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The Senior Probie Pride. Ownership. Tradition. Culture. • Mentally strong firefighters are built here.

Why do you want to be a firefighter? A question we were all once asked, and one I myself pose to new rookies on their fi...
13/06/2025

Why do you want to be a firefighter? A question we were all once asked, and one I myself pose to new rookies on their first day. You can probably guess the answers. I want to serve others. I want to help people. I can’t work behind a desk. I want a job that encompasses family and brotherhood.

These answers are not wrong, but I find them generic and superficial. Maybe I think that because I hear them so often, or it could be those that make these their answers don’t yet understand the job.

So why am I here then? What more do I have to add?

Yes, I want to serve others and at the end of the day we are public servants and the side of our rigs says Fire & Emergency Services. But if I just like serving people, I could do that at a restaurant. Even put a smile on my face and really feel good about myself.

I too want to help people. And we help people on their very worst days. But if I just want to feel good for helping somebody, I could go volunteer at the Red Cross, a shelter or a church.

I want the brotherhood too. But if I just want to be close friends with good people, there are plenty of ways to network and be social with like minded folks in today’s world.

Why do I do this job? Cort Smith (OKCFD) has summed it up very brilliantly, and without taking away any valor or credit from him, his why has become a part of my why…

Because I want to walk into my fire station prepared to do a job no one else is going to do. When the tones go off I’m going to put on gear no one else is going to wear. I’m going to ride in a rig no one else rides in. I’m going to use and carry tools no one else knows how to use. When the smoke is thick, I want the guy beside me to know me better than anyone else, and I him. And when all hope is lost, I’m going to go into places no one else wants to go in order to save lives that NO ONE ELSE CAN save.

Yes I am here to serve and help. Yes I love the brotherhood. And no, I can’t sit behind a desk either. But this is WHY I do those things. This is WHY I’m a fireman.

So, why are you here? Is it just service? Is it the schedule and the benefits? Or is it for the right reasons?

Motivation and Fuel. Work harder than the guy that just walked in the room.
31/05/2025

Motivation and Fuel. Work harder than the guy that just walked in the room.

Self-Examination time. You don’t have to comment, just take a second to reflect on what you bring to the table.What is y...
19/05/2025

Self-Examination time.

You don’t have to comment, just take a second to reflect on what you bring to the table.

What is your impact on your culture?

Are you an asset on the fire ground but a liability in the firehouse?

Food for thought.

What is the influence you have on your crew and your department? Don’t overthink it. Simply put, is it positive or negat...
16/05/2025

What is the influence you have on your crew and your department? Don’t overthink it. Simply put, is it positive or negative? Do you complain about problems and create drama, or do you motivate your crew and only worry about what is in your control?

Too many people throughout the Fire Service ranks want to complain about what they simply don’t like. The Chief said this, my Officer did that, no one will fix this, etc. Complaining about things that you either cannot control, or are not willing to be part of the solution can kill a firehouse culture quickly, especially when it is coming from a senior firefighter or promoted individual.

We all know rookies and young firefighters look to those senior to them for guidance. This is in both a direct and indirect manner. Direct is what you teach, show, explain and do with them. Indirect is the behavior you demonstrate and what they watch you practice, say, do yourself.

If your behavior consistently pushes negativity or laziness, what is that young firefighters outlook on the fire service going to become? What characteristics are they themselves going to begin demonstrating? Is your influence helping or hurting them?

You don’t have to like the Fire Chief, your admin or your policies. Many don’t it seems. But what you choose to worry about, talk about and complain about shouldn’t be without a willingness or ability to work towards a solution. If it is a problem you have no control over, then don’t let it bring you and your crew down. Rise above it, or in spite of it.

I’ll give some credit to Chip Ashford who discussed on Relentless Rejects podcast how if you want good fire chiefs, then you need good people to become chiefs. I’m not saying you have to become a chief. I do not care to be one personally. But if you have influence in your organization, use it productively.

If we can cultivate strong firefighters with the right values coming up and around us, then our outlook on the future should be a positive one. Remember the culture you develop at your station today will outlast your department’s problems. Influence is valuable and impactful.

