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Although I never had the opportunity to meet or speak with the man, I was "in his presence" on a few short occasions and was always impressed by his talented writing abilities.
Today we mourn the loss of fire service and news world leader: Hal Bruno.
The world is changing rapidly and the fire service is getting caught up in the tornado effect of technology on our society.
More and more fire departments are smartly using web sites, e-mail and social networking tools like Facebook and Twitter to recruit new firefighters and to stay connected to their community. There isn't much you can't do with a mobile device today that took a super-computer to do less than 30 years ago.
I recently had the opportunity to facilitate a conversation with a large group of fire instructors titled: "From the Xbox to the Box Alarm" for the University of Kansas Fire and Rescue Institute wherein we discussed today's and tomorrow's generation of firefighters. The conversation focused not only on the challenges in understanding, motivating, training and leading this unique cadre of individuals, but also enlightened the participants as to the tremendous potential they possess for moving our fire service forward.
And, naturally, you can't have a conversation about today's generation of firefighters without discussing the importance of technology and the impact of social networking.
Everybody Loves Sparky the Fire Dog!
Just as much as kids love firefighters, every kid (well, almost every kid) loves Sparky.
Recently I had the chance to catch some Run-to-the-Curb type kids interacting with their favorite Fire Dog, learning all about fire prevention and safety and making new friends. Thanks to Sparky, I’m sure these kids will be running to the curb to watch the fire trucks go by, just as soon as they’re old enough.
This article is one in a series of toolkits focusing on recruitment, retention, fire service marketing and leadership.
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Are you SAFER than you were last year?
That is, did you submit a grant application under the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) “Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response” program for recruitment and retention?
If you didn’t, you missed out on a great opportunity to better your fire department, or in our case, the entire volunteer fire service in our region.
Here’s the good news. You get another chance. DHS just announced that the application period for the 2009 SAFER grants opens November 16, 2009. (more…)
Earlier today I had the pleasure of joining lots of other folks who participating in the dedication of a new fire station for the North Boston Volunteer Fire Company in the Town of Boston, NY.
As I was sitting here remembering the ground breaking ceremony they held last fall, I was reminded of how proud I am to be associated with their fire company.
Many times when we discuss incident management, training and collaboration in emergency services — we refer to the Three Cs of: Coordination, Communications and Cooperation. For a small rural fire department, the North Boston Volunteer Fire Company (the NBFC) is far ahead of the curve when it comes to the Three Cs.
Those three Cs have become the hallmark for their operations for 105 years. Internally with their members and externally with their citizens, North Boston has always taken the lead in effectively communicating with their constituents. They’ve succeeded in coordinating their efforts with those they serve with and have made a career out of cooperating with others towards a common goal. (more…)
Erie County Fire Chiefs Awarded $500k Recruitment Grant
- Offer Opportunities for You to Get Involved
The Erie County Fire Chiefs Mutual Aid Organization, in collaboration
with the Erie County Division of Fire Safety, are pleased to announce
that they have been awarded a $498,800 SAFER-Staffing for Adequate
Emergency Response grant by the US Department of Homeland Security
specifically to enhance the recruitment and retention of volunteer
firefighters in Erie County.
The performance period for the grant is from April 30, 2009 to April 29,
2011 and includes funding for web development, mass marketing and public
events, and scholarship opportunities for new and existing volunteer
firefighters. (more…)
Buffalo News Photo of 16-year old Amanda Hansen whose life was snuffed out by Carbon Monoxide - the silent killer
This morning’s Buffalo News headline featured the photo of a bright, beautiful 16-year old girl with a promising future, her life snuffed out by a silent killer yesterday.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) is colorless and odorless. It strikes with symptoms that could easily be mistaken for the flu. Small doses accumulated over time can be as dangerous as a prolonged exposure. Left undetected, there is potential for harm and death in almost every household in America.
Carbon Monoxide is a normal by-product of combustion. Natural gas fired appliances (stoves, boilers, hot water tanks, furnaces, etc.) give off carbon monoxide. So do wood burning stoves and fireplaces. However, under normal operating conditions and with sufficient ventilation, the CO does not accummulate to levels that can be dangerous to your health. (more…)
Chief Billy Goldfeder
The Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY) has secured volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention specialist Tiger Schmittendorf as part of a round-table presentation at their 2009 Convention in Niagara Falls, NY.
Schmittendorf will join Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder, host of FirefighterCloseCalls.com; J. Gordon Routley, who oversaw the inquiry into the Charleston Sofa Store firefighter fatalities; and Phoenix Fire Department Chief (Ret.) Alan Brunacini, who is largely credited with promoting customer service in the fire service as we know it today.
The four-man team will culminate what promises to be a day of lively, informative and even entertaining presentations at the FASNY convention on August 20, 2009. The panel will field questions from the audience and will discuss everything from firefighter safety to firefighting as a service industry. (more…)
I often coach fire officers and public officials at incident scenes as how to best deliver difficult news. While I encourage them to focus on the role of the rescuers – not the victims, showing respect and concern for all those affected by the tragedy is very important as we speak publicly. This uncomfortable situation is one that any of us could be faced with at any time.
