State-of-the-industry insights
The What Firefighters Want project calls on all active firefighters to share their opinions and insights through FireRescue1’s comprehensive survey that goes beyond statistical exercise to serve as a platform for firefighters to voice their concerns, aspirations and ideas for evolution within the profession. The What Firefighters Want project is supported by the International Public Safety Data Institute (IPSDI) and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC).
2024 SURVEY FOCUS: FIRE DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP
The What Firefighters Want in 2024 special coverage series explores a pain point from the previous two surveys: poor agency leadership.
Download your copy to learn about how leadership woes are impacting staffing, morale and more
Lessons learned from organizational culture-focused research
50 women offered insight into how their fire departments can support their personal leadership goals
Highlighting the most eye-opening results from the annual state-of-the-industry survey
While safety and training serve as the linchpins of operational efficacy, problems persist around recruitment and retention, succession planning and the sense of family once so central to fire service culture
Leaders underscore the importance of organizational mindsets like mission-driven culture and personal traits like humility, among several other critical factors
A good leader accepts that they may not have created the problem, but they are responsible for fixing it
True connection demands more than words
‘People don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad bosses’ – and the fire service is no exception
Go beyond corporate leadership theories by disrespecting the norm, reinventing your position and putting in the work
Learn how to maintain a sense of calm so you can help others
The connection between positive leadership traits and policy enforcement
Survey respondents shared positive outlooks on their next-level supervisor
Survey respondents shared positive outlooks on the top chief
What Firefighters Want survey respondents highlighted the need for clear career paths and reimbursement for training
A review of fire chief hiring criteria spotlights issues of inaccurate job descriptions and exclusionary language
Chief Bashoor shares a sneak peek at some of the key stats
BUILDING STRONG LEADERSHIP
Key experiences from my early days on the job have revealed a surprising number of lessons for running command
Three strategies to achieve the right balance of positivity, realism and accountability when reviewing member performance
Reduce your community’s risk by training citizens how to control bleeding
The overcrowded club lacked the required exits, firewalls and fire alarms in the 1977 tragedy
From entry-level to chief, these firefighter interview questions will help prep your answers to reveal character, competence and leadership potential
Areas of focus included preparing for wildfire and WUI events, managing lithium battery fires, and new approaches to firefighter health and wellness
2023 SURVEY FOCUS: THE PERFECT STORM OF STRESS
More than 2,100 firefighters speak up about the perfect storm of stress and staffing challenges
The battalion chief addresses a worrying statistic about the impact of stress level on firefighters’ day-to-day work
Highlighting the most eye-opening results from the annual state-of-the-industry survey
For some, the private sector beckons while others may explore career transitions within the trades – but we can stop this exodus
Firefighters get real about one of the biggest issues facing the industry and how to fix it
Survey respondents share their experiences with staffing stressors
Firefighters pinpoint their top stressors and acknowledge the impact of stress on the quality of service provided
Firefighters feel generally positive about the job, but they report high stress, and many have considered leaving their organization
How officers mitigate these stressors for the benefit of themselves, their crew and the department as a whole
Amid stress and staffing challenges, firefighters still love the job – and encourage others to join the ranks
Firefighters speak up about how fire departments can better manage the staffing crisis to reduce stress levels
From family outreach to increased counseling access and more understanding from supervisors, firefighters are looking to leadership to step up in this area
Solutions to navigate the most common family-centric concerns voiced by firefighters
Firefighters are reporting crushing staffing challenges and increased stress
Fire service leaders can take action to increase awareness, access and applicability of these potentially lifesaving programs
It comes down to selecting the right members and training them in two key areas
Understaffed, overworked first responders need robust wellness programs to combat stress
We can all work from the same playbook
The FireRescue1 community considers what is driving high stress and staffing challenges
Volunteers want more mental health services, increased staffing to relieve stress and culture change to eliminate lingering stigma
Unpacking the survey data and identifying solutions to address the perfect storm of stress
Most agencies rely heavily on social media, career fairs and youth programs
While some firefighters are taking proactive steps to minimize the impact of stress, many others are caught in a vicious cycle of harmful behavior
While some departments are reevaluating their fitness and education requirements, among others, most have changed nothing
Fire families often bear an unacknowledged burden of stress rooted in staffing challenges
When does the expanded scope of work reach a tipping point, requiring a new staffing model?
2022 SURVEY FOCUS: FIREGROUND LEADERSHIP
Despite strong scores, there is much work to be done to build effective fireground command skills
Professional development for the incident commander starts at the firefighter rank and continues up the training ladder
ICs enjoy the confidence of firefighters during a mayday, but what is the basis for that faith?
Is your IC truly prepared, ready and able to execute on the fireground?
Several themes emerged among the thousands of comments from the What Firefighters Want survey respondents
Training, communication and safety mindsets show mixed results, but simple steps can set crews on the path to greatness
Now is the time for us to start thinking of command as a multi-person staffed function, just like we staff our other units
Departments that regularly conduct AARs are well-positioned to streamline their performance and increase their margin of safety
A functioning command post needs a paper or electronic tool to be successful
Feedback, active listening and personal connections are critical to crew cohesion
Survey respondents resoundingly recommend a career in the fire service – a vital stat amid growing recruitment challenges
SPECIAL REPORTS
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It’s in the face of disaster that we come together as a community
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