911, what is the address of the emergency?
An agency I interviewed with for a supervisor's position asked me a question that I hadn't heard before. "How do you feel about your employees being better at a task than you are?"
I think my answer surprised the panel, "I expect my employees to be better at a task than I am."
And then I elaborated.
A supervisor is a leader. He needs to be able to do every job of his subordinates, but he doesn't have to be the expert at each job. Leading is about knowing whom to give a job and then letting them do it.
Beyond that, a supervisor who is afraid of employees surpassing his ability will either, consciously or unconsciously, find ways to hold them back. That action is the epitome of a breach of trust in two directions. Holding an employee back from reaching his full potential is not only stealing from the employee, it's stealing from the employer.
As an employee, I have the right to expect an employer (and more specifically, my direct supervisor) to encourage excellence and whenever possible provide the tools to allow me to perform to the best of my abilities. As a supervisor, I owe my subordinates that much.
As an employer, I have the right to expect an employee (and more specifically, those with supervised staff) to pursue excellence and self-improvement. I owe them the support, whenever possible, to promote that.
If, as an employer, I found that a supervisor was intentionally preventing his staff from increasing their value to the company in order to preserve his own ego, there would be counseling and discipline.
What kind of leader do you want to be?
Call me back right away if anything changes.
An inside - even intimate - glimpse into life on the other end of the phone line.
2.16.2015
2.14.2015
The Time Monkey
911, what is the address of the emergency?
This crazy job we do is a time-sensitive one. NFPA 1221 sets the "goal" times for call processing, and they are as follows:
15 seconds to answer a 911 call
30 seconds to transfer to a secondary PSAP (if needed)
15 seconds to answer the call (this is from the time the phone starts ringing)
60 seconds to process and alert
These are "best" times and should account for at least 90% of calls processed through a communications center. The standards are intended to be used for both fire and EMS call processing; law enforcement times should be set by the local jurisdiction.
Total it up. Meeting the goal time means up to two minutes of call processing before the station bells are ringing. From there, NFPA 1710 handles apparatus response times, and indicates that the first company should arrive on scene within five minutes of alert.
A lot can happen in seven minutes.
Conversation around the day-room tables in every fire department I've ever been part of or visited inevitably make a turn to the senior man saying something like, "These fires today aren't like they used to be."
Ofttimes that's blown off... You know, he's an old fart. Should've retired a decade ago. How's he even pass a physical anymore? I can't believe he's still humping hose! They're just keeping him around to bump his retirement.
Thing is, he's right. Fires today aren't like the fires of thirty years ago, when he was literally riding the back step. (Another thing that's changed in his career.) NIST does a lot of test fires in simulated rooms to study fire development and growth. Take a look at what 40 years did to fire development:
Spoiler alert, below the break.
This crazy job we do is a time-sensitive one. NFPA 1221 sets the "goal" times for call processing, and they are as follows:
15 seconds to answer a 911 call
30 seconds to transfer to a secondary PSAP (if needed)
15 seconds to answer the call (this is from the time the phone starts ringing)
60 seconds to process and alert
These are "best" times and should account for at least 90% of calls processed through a communications center. The standards are intended to be used for both fire and EMS call processing; law enforcement times should be set by the local jurisdiction.
Total it up. Meeting the goal time means up to two minutes of call processing before the station bells are ringing. From there, NFPA 1710 handles apparatus response times, and indicates that the first company should arrive on scene within five minutes of alert.
A lot can happen in seven minutes.
Conversation around the day-room tables in every fire department I've ever been part of or visited inevitably make a turn to the senior man saying something like, "These fires today aren't like they used to be."
Ofttimes that's blown off... You know, he's an old fart. Should've retired a decade ago. How's he even pass a physical anymore? I can't believe he's still humping hose! They're just keeping him around to bump his retirement.
Thing is, he's right. Fires today aren't like the fires of thirty years ago, when he was literally riding the back step. (Another thing that's changed in his career.) NIST does a lot of test fires in simulated rooms to study fire development and growth. Take a look at what 40 years did to fire development:
Spoiler alert, below the break.
2.11.2015
Down time
911, what is the address of the emergency?
My current agency works a 12-hour shift on a 14-day schedule. It works out to 80 hours in a two-week pay period. Thanks to working nights and commute time, on the nights I'm working, I tend to come home and go directly to bed.
I've developed a "on Fridays" habit of a half-hour or so of quiet time on the couch when I get home, often with an adult beverage at hand (yes, at 0630; it's my evening), just trying to come down from the last couple days.
I've heard from many people over the years, "So ... you just ... sit there and answer phones? And when the phone isn't ringing, you ... watch TV? Read? Play online?"
Anyone who's worked in this business knows just how far from the truth that statement is. Yes, we have distractions available when work doesn't need our attention - but any distraction I have at work must be something I can drop on no notice, ignore as long as need be, and get back to when I feel like it. Things like reading for comprehension and studying are right out.
I've found over the last decade that my attention span for things like movies has dwindled dramatically (although that may be a result of the utter dreck being produced these days), and books are often read a few pages at a time.
Having that quiet time when I get home lets me re-focus, unwind a little bit, and do things like write this blog.
What are your unwinding habits?
Call me back right away if anything changes.
My current agency works a 12-hour shift on a 14-day schedule. It works out to 80 hours in a two-week pay period. Thanks to working nights and commute time, on the nights I'm working, I tend to come home and go directly to bed.
I've developed a "on Fridays" habit of a half-hour or so of quiet time on the couch when I get home, often with an adult beverage at hand (yes, at 0630; it's my evening), just trying to come down from the last couple days.
I've heard from many people over the years, "So ... you just ... sit there and answer phones? And when the phone isn't ringing, you ... watch TV? Read? Play online?"
Anyone who's worked in this business knows just how far from the truth that statement is. Yes, we have distractions available when work doesn't need our attention - but any distraction I have at work must be something I can drop on no notice, ignore as long as need be, and get back to when I feel like it. Things like reading for comprehension and studying are right out.
I've found over the last decade that my attention span for things like movies has dwindled dramatically (although that may be a result of the utter dreck being produced these days), and books are often read a few pages at a time.
Having that quiet time when I get home lets me re-focus, unwind a little bit, and do things like write this blog.
What are your unwinding habits?
Call me back right away if anything changes.
2.03.2015
No comment needed
911, what is the address of the emergency?
Via the Brotherhood of Fire, photo credited to Paul Bagley.
Call me back right away if anything changes.
Via the Brotherhood of Fire, photo credited to Paul Bagley.
Call me back right away if anything changes.
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