What do you do to prepare your new firefighters??

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Anthony Avillo on March 21, 2008 at 5:48pm

hey rick
in north hudson, our recruits, like any other dept, go thru the ringer with medicals and psych evals (they didn't have that when i got on!! -- i managed to slip thru). Once hired, they are recruits and go through about a week of compliance type training and mask fit testing before being sent ot the FF academy, usually in bergen county for FF1 and FF2.
When they get back and they are assigned to a company, there are qualification criteria that must be met in the first year (and every year), broken down into monthly activities. They are also mandated to keep a journal and fill out that journal each tour, stating among other things what thye trained on, what alarms they went on and most importantly, what lessons they learned that day. They use a standard form to record theoir daily activities. All training is documented on company forms, probie training forms, and in the company journal. The goal for the first six months or so is to have them qualify as pump operators and drivers. They are alll assigned to engines and althout they cross train with ladder company skills, they are not assigned to ladders. They also have to pass deptartmental tests, one at 6 months coverinig rules and regs and GO's and the other at a year covering SOP's. They go through a documented personal evaluation every three months for the first year and once a year after that (all personnel are evalauated by thier superior once a year).
All our persoonel also fill out over the course of the year compliance checklists coveirng NFPA 1001 requirements, dept. qualification requirements, and OSHA requirements. This includes reading the delmar FF handbook, all of our GO's, SOP's and rules and regs. it is a tall order, but it covers both them andf the dept in compliance. It is all documented.
The probies are also not allowed to work without a captain for the 1st year. We sue acting officers when a capt. is off so they get detailed around the dept. whcih helps familiarize them with thr other FF'[s on the shift andf the region.
All personnal are urged to participate in the seasoning of the probie and it is not uncommon for multiple companies to participate in the training. At respondes, the probie is told that he is to remain in the "pocket" of his Officer.
Our system is pretty comprehensive and those who are not supportive of the probie's ongoing maturation are usually flogged. It is made clear that there is no tolerance for unsupportive vets when it comes to the probie training. They are the most important pertson on the job
keep it real
aa

Permalink Reply by Rick Lasky on March 21, 2008 at 9:48pm

Hi Anthony,

I think it's all awesome and when you think about it, if it's good stuff, how much is too much for a new firefighter. I know it's hard for some to believe and I know you’ve seen it when you’re on the road teaching, but there are a lot of departments that really don’t do much or anything for a new recruit.

You mentioned about 10 things that people could use if they wanted to jump start a new firefighter’s career. I love the journal idea. Hopefully it’s something that they continue to do for the rest of their career. Great stuff buddy!

In Lewisville, we’re at a point where when we test for Firefighter, we test candidates that already carry a basic firefighter certification and are either certified as a paramedic or are in a paramedic class at the time of the written exam. We run our own ALS Ambulances and all of our Engines, Quints and Trucks are ALS. As much as we want to hire someone without the certs we just aren’t able to cover the OT for the 4 months of fire academy classes and 7 months of paramedic school. We hope one day to be holding our own fire academy classes here again and then be able to do a general hire.

Our process starts with a written; those passing then on to the physical ability, then those at the top have a background check done on them with a polygraph and a physical exam. If we are at a point with a need to fill openings, the top candidates move on to an oral interview and if they are chosen they are given a conditional job offer, sent for a psych exam and drug test. If all of it comes back good, then they are good to go and we give them a start date.

When they start, they go through a 3 week orientation period with everything from the City’s new employee orientation to both classroom and hands-on training (leading out, live fires, ladders, tools, firefighter safety and survival, the Mentor Book, the Honor Guard Commander trains them on how to conduct themselves at events while in uniform, saluting, etc., the Chaplain with CISM, and a variety of topics) with our training division and the shifts. I have an opportunity to visit with them on their first day about our values and what it means and takes to be a Lewisville Firefighter. They are also assigned to a senior Firefighter/Mentor when they make it to their shift.

Our training division does a great job with the new firefighter(s). By the way, if anyone is looking for information on our program please contact Division Chief Scott Thompson at sthompson@cityoflewisville.com or at 972-219-3594 and Scott will get you our stuff.

And I agree big time with the emphasis made upon the senior members to train and mentor the new firefighters and you are so right with them being the most important person in the firehouse!!

One of the best comments I heard was from one of battalion Chief’s Aides when he doing an assigned ride-out with Chief Salka in the Bronx. Dean called me from the firehouse and said he really wants to change how we treat our new firefighters and how the troops in the 18th Battalion treated their new firefighters as a valuable asset in the firehouse. He said they really took the Probie under their wing and took them in. And Dean has done whatever he can to make sure we do it that way here especially on his shift. It doesn’t take much.

Great stuff Anthony, thanks for sharing Brother and hopefully we can get more folks to jump on here and tell everyone what they are doing for their new folks.

Be safe brother and see ya in a couple of weeks!!

Rick

Permalink Reply by Tim Linke on March 29, 2008 at 1:31pm

In recruit school, we've implemented several things to plant the seed of "Pride and Ownership." During the first week, they receive a three-hour history presentation from our department historian...emphasis is placed on the fact that they are now a part of that history, and we try to "pump them up" and let them know that they will contribute immensely to that history in the next 25 years.

We also have the recruits design a guidon (flag) that has their class logo; it is strapped to a pike pole, and they are to take it everywhere they go. It is a part of their pride and identity.