Are we seeing a suffering engine company culture in the modern fire service? It may look like an acceptance of mediocrit...
25/04/2025

Are we seeing a suffering engine company culture in the modern fire service? It may look like an acceptance of mediocrity, a struggle to maintain proficiency in the basic fundamental skills, a lack of ownership and interest, or even just ignorance and youth. Do you see it at your department? What causes it and how do we fix it?

We are facing a societal issue new to the fire service. Candidates walking through the door are younger and younger, and now not only looking for their first “fire job”, but their first actual “job” in general. The new hires with life experience and a blue collar trade background are becoming rare, and fire crews are having to teach rookies basic life skills in addition to how to be good firefighters.

This is one piece of a very large puzzle. The Fire Service has grown so much in the last 10 years that many of those true “senior men” have promoted on up, and there hasn’t been anyone to adequately fill their shoes. The senior firefighter is becoming younger and younger, and with that we have lost the pride and ownership previously prevalent at the lower ranks.

Why is it seen on the engine the most? Two key points. First, many of your go-getters, your studs, your senior men gravitate towards Trucks, Rescues or other specialties because they have mastered the basics and look to continue to push and challenge themselves in high-speed roles. Call me part of the problem I guess because I’m one of them.

Second, I believe the engine assignment gets “watered down” because 1) there are more of them in a fleet, and 2) when a new rookie starts day 1, guess where they are riding.

The culture of engine work being a specialty itself is dying and we need solid engine guys who want to be solid engine guys in our departments. Firefighters who have a sense of responsibility and ownership for their assignment and who push themselves to master the art of being a hose dragger.

If you ride an engine, own that responsibility. It is yours. Build a strong engine culture in your firehouse by taking ownership of your job, mastering the art of flowing water and moving hose, and push your crew, from the officer to the rookie to do the same.

-From a Truck Guy

It’s a privilege. Take ownership.
22/04/2025

It’s a privilege. Take ownership.

If you’re not going in after a victim, then who is?If you’re not prepared for aggressive fire attack, then who is?If you...
25/03/2025

If you’re not going in after a victim, then who is?

If you’re not prepared for aggressive fire attack, then who is?

If you’re not ready for a challenging vertical vent, then who is?

If you’re not comfortable to run a code on the box, then who is?

If you’re not running 5 calls after midnight with a smile on your face, then who is?

If you’re not training every shift, then who is?

If you’re not sweeping the floors or cleaning the toilets, then who is?

If you are not asking questions, seeking knowledge and understanding, mastering your craft and pushing those around you, then who is?

A positive culture starts in your own mind. Be prepared for the hard things. Be good at the little things.

“How do we fix our culture?” A question starting some of the discussions I have been a part of recently. Plug in any wor...
11/02/2025

“How do we fix our culture?” A question starting some of the discussions I have been a part of recently. Plug in any word before culture; Training, Engine, Truck, Firehouse, Crew or Department. Both formal and informal leaders are searching for a solution to rebuild a crew or shift that doesn’t get hung up on the negative or find contentment in mediocrity. But, how do we fix it?

Regardless of your specific situation, a change in your culture begins with a sense of responsibility for each and every person. Understanding the real expectations of the job and rising to meet them. Valuing the responsibilities put on each of us. A comprehension that we are all they have, and if we cannot do the job right and well, it’s the difference of life and death to them.

We don’t need paycheck firefighters. Paycheck firefighters create sub-par fire departments. Sub-par fire departments deliver poor service, cost our citizens life and property, and put our brothers and sisters at greater risk. Yes, at the end of the day it is our job and many of us do get paid. Some of us wouldn’t be here if there wasn’t a paycheck. That being said, you could’ve gotten a job behind a desk, but you didn’t choose that. You chose to be a firefighter. And you chose these responsibilities.

You start to fix your culture by cultivating that sense of responsibility. A sense of responsibility will motivate guys to train, to seek new or outside knowledge and to push themselves and those around them to be better. The best firefighters are those who are never content with their current knowledge or skill. They have a consistent expectation of growth. When firefighters have that drive and focus on their job, supported by crew leadership that empowers them and grows with them, then no amount of administrative bull crap can stop you from being good at your job.

