coaching the company:
How can you assure fire company understands what being fire ready means?
Discuss the difference between EMS response in a fire response.
Focus on the first 15 minutes of fire response in each of the things that must be addressed.
Discuss the roles and responsibilities of the company and each individual member of the company.
Describe what fire ground success looks like based on apartment operating guidelines and best practices.
Drill on basics
Chapter 12: Coaching the Functional Fire Company p255
How can the senior member have a positive influence on the company’s fire readiness?
Be the role model for firefighting preparedness. What the whip does or does not do sends a message to the company.
Work with officer and driver on best way to set up the rig. Train like it’s the real deal.
Chapter 12: Coaching the Functional Fire Company p256
What are the two jobs that members of the functional fire company must understand?
- The roles & responsibilities of the position. 2. The fire?
The level for understanding for each job by each member will determine the success and survival of the fire company.
Chapter 12: Coaching the Functional Fire Company p256
As a company officer how do you make sure your company understands their roles and responsibilities?
First make sure you understand the jobs. Start with the job descriptions for each position.
The more operational clarity that can be provided for each position, the greater the operational coordination, and the less likely there will be misunderstanding.
Chapter 12: Coaching the Functional Fire Company p256
How can Whip help ensure firefighters understand the roles responsibilities?
The members may come to the house trained but they will look to the senior member to gain understanding. Don’t just do the job, learn them.
Company officers don’t know all, and may lean on the senior firefighter’s understanding.
Chapter 12: Coaching the Functional Fire Company p257
What is it at the core but a functional fire company is?
Functional fire company and its core are problem solvers. The ability and commitment to solving problems is what set functional companies apart from the rest. While other companies are throwing in the towel and giving up the functional company is throwing letter going to work.
Chapter 12: Coaching the Functional Fire Company p257
As a fire officer how do you coach your company to be a team of problem solvers?
Discuss how functional fire companies welcome operational leadership challenges.
Understand that wins are determined by problems successfully solved.
Explain how each member of the company is empowered to solve problems.
Chapter 12: Coaching the Functional Fire Company p257
How does the senior member promote a culture of problem-solving?
Be the member that solves problem.
Chapter 12: Coaching the Functional Fire Company p258
What is commitment to duty?
Firefighters should view duty as a moral obligation and their number one responsibility. Being firefighters a choice in the privilege. When you accept the title of firefighter you are green to live up to all that that title stands for: courage, valor, commitment, compassion, dedication, service and being a person who strangers can count on and trust.
Your duties as a firefighter is simple: use your training to the best of your ability to save lives, protect property and solve problems.
Chapter 12: Coaching the Functional Fire Company p258
Has a company officer coach the company to a commitment of duty?
Define duty as a team. Start with a vision of what commitment to duty looks like, and then work backwards to develop the actions and mindset necessary for commitment to duty.
Ask your fire officers and firefighters should have it different level of commitment, define those levels.
Develop three or four duty action steps that demonstrate commitment to duty. For example, define your risk tolerance, commit to increasing knowledge and skill proficiency, and always remain prepared.
Chapter 12: Coaching the Functional Fire Company p258
How can the senior member help to find commitment to duty within the company?
Learn the commitment to duty of each member on the team and work to match or exceed it.
Mentor junior members so that they understand what may be expected of them in life or death situations, and how those decisions should be made, or will be made.
Make the connection between committing to duty, and committing to preparedness.
Chapter 12: Coaching the Functional Fire Company p259
How you promote trust and cohesion within the company?
Accountability, respect, pride, teamwork, and commitment to excellence must be valued by each member of the team if there’s to be trust and team cohesion.
Chapter 12: Coaching the Functional Fire Company p259
How can the senior firefighter contribute to team cohesion?
Be the go to person that the team can count on – that’s the recognition that matters. If you are working with junior members watch for an attitude of entitlement and coach them through it if they have one.
Never allow hazing in your house. This doesn’t mean you can be strict and demanding just means cannot abuse members physically or mentally.
Chapter 12: Coaching the Functional Fire Company p259-260
What should company officers always remember about team cohesion?
Every action is this pendulum swing each action and decision can either promote teambuilding or tear them apart. Damaged team chemistry is often subtle and not recognized until after the damage is done.
Teen building and team chemistry cannot be emphasized enough. Everything is on the company officer including hazing.
Chapter 12: Coaching the Functional Fire Company p260
What is it mean to be a student of the art of firefighting?
Each member of the functional fire company seeks knowledge and a deeper level of understanding by asking questions, doing research, and practicing.
He learned, apply it, honestly critique it, and then improve on it. That’s how insight is gained.
Chapter 12: Coaching the Functional Fire Company p260
How does the company officer promote a learning culture on his team?
Discuss as a company most effective ways to increase understanding of the job.
As the team commit to learning something on every call, no matter how insignificant.
Inspire each member of the team to gain insight into the team into the job.
