By Division Chief Matthew S. Caward, MBA, FSCEO, CFO, CTO, FO, MO, MIFireE
Every firefighter remembers their first day on the job — the mix of emotions we felt as we walked into the station after a competitive hiring process, months of intense training, and countless certifications. We were filled with pride, nerves and excitement, knowing that we had joined something far greater than ourselves. We sacrificed blood, sweat, tears and years in our preparation for this incredible opportunity. But securing the job and joining a crew isn’t the finish line. It’s just the beginning of a lifelong pursuit of excellence in one of the most rewarding careers imaginable.
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Building a culture of growth and professionalism
The mindset of a true fire service professional begins with understanding that training never ends. This isn’t a race for distance but rather a journey without limits. Along the way, we’ll celebrate many small wins and accomplishments, but our pursuit of knowledge should be viewed as an intention to be the very best for our teammates and the communities we serve. Professional development is not a selfish endeavor; it’s a sacrificial commitment.
As a new firefighter, officer or even chief officer, this is the starting point of a lifelong journey toward mastery. The stage doesn’t matter — the journey begins when we realize how important our calling and our capacity to learn and grow are to those we serve and to this amazing profession. As Baltimore Ravens Coach John Harbaugh likes to say, “Who’s got it better than us? Nobody!”
In today’s ever-evolving fire service, professional development isn’t a luxury or just a checkbox to complete. It is a necessity that serves as the foundation of competence, helps team members and leaders build credibility, and shapes the culture of every fire station, crewmember and chief. The top organizations, teams and leaders will never leave professional development to chance. They intentionally build it around what I call the four pillars of professional development: training and certification, formal education, experience and leadership.
Pillar 1: Training and certification
Training is the lifeblood of the fire service. It is how we stay prepared, reinforce fundamentals and build the skills and resilience to face the challenges we will inevitably encounter. However, not all training is equal or even effective. The most successful organizations and leaders, those dedicated to excellence in training, make it a priority and develop balanced systems that combine:
- National certification: The International Fire Service accreditation Congress (IFSAC) and National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (Pro Board) standards establish consistent benchmarks of proficiency and accountability.
- National Fire Academy (NFA) courses: These courses enhance critical thinking, leadership and incident management skills. Flagship programs such as the Managing Officer Program and the Executive Fire Officer Program offer multiyear tracks that challenge leaders and lay strong foundations in leadership and networking that will sustain them beyond their careers.
- Professional seminars and institutes: Specialized programs featuring educational sessions help officers strengthen their skills without the time commitment of complete degree programs. These certificate-based programs are often offered at leading universities such as Harvard, Cornell and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.
- Conferences and symposia: Events like Fire-Rescue International (FRI), FDIC, state association-sponsored symposia and fire chief conferences offer exposure to innovative ideas, networking and continuing education.
Credibility is essential for building and maintaining trust as a leader. You cannot give what you do not have. Training is a lifelong commitment to expanding your knowledge, sharpening your skills and honing the abilities that make you valuable to your team, ultimately leading to success. A true professional is not just someone who participates in training but one who takes ownership of their professional development.
The best firefighters and fire officers don’t wait for training to come to them or for others to feed them information. Exceptional leaders recognize the importance of taking responsibility for their own growth and prioritizing their training, competence and readiness. Because these proactive and capable leaders see knowledge as a gift, they share what they’ve learned to cultivate future leaders and strengthen their teammates. Mentoring others not only creates competent leaders but also sharpens your own skills, enhances your learning and holds you accountable for ongoing training and certification.
Pillar 2: Formal education
Formal education not only increases your knowledge base but also sharpens your perspective and equips you with many intangible leadership skills. Earning a degree or credential doesn’t make someone a better firefighter overnight, but it does expand their perspective on problems, people and possibilities. The greatest benefit of a degree or certificate is that it opens doors to opportunities that were previously inaccessible. How many people work in an industry that has nothing to do with their degree program, yet because they have a degree, they are marketable to an organization that would not otherwise have hired them? Proving that you can set a goal and achieve it by graduating from a program and gaining the skills, knowledge and perspective that come with a degree or certificate elevates your career and life opportunities.
Additionally, earning a degree demonstrates to those around you that if you can achieve it, so can they. This especially applies to your children. When kids see that their mom or dad has a degree or a trade certificate, it motivates them to advance their own educational goals. This can set their lives on a path of growth and achievement.
