My Notes to Self for this week and next week focus on one primary question. Each note will have a separate follow up question for you chiefs out there.

The primary question: Do you think your department will get along just fine without you?

Now I know most us will openly answer “yes,” and most of us are telling the truth. But there are a few of us who will secretly answer “no,” and are perversely proud of it.

For those of us who think our department won’t survive without us, here’s this week’s follow-up question: Why not?

It is your responsibility as the chief to ensure the department is managed properly. If you think your department won’t get along without you, you have failed to manage properly, and you have failed your firefighters and the community you are charged with protecting.

Why haven't you prepared your department to get along without you? Pride? Power? Prestige? What could possibly be so wrong in your life that you feel have to doom the fire department if the good Lord calls you home before you’re ready to go. My money is on pride. You like being the chief. You introduce yourself at parties as “Chief Super Dude,” even when the situation simply calls for you to introduce yourself with your first name.

It is part of your job as chief to ensure the department carries on with business as usual (or even improved) in your absence. It doesn’t take much — just keep your people informed (truthfully) on what you’re doing. When you have a “special meeting,” take your assistant chief and an officer or two along with you so at least a few other people know what’s going on. That way, if you do leave the department for some reason, people won’t be left in the dark.