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Leading By --------------Poor Example ?
Hello All,
A Generalized Question, expanding on the original start up question
In todays Fire Service, as instructors, we are looked at as leaders from a training perspective as well as the knowledge we have attained. "WE" are leaders of example ! But when it comes to safety on the training grounds, why do so many instructors shun the general safety elements we so much stress on our students and add to the continuance of unsafe fire ground operations when the students leave. Examples, No chin strap, SCBA waist belt undone, no helmet on the training pad, no gloves, walking into smoke condition with no mask, ETC. And the kicker, turnout gear and helmet burned to a crisp. You see it all the time. Is this leading ?
STAY SAFE !! Dennis
A Generalized Question, expanding on the original start up question
In todays Fire Service, as instructors, we are looked at as leaders from a training perspective as well as the knowledge we have attained. "WE" are leaders of example ! But when it comes to safety on the training grounds, why do so many instructors shun the general safety elements we so much stress on our students and add to the continuance of unsafe fire ground operations when the students leave. Examples, No chin strap, SCBA waist belt undone, no helmet on the training pad, no gloves, walking into smoke condition with no mask, ETC. And the kicker, turnout gear and helmet burned to a crisp. You see it all the time. Is this leading ?
STAY SAFE !! Dennis
Tim Zehnder
Great topic, I am with ya brother and the other thing is the trade mag's that are out there are forever putting a big fire pic on the front cover with a fellow firefighter not wearing his or her gear the right way. I would like to challenge these mag's to only print pictures with the equipment being used the right way. Eddie save me a spot at the rehab table.
Tim Z.
Stay Safe
Jun 24, 2008
Tom Londo
I understand where you are coming from with that. Just to play Devil's advocate though, I think we all have scenes where if you took one snapshot 9 times out of 10 you could find something wrong with the photo. Photo's are like text messages and emails. People will make of it what ever they think and do so without knowing the context of the message or in this case picture.
As much as we train, and I love training, when we respond to a situation we are reactive. This means adjusting on the go. Every scene presents different circumstances and we don't always get it right. It is also very difficult to fight complacency which ironicaly comes with training, the more comfortable guys are the more corners they tend to cut. I come from an aerial rescue backround training tree climbers and I see it every day with them and other tradesmen as well. I don't know if we will ever win that battle. Nature of the beast I guess.
As far as Protocols, I come from a small dept. but we host classes all year long. Our instructors try not to preach "Our Way". They more or less teach the classes ideas and tools to take back to their depts. It is kind of funny to see some of these instructors who may not wear their PPE correctly day to day, yet in class they are dressed to the T. I agree that we need to do everything we can to protect and educate our students. Most of the time I am one of the students, and I appreciate the seasoned firefighters on this site who are looking out for young guys like me.
Stay safe
Londo
Jun 26, 2008
A) The singular S.O.P./S.O.G.'s ,
and
B) Who the big voilators are going to be.
When teaching 'mixed' classes I always like to take a second to ask the member's department policies to point out that there are diferences in methods. It helps to explain to the students (especially young ones) that not only should you know your rules, but those of surrounding departments that may & and will be operating along side you at fire scenes.
The scene itself is not a place to say "Damn, I know my FF removal but this is a Drager & we only use Scott's".
This should not be allowed to 'hijack' the lesson at hand but to reinforce communication & amd cooperative drills to make sure we are as prepared as possible for when the bells go off.
Most instructors I work with are keenly aware of the younger students watching and do the right thing in terms of PPE at the drills. We also attempt to keep the departments 'senior' guys to follow it with a 'they do as you do' approach.
Some guys have just seen 'Backdraft' too many times and have to be 'that guy'. You always try to present the proper way to do it and hope they listen.
A sign at the FDNY fire academy says:
'Let no man's ghost come back to say "My Training Let Me Down"'.
That's a philosophy to LIVE with...
Stay safe and stay low...
Rich
Jul 9, 2008