Professional development through education might include both college degrees and credentialing. Specialized degrees in fire science, emergency management and public administration, for example, will deepen your understanding of systems and policy within our industry. However, any degree you earn will expand your opportunities and teach you valuable skills and habits.
The Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPC), a part of the Center for Public Safety Excellence, offers several opportunities for world-class recognition of leadership competencies at several levels and is considered the “gold standard” for fire service credentialing. These designations include Chief Fire Officer (CFO), Chief Training Officer (CTO), Chief Emergency Medical Services Officer (CEMSO), Fire Marshal (FM), Fire and Emergency Services Analyst (FESA), Public Information Officer (PIO) and Fire Officer (FO), all of which validate a leader’s body of work and commitment to continuous improvement. Individuals with CPC designations are often described as progressive and well rounded.
Further, the CPC model is holistic in scope, examining the whole officer, with a focus on seven components that encompass the full range of an officer’s experience. These components include education, experience, professional development (training and certifications), professional contributions and recognition, professional memberships and affiliations, technical competence and community involvement.
Education and credentialing build credibility, but more importantly, they create curiosity and a hunger for more. This eagerness to learn will keep leaders from becoming complacent. The doors of opportunity are always motion activated!
Pillar 3: Experience
Experience is the pillar that can’t be rushed. It’s earned through time, mistakes, successes and refinement. But experience alone isn’t growth; it’s evaluated experience that creates wisdom. Meaningful experience includes:
- Operational roles and ranks: Each position — firefighter, engineer, officer and chief — offers reps and a wealth of real-time lessons that will validate and hone a leader’s abilities and knowledge, and offer a proper perspective on techniques and effective application.
- Teaching and mentoring: Sharing knowledge reinforces learning and strengthens organizational culture.
- Scenario role-playing: Simulations allow leaders to test decision-making in low-risk environments.
- Years in the role: Time itself provides context, but only if leaders stay reflective and engaged.
- Real-world work: Calls, meetings or community interactions comprise the greatest leadership laboratory and cannot be duplicated or replaced.
Experience transforms a leader’s skills and knowledge into sound judgment — the ultimate proving ground for growth. Through real-world challenges, leaders develop intuition and instinct, two qualities essential for effective decision-making, the most critical responsibility of any leader. Therefore, strong intuition, sharp instincts and confident decision-making are vital for successful leadership.
Pillar 4: Leadership
Leadership stands as its own pillar because it is a distinct skill that must be intentionally developed and nurtured. It is also one of life’s most essential and complex skills. While there are many unique styles, methods, skills, techniques and even philosophies of leadership, no one approach is enough to make you a great leader. Leadership skills serve as the glue that connects all the other pillars. Training, education and experience provide you with tools, while leadership offers the platform and purpose to use them. Without leadership, there would be no team or organizational success. Without proper leadership training and development, you cannot be an effective leader.
Leadership development is a continuous process and an unending commitment to the following resources:
- Methodologies and philosophies: Understanding frameworks like servant leadership, transformational leadership and mission command.
- Styles and techniques: Adapting communication and coaching to different personalities and situations.
- Books and mentorship: Leaders are readers! All great leaders recognize that they must be students of the craft, studying others to refine their own style and develop their own leadership philosophy.
Great leaders promote growth in others. They create environments where people feel safe to speak, ask questions, learn and improve. In the fire service, leadership isn’t just a badge or a title; it’s a lifelong pursuit of the fundamental skills for success. Leadership must be continually learned, developed, practiced and cultivated.
The complete professional
When a leader focuses on developing all four pillars, the result is a professional who is technically skilled, intellectually sharp, inquisitive, experienced, capable of leading others and fully prepared to excel. Departments that invest in these four pillars don’t just shape better firefighters, they create a legacy of excellence for generations to come. Professional development cannot be left to chance or convenience, as it defines who we are as an industry. Training strong leaders is the most crucial step we can take to deliver exceptional service to our communities, and it must remain a top priority.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Division Chief Matthew S. Caward, MBA, FSCEO, CFO, CTO, FO, MO, MIFireE, is the Operations & Training Division Chief for the Grand Island (Neb.) Fire Department. A Jon Gordon Certified Trainer and founder of Red, Green, Blue (RGB) Firehouse Leadership, Chief Caward is a national instructor and conference speaker focused on leadership, culture and professional development. Visit his website for more information.
