Why_the_Madison_Fire_Department_Needs_Company_Officers

Bruce Jordan James Angle Company Officer December 7, 2006 Why The Madison Fire Department Needs A Company Officer There are many reasons why fire departments need company officers. This paper will discuss several ways a fire department would benefit from having a company officer. There is the need for a captains position, how having this position would benefit the fire chief, how it would benefit the firefighters, and how it would benefit the department. We will also discuss reasons why a fire department would not have a company officer. The need of a captains position in the Madison Fire Department. Before we can discuss why this department needs a captain position, we need to know how the department is currently structured. The Madison Fire Department is a combination department with eight full-time positions, which includes the chief, one inspector that work eight to five Monday thru Friday and six firefighters that work twelve hour shifts on a rotating basis. There are also approximately twenty volunteer firefighters in this department and they have their own rank structure. The fire chief has not appointed anyone else in the department to be his second in command and the inspector position is not considered to be an officers position. “Company officers are first line supervisors responsible for the performance and safety of assigned personnel in an emergency service.”(Smoke 4) The Madison Fire Department currently does not have a captain position, because of this the chief is having to handle all admistrative and operational duties In the past when this department had captain company level operations ran much more efficiently. An example would be that some of the administrative duties were taken care of by the captain. Also the captain was able to take care of minor problems that really did not require the chief to handle them. Where as currently those same duties are now being delegated to a few of the senior firefighters. Which in itself is not a problem, but those firefighters do not have the proper authority of an officer to handle some those delegated duties. . Many fire officer texts have said that the company officer position is the most important position in the fire service. A company officer is the backbone of the fire department, where the rubber meets the road, he is the driving force behind everything that is accomplished at the company level. He is the leader that is supposed to set the example for the rest of the firefighters. He must show initiative, commitment, and be technically and tactically skilled above and below his level. When one talks about company officers one must also talk about leadership. “The definition of leadership is the personal actions needed by managers to get team member’s to carry out certain activities. Leadership is achieving the organization’s goals through others. Simply put, leadership is getting other people to do what you want done. ”(Smoke 120) “ There are several things that make the work environment a better place: Sound organizational objectives, clear policies and guidelines, consistent management, clear definition of duties, open lines of communications, individuals well matched with jobs, recognition of good work.”(Smoke 120) Having a captain position would also benefit the chief tremendously. The chief has many duties that could be assigned to a company officer such as a captain. Day to day operations of the station, scheduling leave time, shift hours and ensuring the station is properly manned at all times are just a few of the administrative tasks that a captain could do for the chief. There are also many operational tasks that could be handled by a company officer / captain, with the most important being individual and department training. This would possibly include daily training for the crew on duty, monthly training that includes the departments volunteers and any annual training required by the state such as CPR, Hazmat, etc. A captain could also be assigned to supervising maintainance of equipment and apparatus with ensuring that all equipment is ready to go at all times. This would enable the chief to concentrate more of his time and energy to such tasks as the planning and growth of the department in the future, recruitment of personnel, grant applications and research, and a miriad of other executive tasks that require a chiefs attention. On a more personal level having a captain position in this department would ensure that the department could still function in the event the chief is ill, takes vacation, or otherwise unavailable. Additionally when the chief is in command of an emergency scene having a captain gives him someone he can assign to run the operations side of an incident allowing the chief to be able to monitor the overall scene (keep an eye on the big picture). Also as has been stated in many fire officer texts the chief should have a second in command, that is trained and experienced enough to take his place after he leaves, retires, etc. one that he trusts to handle anything that occurs in the station, on an emergency scene, while training or any other situation. “ It is the chiefs responsibility to ensure the department is managed properly. If you think your department won’t get along without you, you have failed to manage properly, and you have failed your firefighters and the community you are charged with protecting. Why haven't you prepared your department to get along without you' Pride' Power' Prestige' It is part of your job as chief to ensure the department carries on with business as usual (or even improved) in your absence. It doesn’t take much — just keep your people informed (truthfully) on what you’re doing. When you have a “special meeting,” take your assistant chief and an officer or two along with you so at least a few other people know what’s going on. That way, if you do leave the department for some reason, people won’t be left in the dark.” (Cook ) The only negative aspect regarding having a captain position would be if the chief did not want to share or relinquish his authority and or duties. Overall having a captain position would free the chief of having to manage every single aspect of the fire department and would allow him to concentrate on the