“Company officer is the best job on the department. I’m staying here the rest of my career.” “As soon as I make lieutenant, that’s it for me. I’ll never go for another promotion.”
As I travel around the country talking to firefighters, I often hear statements similar to the ones above. There is no doubt that being a company officer is a great job, and an extremely important one. But all firefighters should consider what might come next in their careers, and plan for a number of different possibilities. To do otherwise shortchanges not only the individual, but also the organization as a whole.
Deciding that you will be a company officer (or a firefighter, or an engineer) forever by definition eliminates other opportunities for both personal growth and contribution. Such narrow thinking also tends to reinforce a “them vs. us” mentality when dealing with management. The fact is that someone is going to move up into higher leadership roles. If not you, then who?
Succession planning is not just something you do when the chief leaves. All firefighters need to ask themselves two questions throughout their careers. First, what roles do I want play within this organization, and how will I acquire the skills and knowledge to fulfill those roles? And second, once I have moved on, to a different role within or beyond the department, who will be able to replace me?
If your answer to the second question is, no big deal, anyone could replace me, you’re either not working hard enough or you’re not being completely honest with yourself. Every firefighter has unique knowledge acquired through experience and study that is valuable to the department as a whole.
Many forms
Such knowledge may come in many forms: how to fix the chain saw, or unjam elevator doors, or develop good relationships with the local fraternities, or lay hydrant line perfectly every time. There are thousands of small skills that contribute to being a good firefighter or officer, and some of them are unique to you. If you don’t make a point of sharing them with others now, they may be lost once you are gone.
So think about ways you can share information, all the time, as well as ways to allow newer firefighters to get some of the experience that has led to your confidence and expertise as an officer. Create a culture among your crew where it is okay to say you don’t know, and where everyone is open to learning new things, all the time.
A culture of continuous learning must apply to you as well, and this should involve at least understanding what people do in positions above yours, even if you ultimately decide that being a chief is not for you.
Ask questions, pursue professional development opportunities such as attending classes or conferences, and take advantage of acting or ride-along programs. Even if you choose to stay a company officer or at your current level the rest of your career, a greater understanding of the organization beyond just your own level will absolutely make you better in your role.
And you might also discover that you like certain aspects of management, and would like to have more chances to be involved in things like budget or purchasing or policy development. Perhaps that interest will lead you to participate in committees or work groups, or maybe the experience will allow you to make an informed decision that taking the next step into management is the right thing for both you and your department.
In the end, someone will be promoted to battalion chief, district chief, and chief of the department. Whoever goes for these positions should do so for the right reasons — to contribute further and to work for necessary change, and not just as a result of ambition or by default.
Making an assessment of personal succession planning is not something you do once in a career, nor is it something that should be imposed from the outside. Continually ask yourself:
- What do I want to have accomplished as a result of my career here, in both the short and long terms?
- What am I doing now to make those goals a reality?
- How am I helping to assure the future success of the organization by preparing the newest employees to be better firefighters than I can imagine being? How can I learn from them as well as contribute to their success?
Personal succession planning is the responsibility of every firefighter, and is a process that continues throughout an entire career. In the end, your decisions affect not only your own life, but also the future of your department and the community you serve.