Such was the case on the early morning of New Year’s Day in the City of Tonawanda NY. Despite heroic efforts to reach her, a young female died in this residential structure fire. I know firsthand how these events can have a profound impact on you and your outlook on life.
As I do most information, I viewed this news story through three different sets of eyes. As a citizen, I was deeply affected by the loss of life in our community, especially by fire, and felt badly for those whose lives were changed by it. (more…)
I’m not one to regurgitate information. I don’t do a lot of pass through e-mails. And I certainly don’t perpetuate “Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw: Some inane subject matter” e-mails like so many copy-and-paste-challenged people do.
But some things bear repeating. Some things strike you so profoundly, so succintly, that you simply feel obligated to pass it along, even if so many others have done so already.
This is one of those occasions. I’m re-publishing (with permission) this excerpt of an e-mail from my good friend and mentor Billy Goldfeder. It’s from his not-so-secret Secret List at FirefighterCloseCalls.com. If you don’t subscribe to it, you’re either out of touch or you don’t care about our brother firefighters getting hurt and dead.
This one hurts to the bone. Read it. Re-read it. Make adjustments to your life and fire service operations as appropriate.
Stay safe. Train often. Happy New Year! (more…)
This article is one in a series of toolkits focusing on recruitment, retention, fire service marketing and leadership.
Here’s the deal: It’s past midnight, I’m 7+ hours past deadline and the piece I’m writing about another county-based recruitment clearinghouse example isn’t ready for publication.
Then I started thinking, this article is for the July issue. July means summertime. Everyone deserves a summer break. So, let’s take the summer off from talking about clearinghouses and discuss some tools you already have in your toolbox: The power of the pen.
Promoting Your Fire Department to the Public
Several years ago, I decided that firefighting wasn’t dangerous enough, so I took up public speaking. Since then, I’ve come to realize that everyone is not like me. [Now, that’s an understatement.]
It amazes me that the same people who will run into a burning building while all the sane people are running out, will also drown in a puddle of sweat when someone sticks a camera or microphone in their face. Some people fear public speaking over death itself, or closely correlate the two.
Does your fire department have a Public Information Officer – a PIO? Every FD should, regardless of size or call volume. (more…)
This article is one in a series of toolkits focusing on recruitment, retention, fire service marketing and leadership.
Earlier in our discussion of the clearinghouse approach to recruitment and retention, I outlined my theory that there are three levels of recruitment activities I’ve identified as “The Clearinghouse”; “T&E: Training and Education”; and lastly the “Trench Work.”
In discussing the clearinghouse concept, I stated my feelings that the role and responsibility of building awareness as to the need for volunteers falls on regional, state and federal fire service organizations or government itself.
So far we’ve discussed Pennsylvania’s revolutionary tactic to recruit new volunteers with www.rollwithit.com – their in-your-face movie trailer/music video targeting the next generation of first responders; and Erie County’s innovative efforts to ensure the survival and success of their 94 volunteer fire companies.
We’ve discussed some very creative approaches to addressing the recruitment and retention challenges of the volunteer fire service and what better way to continue this talk than to introduce you to Rockland County’s “Creative Approach to the Volunteer Fire Service” Committee. (more…)
This article is one in a series of toolkits focusing on recruitment, retention, fire service marketing and leadership.
In Part 1 of our discussion of the clearinghouse approach to recruitment and retention, I outlined my theory that there are three levels of recruitment activities, three distinct angles of attack, if you will. I identified them as “The Clearinghouse”; “T&E: Training and Education”; and lastly the “Trench Work.”
In discussing the clearinghouse concept, I stated my feelings that the role and responsibility of building awareness as to the need for volunteers falls on regional, state and federal fire service organizations or government itself.
I introduced you to a revolutionary approach to recruiting new volunteers with www.rollwithit.com – the State of Pennsylvania’s high-tech, in-your-face movie trailer/music video targeting the next generation of EMS providers and first responders.
Here, I’ll introduce you to a few other successful campaigns in an effort to further demonstrate the value of attacking the R&R challenge at the highest level – the clearinghouse. (more…)
In previous articles, I’ve attempted to present the fire service with real tools to use in improving their membership process and documentation including annual reports, prospective member guides and the interview process.
Recently, I’ve been working with a group of some 30 fire service leaders to offer solutions to the recruitment and retention challenges of their county’s fire service.
As part of that process, I’ve developed a three-tiered model to address what I call “recruitment and retention rescue and recovery operations.”
I call them “The Clearinghouse”; “T&E: Training and Education”; and lastly the “Trench Work” – where the hand-to-hand combat of recruitment and retention is won and lost.
For now, we’ll start to take a look at the bigger picture of recruitment and retention (R&R) problems and solutions. Here, we’ll talk about the top tier: the recruitment clearinghouse. (more…)
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Chris Gillett, quoted below in the story, informed me he is a few hundred dollars short of his… (more)
FOR DECADES, MAYBE EVEN 100 YEARS, ladder trucks carried at least one 50-ft. extension ground… (more)
So, sometimes we need a change of pace or we've had a busy day on shift, but we still… (more)
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