There are different types of leaders out in the world, and with those leaders there are many methods to establish leadership.
Ahmed Raza lists 12 various types of leadership. A few of these types are democratic, strategic, transformational, team leadership, cross-cultural, and visionary leadership.
Tina Abner wrote that there are six characteristics that make up a great leader: integrity, faith, the ability to listen, understand, guide and empower those to do more than what they thought they could ever do.

In most findings, there is one word that stands out among the rest when asking about what a leader is, Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.”
A real leader develops and earns the loyalty of people. There are those who will do what they can to worm their way into the position they desire, but if that person is not backed up by the trust of people, they can easily fall like Louis the XVI.

When a person thinks of leadership they mostly think of one person standing alone among the crowds of people. That may be, but in most cases, there is always a team that backs up the leader. Sometimes there isn’t a leader, there are leaders – shared responsibilities. “Shared leadership, by virtue of its use of the combined best of leaders’ abilities, is being tested as one possible solution for meeting these challenging [trials]….” said Marshall Goldsmith. Goldsmith also lists qualities that make it possible to divide leadership:
• “Give power away to the most qualified individuals to strengthen their capabilities.
• Define the limits of decision-making power.
• Cultivate a climate in which people feel free to take initiative on assignments.
• Give qualified people discretion and autonomy over their tasks and resources and encourage them to use these tools.
• Don’t second guess the decisions of those you have empowered to do so.
• Consider yourself a resource rather than the [boss]….
• Set appropriate follow-up meetings to review progress and take corrective action if necessary.”

One of the most challenging jobs is being a leader. A leader maintains order when the situation calls for it. Our local leaders of the community are firefighters, police services and paramedics. They are the first to calm people down, control the situation and protect and support all members of the community. Those are examples of good leadership practices.
Children look up at the amazing vehicles with a twinkle in their eyes wondering if they to should choose to serve their community. The job has many responsibilities, but when done right, the impression on society is the greatest gift to give them.

The post Leading the Way appeared first on Champions Fire College.

The earlier you learn that firefighting is a way of life, the better off you will be. You must acknowledge that by accepting a position as a firefighter, whether it be volunteer, paid-on-call, or career, you are making a lifelong commitment. You owe it to not only yourself but to your family, your colleagues, and the community which you serve to take care of YOU first and foremost. If you don’t, you will be the hazard on the fire ground.

NFPA reports that of the 68 line of duty deaths in the United States in 2015, 51 percent of them were from sudden cardiac death (National Fire Protection Association, 2016). Shockingly, in the same report, 59 percent of those fatalities afflicted men and women between the ages of 36 and 50. These statistics are unacceptable, but sadly, true.
As prospects and recruits you are likely in the best shape of your life as your prepare to pass the rigorous physical tests required by many career departments. Why is it that after several years in the fire service this level of health and fitness degrades all the way to the opposite end of the spectrum, to the point that it is killing firefighters?

It is time that firefighters, new and old, embrace that firefighting is a lifestyle. This means that you must make a conscious effort to stay fit both on and off duty. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends at least 150 minutes per week of exercise to increase cardiovascular health (AHA, 2017). They go on to stipulate that of those 150 minutes at least 75 of them should include vigorous activity such as playing a sport, or skipping rope. Firefighters need to acknowledge that this is the bare minimum. Firefighters need to hold themselves above these recommendations in order to stay response ready.

A healthy lifestyle also pertains to good eating habits. The earlier you introduce these habits into your life the easier they will be to maintain. As with developing all habits, start with small changes at a time. Drastic changes and fad diets will only set you up for failure. Set measurable goals that are achievable. Constantly review them and revise if necessary.
It is not uncommon to cook at the fire hall. Create a healthy meal plan at the start of your tour and stick to it, perhaps introducing a cheat meal for your last night as a reward for sticking to your goals. Encourage each other!

Stay hydrated! Drinking fluids is imperative to a firefighter’s health. You never know when your next fire will be.
Firefighting, as with all emergency services, is unpredictable. You never know what your next call will be. It may be a medical response where you are required to provide a lift assist, a motor vehicle collision that requires extrication, or a structure fire that lasts several hours. Whatever it may be, you must be prepared. Adopt the mentality that firefighting is a lifestyle because one day your life and the lives of others depend on it.

The post Be Ready, Stay Fit appeared first on Champions Fire College.

Ahmed Raza lists 12 various types of leadership. A few of these types are democratic, strategic, transformational, team leadership, cross-cultural, and visionary leadership.

