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A New Professional Model for the 21st Century

In the fire service, our leadership is drawn from the rank and file. Firefighters train and become drivers, then company officers. Later they may move to managing officer, managing organization divisions, then chief level officers, and, perhaps, chief of department. This development model has served us well in the past; however, it has several weaknesses, which disadvantage the fire service. This blog is putting forth a new model for professional development which develops future managers to integrate their departments into communities and provides them with a greater understanding of the community and the departments place.

The proposed model is similar to the model used by the military for development of military of military senior non-commissioned officers. Under the military model, individuals who are selected for advancement into the senior non-commissioned officer role serve tours that are both within their trade and tours outside of their discipline in an effort to ingrain both technical expertise, leadership, and a greater understanding of the greater organization. Similar development is undertaken by commissioned officers.

To integrate this model within the fire services, personnel seeking advancement would be assigned to non-operational duties within the organization and, as they advance, may also spend time in assignments outside the organization in an effort to gain an understanding of other departments and how the fire department interacts with the greater community.

Firefighters who do not seek advancement would also spend short periods of time in alternate assignments to support their development as well as being assigned to specific training to ensure advancing from apprentice, through journeyman, to master levels of development within the trade

Example of Professional Development

	Firefighter, non-advancement	Firefighter, officer candidate
Years 1 – 3	Apprentice level. Completion of basic training, JPR for moving into journeyman level. Specialized training based on assignment and department needs.	Apprentice level. Completion of basic training, JPR for moving into journeyman level. Specialized training based on assignment and department needs.
Years 4 - 6	Continued specialized training. Short (<6 months) alternative assignment outside of primary specialty area (i.e. dispatch, public education, inspections, etc.). Serving as journeyman responder.	Serving as journeyman level responder. Continued specialized training. One-year alternative assignment outside of primary specialty area. At conclusion of assignment, member is eligible for promotional exam. Completion of 4-year degree.
Year 7 – 12	Continued training. Assignment as senior level journeyman. Short (<6 months) alternative assignment outside of primary specialty area (i.e. training, risk reduction).	Advancement to supervisory officer position. One year assignment outside of assigned area. Short (<6-months) assignment outside of department (i.e. HR, finance, community relations, etc.).
Year 13 – 20	Continued training. Assignment as master. Short (<6 months) alternative assignment outside of primary specialty area (i.e. training, safety).	Advancement to managing officer position. One year assignment outside of assigned area. Short (<6-months) assignment outside of department (i.e. HR, finance, community relations, etc.). Completion of advanced degree.
Year 21 – 30	Continued training. Assignment as master. Short (<6 months) alternative assignment outside of primary specialty area which focuses on personnel development (HR, training, safety, CRR).	Advancement to management position. One year assignment outside of assigned specialty area. Short (<6-months) assignment outside of department (i.e. HR, finance, community relations, etc.). Completion of second advanced degree or graduate certificate.

This development model creates well-rounded managers who are able to communicate, integrate the organization with the greater community, address emerging threats and needs, and prepare for changing community needs and expectations.

What type of advancement process does your organization use? Is it working or are their gaps between the fire services, other departments within your jurisdiction, and/or the community?

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