Fire and Emergency Services
Company Officer — Lesson 1
Fire and Emergency Services
Company Officer, 4th Edition
Chapter 1 — Transition to the
Role of Company Officer
Learning Objectives
1. Recall the importance of the company
officer.
2. Select facts about the challenges a new
company officer will encounter.
3. Indicate the types of expectations facing a
new company officer.
(Continued)
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–1
Learning Objectives
4. Identify solutions that may need to be
attained by a new company officer.
5. Recall the individuals or groups to which a
company officer may be responsible.
(Continued)
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–2
Learning Objectives
6. Compare the Fire Officer Level I and Level
II human resources management duties.
7. Compare the Fire Officer Level I and Level
II community and government relations
duties.
8. Compare the Fire Officer Level I and Level
II administration duties.
(Continued)
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–3
Learning Objectives
9. Compare the Fire Officer Level I and Level
II inspection and investigation duties.
10. Compare the Fire Officer Level I and Level
II emergency service delivery duties.
11. Compare the Fire Officer Level I and Level
II health and safety duties.
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–4
The Importance of the
Company Officer as a Supervisor
•
•
•
•
Provides leadership
Acts as a role model
Gives advice
Provides representation for members to the
administration
• Negotiates conflicts
• Applies counseling or coaching when
necessary
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–5
The Importance of the Company
Officer as a Subordinate
• Is responsible for the members of the unit
and their actions and activities
• Controls the unit and effectively deploys it to
complete assigned objectives
• Administers policies, rules, and regulations
and enforces them when necessary
• Executes the orders of superior officers
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–6
The Importance of the Company
Officer as a Public Servant
• Issues burning permits
• Inspects facilities
• Provides public fire and lifesafety education
• Investigates suspicious
fires
• Provides emergency care
to victims of hazardous
incidents
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–7
Challenges a New Company
Officer Will Encounter
• Learning and applying concepts
–
–
–
–
–
Leadership
Ethics
Supervision
Responsibility
Authority
• Relationship changes between peers and
friends
(Continued)
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–8
Challenges a New Company
Officer Will Encounter
• Perception changes that can cause
relationship problems with personnel
• Group dynamics
• Personal factors
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–9
Overcoming Personal Challenges
• Commit to the responsibilities, duties, and
requirements of the supervisory position
• Show loyalty to the organization
• Support all types of education and training
• Guard conversations
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–10
(Continued)
Overcoming Personal Challenges
• Accept criticism graciously and accept praise,
honors, and advancement modestly
• Lead by example
• Praise in public, discipline in private
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–11
External Expectations
• From subordinates, peers, family, superiors,
and the public at large
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–12
Internal Expectations
• May cause an individual to improperly use the
authority of the position, resulting in an abuse
of power
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–13
Solutions to Overcoming
Challenges and Expectations
• Communicate effectively
• Apply appropriate supervisory techniques
• Manage effectively
• Project a command presence
• Develop an appropriate leadership style
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–14
(Continued)
Solutions to Overcoming
Challenges and Expectations
• Show respect for others
• Be loyal to the company, organization, and
community
• Be a positive and ethical role model at all
times
• Live by a personal and professional code of
ethics
• Set high yet attainable standards
(Continued)
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–15
Solutions to Overcoming
Challenges and Expectations
• Value diversity in people and situations
• Praise accomplishments
• Listen to others
• Commit to education and training
• Remain humble
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–16
Those to Whom a Company
Officer May be Responsible
• Subordinates
– Provide a safe work environment
– Represent subordinate’s needs to organization
– Provide:
–Ethical leadership
–Fair and just supervision
–Educational and training opportunities
(Continued)
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–17
Those to Whom a Company
Officer May be Responsible
• Organization
– Administer properly all policies and
procedures of the organization
– Represent the organization to members of
the unit and the public
(Continued)
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–18
Those to Whom a Company
Officer May be Responsible
• Public
– Provide effective and efficient professional
service
– Be conscious that the public provides the
resources to the organization and that
officers are stewards of those resources
• Profession
– Serve as visible representatives and role
(Continued)
models
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–19
Those to Whom a Company
Officer May be Responsible
• Family
– Listen to expectations and needs when
relying on families for support and
understanding
– Communicate the new responsibility,
authority, and requirements of the new
position
(Continued)
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–20
Those to Whom a Company
Officer May be Responsible
• Themselves
– Live by a set of ethical standards and
values that are based on the accepted
moral values of the community
– Respect themselves and abide by their
convictions
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–21
Human Resources Management
Duties – Fire Officer Level I
• Provide effective supervision for both
emergency and nonemergency activities
• Assign tasks
• Evaluate personnel performance
• Provide company-level training activities
• Administer policies and procedures efficiently
(Continued)
and equitably
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–22
Human Resources Management
Duties – Fire Officer Level I
• Recommend actions when situations exceed
their authority or ability
• Act as a project manager in certain situations
