College for Chiefs?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Bob on April 27, 2008 at 9:34am

John

I agree completely with your comments on this, college degrees should not be required to be a chief. I think the only reason they are required is because our job is so unique the average person does not know how to measure our ability. Municiple leaders use the degree as a measure of something they can relate to and judge by. I would rather be judged by what I've done, how I was chosen for the position, and the person that I am instead of the piece of paper I hold. As for the comments about being accepted by other Dept heads etc. my answer is the same as above and we all sit at the same table with the same authority for our Depts. Thats like saying I went to Yale and you went to Community College so I'm better than you.

Permalink Reply by Ron Graner on April 27, 2008 at 11:10am

Bob, I am sorry to disagree with your comments about the need for college degrees in the fire service. I know that your opinion may be shared by others.
Often the public, and even some people in the fire service, only think of a Fire Chief as the person standing in front of the burning building giving direction to the firefighting crews. Anyone that wants to advance up the career ladder must be aware that directing firefighting activities is the least used skill of most Fire Chiefs. The Job of Fire Chief is in reality the combined jobs of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of their agency with the addition of Chief Educator and Senior Sales Manager and Marketing Director. Every Fire Chief must be continuously aware that there are many activities and functions within their agency that impact upon the success of their agency’s mission and their professional career health.
Regrettably, there are people and leaders in every level of government today that still have not thought about what truly makes their government function. Many existing leaders and those seeking to become Fire Chiefs, have no formal training in the areas that every Fire Chief will spend the majority of their time on during their career: Budgeting/fiscal management; Human Resources, Personnel Management/labor negotiations; and certainly Politics. Some also have no background or training in the three key elements that have direct impact upon the success or failure of every Fire Chief; Public Education, Sales and Marketing.
A successful and competent Fire Chief, must not only have an exposure to each of these areas, they must have an in depth knowledge about how to perform miracles in budgeting, human resources, and politics. Every Chief certainly must understand the facts behind how and why every operation in their department functions. These issues are all part of the foundation of materials they should have learned coming up the career ladder.
A Fire Chief appointed to his or her position without having the proper tools and mindset to do the job properly will have a negative effect not only upon his or her career, but even more importantly, they will cause a major negative impact upon safety, the personnel in that department and in the public’s view of the fire service as a whole.
For every Fire Chief it is vital to build a strong educational and training foundation for success. As a leader advances through the ranks to the position of Chief Officer it is vital that they tactically fully understand the chemistry of fire and hazardous materials. A senior leader must understand the physics of pumps, aerial and tower ladder construction, building construction and many other issues at a much greater depth than a training class, or field experience can be expected to provide. This educational level must be college level rather than just at the training field level. Every firefighter must gather the tools needed not only to do their job as a successful firefighter. They must also gather the tools that will help position them to successfully advance up the career ladder of the fire service and to bring that greater understanding that advanced education brings to the operational level. Becoming Fire Chief, or any senior rank officer, is not an act that should be taken without careful planning and educational preparation.
Yes, a Fire Chief has many “Primary Responsibilities.”

Permalink Reply by Bob on April 27, 2008 at 2:18pm

Ron

I agree with everything you say, I'm just not sure a college degree provides all of that. I agree the Fire Chief must be able to do much more than command a fire.....he may never need to do that. I did not write that my assumption was that by being appointed as chief you already have demonstrated those skills that you mention, during your advancement in your career. Your comments about working miracles in budgeting, HR and politics are right on. What college provides that course? We should absolutely be striving for the best trained and educated to lead in the fire service no question, but the question that Chief Salka asked is should a college degree be required and I feel it should not, each indivdual should be judged by what they have done and what they have to offer and college educations should be evaluated the same.

Bob

Permalink Reply by Joel Thacker on May 12, 2008 at 9:48pm

Chief,

Very early on in this discussion you spoke of high level conferences and courses. Other than FDIC, what are some of the better programs you have been through or heard about.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page