STRANGE S.O.G. BREW

Comment

Comment by Paul Combs on October 22, 2010 at 7:54am

@ Captain Cashen: It was great to read your point about listening and learning from your students. All too often I come across instructors that "demonstrate" a technique, but never "teach" the technique, and are too closed minded to learn a better way of "performing" the technique from a student with a unique insight. I teach ground ladders and assist with ventilation classes at our Academy. Over the years, the amount of information that I have learned from students who are roofers, home builders, construction workers, and electricians is invaluable! Instructors must learn to listen, too - and remember that we don't walk on water just because the back of our shirt reads "Instructor". Hmmm, sounds like a great topic for an editorial cartoon:)

Sorry to get off topic! SOGs, think SOGs...

Comment by Paul Combs on October 22, 2010 at 7:26am

@ David LeBlanc: Just read your article The Triangle of SOPs, and loved it! Especially the “Mother, may I” mentality, which I see much too often. Great job!

Comment by Charley Cashen on October 20, 2010 at 10:25am

Not everyone gets their chance to bat in the, creating SOP's, game. It seems there are a lot of good people who, by no fault of their own, are just destined to be the ones that follow what others write. Too often fire administrators create SOP's that just don't work and hold those tasked with carrying those SOP's forward accountable when they fail. With which ever you decide to use, be it SOP's or first due I.C., comes a responsibility of the administration to not only train to that expectation but to demonstrate exactly what is expected. In other words don't hand the stone tablets down from the towers and expect us to know what your intent was. Please feel free to share your opinions of my response here,ie, tell me I'm full of shift. As an instructor I've found it is incumbent to not only teach the how to's but the why's and when's also. You should also keep an open mind while teaching because all too often you learn from the students execution that have taken on a personality of their own with your instruction. To end let me just ask, has anyone, and their dept. ever built a fire station near an ongoing fire? Remember to give your knowledge freely when asked and forcefully when needed to insure a safe outcome for ll involved. C

Comment by Paul Combs on October 19, 2010 at 12:34pm

I totally agree - the right attitude makes all the difference!

Comment by Paul Combs on October 19, 2010 at 12:25pm

Yeah, I guess one could be an SOG Nazi and over-enforce the rules, too - but that's another cartoon for another day!:)