Tina Abner wrote that there are six characteristics that make up a great leader: integrity, faith, the ability to listen, understand, guide and empower those to do more than what they thought they could ever do.

In most findings, there is one word that stands out among the rest when asking about what a leader is, Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.”

A real leader develops and earns the loyalty of people. There are those who will do what they can to worm their way into the position they desire, but if that person is not backed up by the trust of people, they can easily fall like Louis the XVI.

When a person thinks of leadership they mostly think of one person standing alone among the crowds of people. That may be, but in most cases, there is always a team that backs up the leader. Sometimes there isn’t a leader, there are leaders – shared responsibilities. “Shared leadership, by virtue of its use of the combined best of leaders’ abilities, is being tested as one possible solution for meeting these challenging [trials]….” said Marshall Goldsmith. Goldsmith also lists qualities that make it possible to divide leadership:
• “Give power away to the most qualified individuals to strengthen their capabilities.
• Define the limits of decision-making power.
• Cultivate a climate in which people feel free to take initiative on assignments.
• Give qualified people discretion and autonomy over their tasks and resources and encourage them to use these tools.
• Don’t second guess the decisions of those you have empowered to do so.
• Consider yourself a resource rather than the [boss]….
• Set appropriate follow-up meetings to review progress and take corrective action if necessary.”

One of the most challenging jobs is being a leader. A leader maintains order when the situation calls for it. Our local leaders of the community are firefighters, police services and paramedics. They are the first to calm people down, control the situation and protect and support all members of the community. Those are examples of good leadership practices.

Children look up at the amazing vehicles with a twinkle in their eyes wondering if they to should choose to serve their community. The job has many responsibilities, but when done right, the impression on society is the greatest gift to give them.

The post Leading The Way appeared first on Champions Fire College.

A volunteer fire department is typically the life-line between life and death in rural communities. Men and women remain on call 24/7 and face all of the commitment and seriousness a full-time firefighter will experience – with a portion of the training and pay. Often they are the only ones available to meet public safety needs in rural areas because there is no emergency medical team available at all times or even in the vicinity. A volunteer firefighter requires continuous training to ensure he or she is adequately prepared for the variety of situations that may develop.

Issues facing volunteer fire departments

Fire Engineering Magazine reported that when a volunteer firefighter is appointed to the position of fire officer, many times he or she never receives any officer training or leadership development training, which can create conflicts.

There are three major challenges for volunteer fire departments with regard to training personnel, according to the white paper titled, “Volunteer Firefighter Training,” by The National Volunteer Fire Council. These three factors are time constraints, resource constraints and leadership. According to the paper, Americans are spending more time commuting to and from work and spending more time at the office – decreasing the amount of time available to training and certification delivery methods. According to Four Years Later – A Second Needs

In one assessment of the U.S. Fire Service, which was a cooperative study published in 2006 produced by the United States Fire Administration, Directorate of Preparedness, Department of Homeland Security and National Fire Protection Association, many
volunteer fire departments tend to have older equipment and apparatus. This means that is is unlikely for the department to have the budget necessary for replacing equipment and thus must rely on private donations to balance operating budgets. Many
volunteer fire departments are located in areas that don’t have the budget necessary to supporting mass training exercises regularly.

The other issue facing training volunteer departments is leadership – many people in charge of volunteer departments received the position informally and did not receive an education. As a result, these people later often believe that training exercises are unnecessary and that many of the modern training standards not worth the investment.

The importance of volunteer firefighter training
Fire fighting has become a much more multi-faceted undertaking because of the increased number of building materials out on the market. No longer are homes and businesses built with just natural materials or with the same altered formulas. This
means that when a firefighter enters a building engulfed in flames, he or she must be prepared to deal with a volatile situation where the fire can react in different ways, travel in different paths or accelerate unexpectedly.

Rural volunteer fire departments require just as much training as personnel of more urban environments. Often members are traveling from much greater distances, which means that decisions must be made on scene even more quickly.

By investing in ongoing quality training and support mechanisms, a volunteer department is better able to support its community. The training provides firefighters with the updated knowledge and skills necessary to handle many unique situations they will need to respond to. In addition, training will boost preparation and department readiness. Having accurate data about the response capabilities of individual firefighters will allow commanders to best determine what tasks each person can perform safely – thereby reducing injuries and increasing the effectiveness of the response.

The post The Importance of Volunteer Fire Department Training appeared first on Champions Fire College.