Because of the generational differences, recruits not only want to know how to do something, but why they do it. Every evolution gets an explanation of how to do it, and I add the "why's" in, too...plus, I'm still young enough, I want to know why, also....

And, I'm giong to request that we put the book Pride and Ownership on their required reading list. It's good stuff!

Permalink Reply by Rick Lasky on March 29, 2008 at 5:21pm

Tim,

The flag idea on the pike pole is a GREAT idea. If you get a chance please post one or a couple on this page so maybe others can see them and maybe get the same thing going in their shop.

Thanks brother and be safe!

Rick

Permalink Reply by Tim Linke on March 29, 2008 at 6:15pm

Permalink Reply by Jeff Patterson on April 16, 2008 at 7:12pm

Our department is still in the process of developing a mandatory recruit program to for new hires and after seeing Chief Lasky's Pride and Ownership last week, I'm taking his advise and adding pride, ownership, and history to the program. I do have the company officers sit down with the recruits and explain thier expectiations as a start. We have a long way to go but we're moving forward progressively. We are modeling our program from my prior department which revolves around a six week program of classroom and hands-on training covering everything from ladders, hose, live fire, and EMS. During recruit school, they are required to develop a class flag, and logo. Most classes make group shirts and are allowed to wear them on Fridays. The flags are hung up in Training when the class is over. Once they complete recruit school, they are given a subject (example-salvage) to research and study each month. They then come to the training grounds at the end of the month to complete a written and hands-on exam. This testing is done throughout their first 12 months on the job which is done to test their commitment to the department. The good thing with this process is that the recruit gets the station crew out to assist with the hands-on portion so everyone benefits. It has worked well over the years and I hope to reap the same benefit with my new department. As always, I'm looking for any new and upcoming ideas and appreciate this posting. Everyone take care and keep training.

Permalink Reply by Rick Lasky on April 16, 2008 at 10:21pm

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for sharing brother. We've had some brothers post some pretty good stuff so far.

Be safe,

Rick

Permalink Reply by David Lewis on April 21, 2008 at 9:39am

G******** all,

I'm curator of the Aurora Regional Fire Museum (Aurora, IL) and for the past ten years or so we've been honored to be involved with the hosting/training of new firefighter recruits.

Generally the morning starts with an official "swearing in ceremony" presided over by the city officials. and attended by family members of the firefighter recruits. Following this, the museum presents a 45min "PowerPoint" presentation that covers the history and overview on both the Aurora Fire Department in specific and the fire service in general. Time is allowed following the program for the visitors to ask questions, tour the exhibits, and pose for photos (in front of our vintage apparatus), before the firefighter recruits are dismissed and adjourn for lunch.

As the department's historian, I follow and document with photos the recruits training (and encourage then to bring/use their own cameras. Not only do these photos become part of the museum's collection but they are also compiled into a "recruit academy video" that is premiered at their class graduation, (held again at the fire museum with families and friends in attendance.)

See:
http://www.aurorafiredepartment.org/videos/AFDRecruits_2004.mov
http://www.aurorafiredepartment.org/videos/AFDRecruits_2005.mov

. . . .

While we bend over backwards to serve our department, yet so to would/do most fire museums! I would encourage all those involved in new firefighter orientation and training to contact your local fire museum -- there are more than 300 nationwide. For a list, see the Fire Museum Network's website --

http://www.firemuseumnetwork.org

Permalink Reply by Rick Lasky on April 22, 2008 at 9:40pm

Great idea David and you know how I feel about the value our fire museums have!!

Thanks brother!!

Rick

Permalink Reply by Joe McClelland on April 23, 2008 at 3:41pm

Being the Training Officer for my job, I am the one who tries to start the 'new guys' on the right path. I belive strongly in teaching them our great history. It is hard to know where you are if you don't know where we have been. At a MABAS drill a couple months ago, another full time departments member that is very outspoken was 'ribbing' my probie. Someone asked who came from the island of Malta. The loud mouth guy was silent. My probie gave who, what, where, when and how about them. The other embarrassed people there said no more to my kid. I was pretty proud of him. Starting them off that way allows them to become part of something. I look to them for their opinions from time to time. A fresh, innocent look at a situation sometimes is needed. By no means should new guys ever be put on a shelf and told only to speak when spoken to. If they don't know anything or are bad at performing fireground tasks, just ask your self, who trained them, or maybe who DIDN'T train them? Lead that horse to water, then SHOW them how to drink!! Their attitude will never recover if they are treated badly and they will treat other probies the same way. A visicous circle then ensues. We should NEVER forget that every one of us was new at one time. Try to remember how it felt the first time you were asked to start, then cut with the saw in front of everyone. Sucked didn't it? Help the new guy out. Make him feel wanted. But truth be told, he also needs to know that the garbage, dishes, coffee and other "tasks" are to be his until he is replaced, but mold who they are, help them along. After all, who is going to be next to, or behind you in the fire? Anyone can poke fun and pick on someone. A real man steps up and shows them the way. BROTHERHOOD. Alot of people preach it. Do they have what it takes to teach it?

Permalink Reply by Rick Lasky on April 23, 2008 at 10:20pm

OUTSTANDING REPLY BROTHER!! Well said. This response should be posted on every firehouse dayroom and training wall!!

Thanks brother!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Be safe,

Rick

Permalink Reply by Joe McClelland on April 24, 2008 at 12:07am

Thanks for the kind words Chief.

Stay safe.
Joe

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