administrative duties that his positon requires. There are also many benefits for the firefighters to having a captain. A captain would provide the link in the chain of command that is currently missing in this department. This would allow the firefighters to have someone that they could talk to about problems big and small concerning themselves, other personnel in the department, or day to day operation. Another benefit would be having someone to stand up with and represent the firefighters when the situation requires it. Having a captain would also give the firefighters someone that has the authority to command an emergency operation, make critcal decisions, etc. in the absence of the chief. Occasionally with the limited manpower available during the daytime hours a captain would also provide additional manpower that is sorely needed in some instances. Additionally having a captain would reduce some of the friction and or conflicts that occur between firefighters or between firefighter and chief. Having a captain also provides the firefighters someone to look up to and strive to emulate. An example of how a captain could make a difference for the firefighters is how emergency operations are handled currently. The senior firefighter is in charge of a scene until the chief arrives, which means he has to make critical decisions sometimes that he may or may not have the training or experience to make. That could place him in an awkward position. Having a captain to take charge on scenes would relieve the burden and or pressure on the firefighter. “One of the oldest and best-known leadership theories is to lead by example. Stated another way: Don't expect your people to do what you aren't willing to do. In my experience, a captain's example to their crew is similar to that of parents to children. Just like kids, crewmembers  always watch you, and if you mess up, they will not hesitate to use it against you, or worse, follow your lead.” (Gayk ) Why a captain position would be more suitable than other officer ranks. A captain position is more suitable in this department because of the way shifts are worked. The shift firefighters work twelve hour shifts and rotate between day and night shift every two weeks. The previous captain worked a 2 pm to 10 pm daily shift which meant he was in contact daily with all firefighters on both shifts. Working Monday thru Friday also made the captain available to the chief, which also allowed him to stay abreast of any and all ongoing situations. A lieutenant or shift supervisor position would be appropriate for a department that was working a twenty-four hour shift and or had more personnel. In this departments case the captain position meets the needs of this department better because of the limited personnel and the simple fact that when there was a captain position it worked with few if any problems. According to a fire department management text” a three level organizational structure would work in departments of one to three fire companies. This structure would consist of the fire chief, a captain, and firefighters.”(Bryan, Picard 74) Why the Madison Fire Department does not have a captains position. The current fire chief was the previous captain and when he was promoted to chief he did away with the captain position. While one can speculate why the chief removed this position only the chief and the city manager knows the reason. There are several possible reasons why this position was eliminated. One could be because of budgetary constraints that required it. Yet another could be because of a lack of qualified personnel available to fill the position. However the captain position was never advertised and never even discussed after the new chief took over. Possibly the new chief felt it was an unnecessary job position due to having been in the position before. Insecurity in his new position or lack of knowledge of the responsibility and or duties required of his prior captain position could also be a factor. How having a company officer / captain would improve the Madison Fire Department as a whole. There are many ways that having a captain could improve the fire department. One way is by having a solid chain of command instead of the current chain that is not really a chain. It would also really improve the morale and welfare of the firefighters in this department. Having a captain would allow this department to become a more efficiently run fire department. It would give the department someone besides the chief that could handle any and all problems that are encountered especially when the chief is not available. A captain position also provides a person that could fullfill the many roles that emcompass the position. “The many roles of the company officer : Coach, Communicator, Counselors, Decision maker, Evaluator, Firefighter, Friend, Innovator, Instructor, Leader, Listener, Manager, Mediator, Motivator, Planner, Public Relations representative, Referee, Role model, Safety officer, Student, Supervisor, and Writer.”(Smoke 5) The research and discussion of many firefighter and fire officer texts and magazines have shown that there are much more advantages than disadvantages to having a company officer. As has been said many times in this paper the need for a company officer is great especially for a small fire department such as Madison Fire Department. One primary advantage is that having a company officer completes the broken chain of command that is currently in use. Another advantage is it would give this department a second in command, which it currently does not have and desperately needs. This paper shows many valid reasons why a company officer is needed in this department. Some of the ways a company officer could enhance this department are listed in the previous paragraphs, but the most valuable would be as a representative of the department when the chief is not available. Works Cited Smoke, Clinton. Company Officer, Second Edition. (Clifton Park: Thomson/ Delmar Learning, 2005). Bryan, John L. and Picard, Raymond C. Managing Fire Services, First Edition. (Washington D.C.: International City Management Association, 1979). Cook, Scott. “Questions for the Chiefs.” FireRescue Magazine Nov. 2006 Gayk, Ray. “Company Officer Development.:Down & Dirty” FireRescue Magazine Aug. 2006