• Provide professional development
opportunities for members
• Initiate or assist with personnel transfers,
personal benefits, changes in those benefits,
awards and commendations, disciplinary
actions, and labor/management issues
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–23
Human Resources Management
Duties – Fire Officer Level II
• All Level I duties
• Evaluate personnel
performance and ensure
that employees perform to
the best of their abilities
• Prepare projects and
divisional budgets
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–24
Community and Government
Relations Duties
• Fire Officer Level I
– Respond to citizen inquiries and complaints in an
efficient and courteous manner
– Present public fire and life-safety education
programs for the benefit of members of the
community
• Fire Officer Level II
– All Level I duties
– No additional duties
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–25
Administration Duties –
Fire Officer Level I
• Administer the administration’s policies,
procedures, and orders at the unit level
• Observe the application of these
administrative documents and recommends
changes to them as necessary
(Continued)
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–26
Administration Duties –
Fire Officer Level I
• Maintain records of unit activities and prepare
reports based on these records
• Assist with the preparation of the
organization’s budget by monitoring the unit’s
resources and documenting the consumption
and cost of providing those resources
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–27
Administration Duties –
Fire Officer Level II
• All Level I duties
• Develop budgets
• Evaluate the resource needs of assigned
units
• Purchase materials and equipment that will
meet the needs of the unit
• Maintain records on purchases
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–28
Inspection and Investigation
Duties – Fire Officer Level I
• In initial fire cause determination or
investigation process:
– Secure incident scene
– Preserve evidence
– Interview witnesses and emergency
personnel
– Notify a fire investigator when the situation
warrants it
(Continued)
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–29
Inspection and Investigation
Duties – Fire Officer Level I
• In incidents that involve criminal activity such
as acts of terrorism or the operation of illegal
drug laboratories:
– Notify the appropriate law enforcement
agency
– Designate the scene as a crime scene
– Maintain security of the scene until fire
investigation personnel arrive
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–30
Inspection and Investigation
Duties – Fire Officer Level II
• All Level I duties
• Conduct a preliminary investigation of a fire
scene
• Analyze all available information
• Determine the point of origin and cause of the
fire
(Continued)
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–31
Inspection and Investigation
Duties – Fire Officer Level II
• Perform fire and life-safety inspections,
including:
– Understand building construction
– Understand and apply the jurisdictions building
and fire codes
– Identify types of hazards and fire-protection
systems
– Apply fire and life-safety regulations to all types of
occupancies
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–32
Emergency Service Delivery
Duties – Fire Officer Level I
• Inspect all potential hazardous sites within
the unit’s response area
• Create a pre-incident plan for each potential
hazardous site
• Develop and initiate an incident action plan
(IAP) and incident safety plan (ISP) upon
arrival on-scene
(Continued)
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–33
Emergency Service Delivery
Duties – Fire Officer Level I
• Establish the Incident Command System
(ICS) upon arrival on-scene
• Conduct a postincident analysis following an
incident (for incidents involving a single unit)
• Participate in a postincident analysis under
the leadership of a command officer (for
incidents involving additional resources)
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–34
Emergency Service Delivery
Duties – Fire Officer Level II
• All Level I duties
• Develop pre-incident plans for multiunit
operations
• Assign resources to effectively control
incidents
• Conduct postincident analysis using
information gathered from all responding
units
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–35
Health and Safety Duties –
Fire Officer Level I
• Apply health and safety standards daily
• Implement safety-related policies and
procedures
• Monitor personnel to ensure that safety
guidelines are followed
(Continued)
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–36
Health and Safety Duties –
Fire Officer Level I
• Report all situations that involve job-related
injuries or fatalities
• Act as a role model by personally adhering to
accepted health and safety practices
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–37
Health and Safety Duties –
Fire Officer Level II
• All Level I duties
• Know and understand the jurisdiction’s health
and safety policies, potential risks and
hazards that result from unsafe practices, and
methods for mitigating such risks and
hazards
• Analyze unit accident and injury reports and
recommend steps to prevent reoccurrence
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–38
Summary
• The company officer holds a position that is
unique to the fire and emergency services
and supervisory positions in general.
• As a member of a unit, the officer must
perform the same tasks that other members
perform. At the same time, the officer is a
member of management performing the
functions of a first-level supervisor.
(Continued)
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–39
Summary
• In each of these roles, the company officer
must make decisions, act ethically, and apply
supervisory and management skills to provide
a professional service to the public and
members of the unit.
• The company officer must understand and
adhere to acknowledged standards of
leadership.
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–40
Discussion Questions
1. Discuss the importance of a company
officer as a supervisor, subordinate, and
public servant.
2. Name one challenge a new company
officer will encounter.
3. Define both external and internal
expectations.
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–41
(Continued)
Discussion Questions
4. To whom or what may a company officer
be responsible?
5. List one Level I and one Level II
management duty.
Fire and Emergency
Services Company Officer
1–42