Survival Skills For The
Newly Promoted
Company Officer
Fire-Rescue International
Chicago, IL – August 2010
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Steve Prziborowski
Objectives:
• Define the role of the company officer of
TODAY
• Identify how the role & responsibility of
the company officer has changed over
the years
Objectives:
• Identify various survival skills to utilize
to make you a better company officer
• Create an action plan for success as a
current or future company officer
How has the role and
responsibility of a
company officer changed
over the last 20 to 40
years?
What to expect after getting promoted:
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You will probably have a probationary period
You may have a project to complete
You will be evaluated
You will be under the microscope
You will be tested continuously
You will make decisions daily that could have
serious long-term effects on your trust, credibility,
and long-term success, among other things……
Why is the position of
company officer one of
the most challenging
positions?
Company Officer Most challenging position:
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You’re typically the first supervisor on scene
You’re representing the F.D.
You’re representing the Fire Chief
You’re the conduit between the line
personnel and administration
• You’re acting in the best interest of the public
(our bosses)
Crew Member or
Supervisor – Which will
you be????
Before Getting Promoted:
• Really take a deep look at the daily life of a
company officer – or the expectations of a
company officer today – this may not be the job
for you after all…….
• Realize you are no longer going to be “one of
the guys or gals” – you are the supervisor – and
you’re expected to SUPERVISE!
Before & After Getting Promoted:
• Start preparing for the position, long before the
promotion
• Carefully select your mentors / role models
• Determine how you will act as a company officer
This may mean getting your act cleaned up now!
• Be prepared to hit the ground running
Before & After Getting Promoted:
• Keep a low profile (when necessary)
• Remember you’re being watched
• Learn as much as you can about your
department, your community, your personnel
• Remember that one poor choice or
inappropriate comment (via either oral or written
communications) may doom you…….
Info to be very familiar with:
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Department rules & regulations
Department MOU / MOA
Department policies & procedures
Federal/State/Local laws relating to your job
Probationary Firefighter Text Book
Strategy/Tactics, Fire Behavior & Building
Construction (the big three!!!)
Personnel Expectations:
• Either you set the stage for your personnel….or
they will set it for you!
• I encourage you to create your own to discuss
with your crew
• Ensure they are realistic, measurable,
obtainable, legal, ethical, within the expectations
of your administration, etc.
Personnel Expectations:
• Do not forget to ask your crew what they
expect of you!
It’s a two-way street!
• Now that you have shared your expectations
Make sure you hold your personnel accountable
for their actions or non-actions!
Decision Making – “The Headline Test”
• Most importantly - make decisions!
• Utilize the “Headline Test” when possible:
1. Is it the right thing for the department?
2. Is it the right thing for our personnel?
3. Is it the right thing for our community?
4. Would you mind reading about it in the morning
newspaper?
 If you can answer yes to all four - GO FOR IT!!!
Training:
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A minimum of two hours per day
Make every opportunity to train
Be creative, know what you’re teaching
Empower your personnel, don’t be the only
instructor
Don’t rely on the Department Training Officer to
provide you with all the tools to train you’re
personnel - you are a TO!
Subject areas to be familiar with:
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Management
Fire Investigation
Fire Prevention
Fire Command
Public Education
Instructional Techniques
ICS
Progressive Discipline
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Technical Rescue
Leadership
Supervision
Time management
Planning skills
Organization skills
Delegation
Mentoring
Subject areas to be familiar with:
• Report writing
• Communications:
- Non-verbal, Oral, Written
• Public speaking
• Team building
• Problem solving
• Decision making
• Facility maintenance
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Apparatus maintenance
Training
Risk management
Motivation
Safety
Construction trades
Mechanical ability
Continuing Education:
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If you think the previous information was too much,
maybe reconsider being an officer…..
Complete your two year or four degree
Attend at least one conference per year
Attend at least two seminars per year
If you are going to train your personnel daily, you
better know what you’re doing!!!
Subscribe to /read fire service publications
Time Management
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One of the biggest problems facing society and
the fire service today
Learn time management skills
10, 14, 24 hours per day you’re getting paid for
Telling your supervisor “I didn’t get to it is
unacceptable”
Make things happen, be proactive/creative
Buddy to Boss:
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Don’t forget where you came from…..but don’t
forget you’re now getting paid to be a
supervisor!
Very tough for many folks to do
Your job is not to selectively enforce the rules
and regulations
Be firm, fair and impartial, and do your job!
Leadership Lessons Learned
1. Learn from the good and the not-so-good of
others.
2. Always prepare yourself for at least one
position ahead of the one you are currently
in, testing for or aspiring to.
