By Fire Chief (ret.) Robert L. Ridgeway
Raising a safety concern in the fire service is not always easy. It can mean challenging long-standing habits, questioning informal norms or speaking up to someone senior in rank. Yet the willingness to address unsafe practices — directly and constructively — is essential to protecting personnel and preserving operational effectiveness. A department’s safety culture is ultimately revealed in how its members respond when someone says, “This is not safe.”
FireRescue1’s What Firefighters Want survey asked respondents to describe the actions they have taken to share their concerns about safety for themselves and their personnel. The responses make one thing clear: Firefighters are willing to speak up when they see unsafe practices. What they need in return is leadership that listens, reinforces expectations and acts consistently.
A primer on risk
What do we mean by the term “safe” in the fire service? Put simply, it means our personnel always conduct themselves in a matter that they avoid unnecessary risk of injury or death. Notice that I didn’t say that they don’t take any risks — only that we don’t take unnecessary risks. Anyone crazy enough to run into a burning building when everyone inside is trying to get out is taking a risk — we understand that. We should also understand that the risks we take should be directly proportional to both the possibility of saving lives and to the magnitude of the situation we are facing. In plain firehouse talk, we “risk a lot to save a lot.” At the same time, we understand that taking a risk when there’s virtually no chance of success is foolhardy and can result in tragic consequences.
Of course, our concern with safety is not limited to operations on the emergency scene. If we can’t get to the scene of the emergency, we can’t help anyone. The following examples demonstrate how leadership response shapes a department’s safety culture.
Moving apparatus
Sometimes, the chief will be faced with a safety violation that is so egregious that immediate remedial action is required. For example, back when I was serving as a newly appointed chief, I was in a station when an alarm came in; the personnel jumped on the rigs and headed out the doors. One firefighter was a little slow in his response, and began running alongside a moving engine and attempting to mount the rig as it was heading out. You can imagine his surprise when he looked over his shoulder and saw me running right beside him.
I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him away from the moving vehicle. I dressed him down then and there to never attempt to mount a moving vehicle, as he could get hurt or killed.
When the crew returned from the run, I gathered them all together and explained my actions. I stressed that at no time was anyone to attempt to mount a moving apparatus, and that I would hold the company officers directly responsible for any violations. I further explained that a horrible accident that had occurred earlier in my career had deeply imprinted the importance of safety in all operations. I then took everyone into the day room and had everyone watch a YouTube video about Firefighter Barbara “Sandy” Lee. After that day, I never experienced another similar safety violation in that department.
The chief has the responsibility to create a safe working environment in both emergency and non-emergency environments. In an organization where safety was not previously emphasized, the chief will need to create a paradigm change within that department in order to ensure that safety becomes a priority. Of course, implementing change in the fire service often comes about with the ease and speed of the gestation period of elephants, accomplished only with a great deal or roaring and screaming, and requiring about two years to produce results. Once the change is implemented, however, maintaining that change becomes the responsibility of everyone, especially company officers.
Backing accidents
In the early days of the change, the chief may need to reinforce the message loud and clear that safety will be a priority at all times.
One example of the need to send this type of message occurred in another department where I was serving as the fire chief. I was reviewing reports when I noticed there was a high history of backing accidents in that department. I raised the issue at the next staff meeting and pointedly stated that backing accidents were totally preventable. I emphasized that the company officer was responsible for the safe operation of their assigned rig at all times, and should always ensure a backup person was in place to direct any apparatus backing up. I further stated that in the future, backing accidents would have severe consequences.
Change being difficult for us, sure enough, about two weeks later another backing accident occurred. The accident investigation confirmed that there was no backup person in place, even though both the driver and the officer confirmed they were familiar with the requirement that a backup person be in place when a vehicle was backed up.
When I received the report of the accident investigation, I gave the a driver one shift off without pay and the company officer two shifts off without pay. That action created quite a stir, especially among the company officers.
To deal with that, I held a series of meetings with the company officers on each shift, giving them the opportunity to speak their minds. The main concern seemed to be that the officer had received a stiffer punishment than the driver. When they were finished talking, it was my turn.
First, I thanked them for what they do in carrying out the mission of the department and protecting the public. I stressed that I had been where they were — I understood the challenges that they faced every shit. I also emphasized my view that the company officer is the most important position in the fire department. I could come up with the greatest ideas and procedures ever developed but without the support of the company officers, they wouldn’t get implemented.
I reviewed the necessity of regulations governing safety and how the enforcement of these regulations was of the utmost importance to me — and should be to them as well. I stressed that a key part of our mission statement was to stress safety in everything we do, whether on the emergency scene or back in the station.
When the meeting was over, I reiterated the importance of their positions, thanked them for what they do each day, and reminded them that my door was always open if they wanted to talk. After that day, we had no further backing accidents during my several years that I had the honor of serving as their chief.
Final thoughts
Sharing safety concerns is only the first step. What ultimately determines whether a department’s safety culture evolves is how leaders respond.
Fire chiefs set the tone. They define what is acceptable and what is not. They decide whether policies are recommendations or requirements. Most importantly, they demonstrate — through visible action — that safety standards apply to everyone, regardless of rank or tenure.
Company officers translate that standard into daily practice. They are the last line of supervision before an unsafe act becomes an injury, a fatality or a preventable loss. When they model disciplined operations and enforce expectations consistently, firefighters understand that safety is not optional and not situational.
If firefighters are willing to raise safety concerns, leaders at every level must be equally willing to listen, act and reinforce. That is how culture changes. That is how backing accidents stop. That is how preventable injuries are avoided. And that is how departments honor both their mission and their people.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Robert L. Ridgeway is a retired fire chief and emergency management trainer with over 50 years of active service in the field. His service included over 20 years of service as a fire chief for four departments, as well as nine years at EMI/FEMA as a training program manager. He holds an associate degree in fire science technology, a bachelor’s degree in fire service management, and a master’s degree in organizational leadership. Ridgeway is a graduate of the State and Local Government Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and a graduate of the EFO Program. He served actively for many years on several national committees and organizations.