If you spent 24 hours in a firehouse as just a fly on the wall, you would have a pretty good grasp on the personalities,...
11/11/2024

If you spent 24 hours in a firehouse as just a fly on the wall, you would have a pretty good grasp on the personalities, roles, and overall culture of a crew. It can actually be challenging to have this outlook of your own crew when you yourself are a part of it, but sometimes we each need to stop and take an outside look at our own firehouse instead of only falling in as a functioning part of it.

The new guy should always be watching, learning and soaking it in. We tell all of them that, right? There’s growth in observations. Watching what the senior man physically does day to day. Watching how they speak to other firefighters. Watching how they interact with the public. Watching their confidence in a stressful situation. Watching how they teach, and how they themselves learn. Even if you think you are only watching for your own benefit because you want to understand how you as the new guy should be doing something, observing all of their traits will one day leave an impression on you when you are in their shoes.

Senior firefighters; everything I just listed, that is what new members are observing. They see everything you do. It is your job to lead and mentor a new peer, but it is just as easy to be a bad example if you are not careful. Every stud firefighter you think of; passionately engraved into the culture of the fire service, was once motivated by similar individuals to be better than the mediocre standards of their department. Now it’s your turn to be that example to someone else.

Company officers; watch your crews. Know their personalities and how to succeed with them. Challenge your studs to grow them. Participate with your new members to encourage them. Empower your informal leaders and they will do you great favors by naturally building a strong generation after them. But just like the new guy watches your senior man, your senior man is watching you. You are an example to them, and they see everything you do.

I don’t care what seat you ride, what example are you setting? Everyone’s watching.

The day after you promote, the day after you leave, or the day after you retire your seat will be filled by someone else...
08/11/2024

The day after you promote, the day after you leave, or the day after you retire your seat will be filled by someone else. Just like you followed after someone, someone else will follow after you. We all want to be irreplaceable, yet every single one of us will one day be replaced. We can’t escape it and we can’t control it. But where we can have an impact and leave behind an impression is through the value we bring.

Your value is your worth. What are you worth to your crew? Do you bring drive, initiative, motivation and productivity to a crew? If you swing out or work OT with another house, what impression do you have on them? What are their expectations of you? What is your reputation? These are the questions to ask yourself in some self-examination.

An individual who is focused on growth; both personal and that of his/her crew will naturally bring value. Simple standards of being fit in body and mind for this job and mastering the basics in order to build upon a strong foundation is the recipe for high standards and high performers. Company officers and dept leaders should recognize these characteristics in their people and empower them to thrive and cultivate. A senior man who leads from the back seat should be valued, and you show them that they are valued by 1) giving them their freedom to lead and grow their peers, and 2) by listening to them and letting them lead and grow you in areas where you may need it too.

We all want to think of our career progression and “leaving” a crew with a void that is hard to fill. And while that may indeed signify your worth and your value, my challenge to you is what did you do to prepare others to fill your spot? You may be the pacesetter, but those “next up” senior men have been watching you. You have set the bar for them and defined the standard of what the informal leader should look like. Did you also invest in them so they can step into that spot?

The void you leave behind should be felt. But if you invested into your culture and your crew, it should not be hard to fill. That’s what you should want. The next man up should understand the assignment, and he/she should be able to pick up where you left off.

You can find the information you need to pass a test from a book.The knowledge you need to be better at this job comes f...
25/10/2024

You can find the information you need to pass a test from a book.

The knowledge you need to be better at this job comes from people. Instructors, mentors, and those who have actually experienced and mastered what you’re trying to learn.

People will teach you what you won’t find in a textbook.

People will push you to master a craft yourself.

People will show you a passion for this job that no book ever will.

Promote people because they are the best at this job. Not because they can retain textbook information.

Listen to people. Teach people. Promote the right people.

I want the guy who is in the bay training with the rookie.I want the guy who gets his whole crew in the gym after a long...
23/10/2024

I want the guy who is in the bay training with the rookie.

I want the guy who gets his whole crew in the gym after a long day.

I want the guy who is still working with a smile on his face when everyone else is falling out.

I want the guy who is calm and collected when there is chaos around him.

I want the guy who uses common sense and is confident in his decisions.

I want the guy who is always pushing, having never mastered his craft in his own mind.

Be that guy.

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