3. Give personnel the benefit of the doubt.
Leadership Lessons Learned
4. Prepare to manage the incident LONG BEFORE
the incident actually occurs.
5. Prepare to manage the personnel problem LONG
BEFORE the situation occurs.
6. Don’t jump to conclusions; your first impression
may not be correct.
Leadership Lessons Learned
7. Be prepared to filter information provided to
you to get to the actual problem.
8. Make everyone feel like a valued team
member.
9. Be honest with people / have integrity.
Leadership Lessons Learned
10.Remember that Rome wasn’t conquered in a
day.
11.Get to know the strengths & weaknesses of
ALL of your personnel ASAP.
12.Be loyal to those above, below and around
you, including the customers you serve.
Leadership Lessons Learned
13.99.5% of your personnel will not need to be
“constantly watched;” the other 0.5% will
need to be guided & directed very
specifically if you desire certain results.
14.Constantly provide mentoring opportunities
for your personnel.
Leadership Lessons Learned
15.Remember that the majority (if not all) of
your success as a leader will be based on
your relationships.
16.Learn to manage stress / keep composure.
17.Practice management by rationality as
opposed to management by emotions.
Leadership Lessons Learned
18.Before canceling (or downgrading)
incoming, additional resources, be quite
sure you don’t need them.
19.Before requesting additional resources, be
quite sure you don’t need them.
20.Lead by example.
Leadership Lessons Learned
21.Balance administrative duties with
personnel time.
22.Take input from as many as you can prior to
coming to a final decision on certain items.
23.Yes, we all want to be “liked,” but instead
how about striving for respect & credibility?
Leadership Lessons Learned
24.Leadership is having others come to a
similar final decision, but by them thinking
that they came to the decision on their own
and without you shoving it down their throat.
25.Before attempting to “change the world,”
learn as much history about the issues as
you can.
Leadership Lessons Learned
26. You can agree to disagree, but before
coming to that decision, make sure you
know where the other person/group is
coming from.
27. Always try to give credit where credit is
due, even if it means others “may look
better than you.”
Leadership Lessons Learned
28. Realize there are numerous leadership
styles.
29. Everything you say is gospel.
30. Trust others until they’ve burned you twice.
31. Admit mistakes, poor choices or decisions.
Leadership Lessons Learned
32. Be open to feedback & constructive criticism
from all around.
33. Take responsibility & accountability for what
happens or doesn’t happen.
34. CHAOS doesn’t stand for “Captain” or “Chief”
has arrived on scene!
Leadership Lessons Learned
35. When someone doesn’t live up to your
expectations, does something inappropriate or just
plain stupid, before jumping down their throat,
consider the following:
 Did you ever tell them they couldn’t do that?
 Did you ever set expectations on performance?
 If so, did you ever hold them accountable or turn a blind
eye?
 Did you expect too much?
Leadership Lessons Learned
36. Be humble.
37. Encourage risk.
38. Take ownership / demonstrate commitment.
39. Be dependable & consistent.
Leadership Lessons Learned
40. Have a sense of humor / have fun!
41. Sometimes peer pressure can be the best
fix to a problem.
42. Have a vision.
Leadership Lessons Learned
43. Be an expert in something.
44. Be the one who believes the glass is half
full.
45. Be passionate about the fire service, your
department, your personnel and of course,
your family!
Leadership Lessons Learned
46. Get yourself & your personnel out of the
comfort zone every now & then.
47. Opportunity knocks when you least expect
it; be prepared to take advantage of it!
Leadership Lessons Learned
48. Let unimportant controversies die a natural
death.
49. Sometimes you have to step back to step
forward.
50. The customer is not always right….but they
are always the customer!
Closing Thoughts:
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Set expectations
Hold your personnel accountable
Lead by example
Enforce the rules and regulations
Do not tolerate inappropriate behavior,
incompetence, or mediocrity
Keep your supervisor in the loop but don’t dump
decisions on their plate (there is a difference)
Closing Thoughts:
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Practice Management-By-Walking-Around
Praise in public, coach/counsel in private
Take care of your personnel
Have a daily plan, every day
Start every shift with a roll call/meeting
Do a transfer of command briefing every morning
Closing Thoughts:
• Come up with solutions, not problems
• Prepare each of your personnel to do
your job (now and in the future)
• Empower and delegate tasks to your
personnel
• If you won’t be the designated adult –
who will?
Questions?????
Thank you very much for your time!
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Steve Prziborowski
408-205-9006
sprziborowski@aol.com
www.code3firetraining.com
www.chabotfire.com