Uniforms

911, what is the address of the emergency?

That's right, it's the hot-button topic. Uniforms. I've worked in centers with and without a uniform requirement. Short version of my opinion: uniform requirements are the way to go.



First off, let's define the classes of uniform:

Class-A uniforms are dress uniforms. Jacket, necktie, pressed shirt and slacks, hat, with all necessary accoutrements. Footwear is polished. Really not terribly useful for ... well, much of anything. These are banquet, wedding, and funeral uniforms.

Class-B uniforms are "nice" uniforms. Slacks (not BDU/cargo pants), button-down shirt, brass as policy dictates. Footwear may be polished. Dressy but practical for daily activities. May be short- or long-sleeve.

Class-C uniforms are "work" uniforms. Pants may be BDU-style or slacks, shirt may be a golf-style or a t-shirt depending on the task at hand, no brass. Footwear is duty- or work-style. Functional above all.

Why uniforms? Uniforms, above all, create a sense of identity. When people in similar uniforms are put together, you're creating a team identity. It's not an immediate change, but people who are treated as a valued part of an organization will generally make an effort - subconscious though it may be - to further the goals of that organization.

If your agency is a stand-alone center, you have the luxury of designing your own uniforms. Be reasonable. Comfort matters to someone sitting in a chair for 8-12 hours at a stretch. If your agency has field personnel, I strongly believe that communications should wear the exact same uniform. A different uniform only serves to underscore an all-too-common us-versus-them mentality. Building up that wall undermines the potential for some great conversations.

From an administrative standpoint, uniforms take one hundred percent of the guesswork out of a dress code. Does your agency dress code say something like, "Staff shall dress in work-appropriate attire," or, "Business-casual dress is required"? People will push that. Torn or frayed shirts and pants. Questionable logos or slogans. Revealing outfits. It's tough to officially handle inappropriate workwear if the dress code is vague.

If the dress code is replaced with a uniform policy, e.g., "Staff shall dress in the issued uniform for all duty hours, and uniform shall be clean and in good repair," there is no room for argument. Frayed hem? Time for a new set of pants to be issued. Stained or torn shirt? Replace it. No more "Redneck Firefighting: Find 'em hot, leave 'em wet!" t-shirts. (Yes, I have seen that in a comm center.) No more low-cut blouses. No more faded and paint-smeared jeans. People will still push - and it's on management to decide how much leeway may be allowed, always keeping in mind the "past precedent" gotcha that will appear in a disciplinary hearing.

Visitors to the center - though few and far between they may be - are going to look more favorably on a center with uniformed staff. The increased atmosphere of professionalism provided by a uniformed staff (when we're all on our good behavior) is noticeable.

Now, why wouldn't an agency (or work force) want uniforms? And what are the counter-arguments?

Management may say it's too expensive. Nonsense. Issuing one work-week worth of Class-C uniforms (four or five shirts and trousers) to ten employees can be done for less than $2,000. (Dickie's work pants are $20, and t-shirts in large orders can be screened for $8-10. Add a sweatshirt to the set for the cold-blooded.)

I've heard the argument that if uniforms are required then cleaning should be provided. Ridiculous, with one exception: if the course of your duties occasionally expose you to "nasties" (bodily fluids, carcinogens, or chemical irritants peppersprayI'mlookingatyou) then the employer should handle cleaning that one uniform. The rest of the time? Uniforms should be wash'n'wear with one's other personal laundry.

People may claim that uniforms keep them from expressing themselves. I believe that team identity and professionalism in public safety far outweigh self-expression via clothing in the workplace. Adjust the policy to allow whatever accessories your agency deems appropriate, but the base uniform should be set.

Consider work hours for uniforms. Maybe weekdays require a golf shirt, and nights and weekends can get by with a t-shirt. Maybe Mondays are "B" days and everyone is expected to dress up a notch.

And last but not least ... lead by example. If you are a supervisor, manager, director, captain, chief, or head cook and bottlewasher, you can not violate your established uniform policy. If anything, try to exceed it. Nights wears t-shirts? Wear a golf shirt. Days wears golf shirts? Wear a "B" uniform. Make sure your uniforms are clean, shoes aren't scuffed, brass is polished, and so forth. People notice, and it does matter.

Call me back right away if anything changes.

Mayday

911, what is the address of the emergency?

"Mayday" is an old radio term, and is supposedly rooted in French, "M'aider!", a shortening of, "Venez m'aider" - come to help me! It's a phrase one never wants to hear outside a drill, because it means a field unit has had things go absolutely sideways. Every agency has (or should have) Mayday procedures somewhere readily accessible, and they should be clear, concise, and simple.

If you haven't read them recently, do yourself a favor... go find your agency policy or procedure for mayday/officer down calls. Review them. Make sure you know them inside-out and can run that radio call without having to think about it. When our brothers and sisters in the field are having their worst day, it's our duty to get it right, right now.

The accolades, handshakes, and thank-yous after the fact are wonderful, but there is no greater feeling than hearing one single sentence on the air:

"Dispatch, the mayday company is clear of the structure."

Call me back right away if anything changes.

Help, I'm new!

911, what is the address of the emergency?

We've all been new. Some of us have been new more than once. New agency, new position, new whatever... there's something to be said for being the new guy. (But it's not the fact that you've got a whole new audience for the same tired stories.)

In most every fire station I've worked in, there's been a list tacked up somewhere. On a bulletin board. On a door. Over the chief's or captain's desk. Over the urinals/on the back of the stall door.

I just googled "rules for rookie firefighters" and the first half-dozen links are variations of these rules.

Thing is, these rules? They're not just for firefighters. The cleanest site for them seems to be FireEngineering, and here's a sample (emphasis mine):

1) Respect the job. Firefighting is one of the most respected professions in our country. For every person who wears a firefighter uniform, there are at least 10 more who wish they could. As much of an honor as it is to become a firefighter, it is equally as much of a dishonor to become complacent, and those who don't care about the job are disrespectful of the profession and their coworkers. Respect the job, work hard, and be proud of the profession you have chosen.

5) Be proactive around the firehouse. Don't wait for someone to tell you what to do. As a probationary firefighter, you basically do everything. If the phone rings, answer it. If someone knocks on the door, see who it is. After lunch, volunteer to do the dishes. If you sit and watch the other firefighters doing these things, they will develop an unfavorable opinion of you early on. As a rule of thumb, if you think you are not doing enough, you probably aren't.

15) Leave your ego at the door. Don't think, "Been there, done that." In this profession, celebrations are short lived. You (and your crew) are only as good as your next call. Don't be overconfident or cocky because you had a fire on your first day. Sure, the experience will help, but remember, there is a lot to learn in this business and you will NEVER know it all. The day you think you do is the day you should consider another career.

19) If you feel stressed, tell your officer. While on duty, you will see and experience traumatic occurrences that exceed what the average person will see on television (multiple-alarm fires, serious injuries, deaths, and so forth). In time, you will become partially immune to most of this, but you will always be affected to some degree. Some people are good at hiding their stress, but this will catch up to you and affect your personal life as well as your professional life. Don't be foolish enough to hesitate to ask for help if you need it.

22) Be accountable. The only person responsible for your actions is you. If you make a mistake, own up to it. Your co-workers will respect your more for admitting you were wrong than they will for your trying to hide it. Accountability is also important on the fireground. If your officer asks you to do something, do it; then immediately report back to him. Freelancing at a fire is a major problem that could end up costing someone's life.

Yep. Pretty good start. Read the whole thing, and feel free to chime in with your own "as a newbie, you should..." thoughts.

Respect is earned, not given. No one in the department is too good to scrub a pot or push a mop. Do it with a smile. Little things like making fresh coffee for the incoming shift, or (given tonight's weather) brushing off a couple extra cars in the parking lot at end of shift can go a long way.

Call me back right away if anything changes.