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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).

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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
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
The Pittsburgh fire chief offers guidance for fixing the leadership troubles highlighted in the What Firefighters Want survey
Firefighters are too often blindsided by the amount of administrative work as they move up the ranks
Firefighters are looking to their supervisors for improved communication, support and empowerment, and training and professional development opportunities
Chiefs John Oates and Dena Ali break down the latest survey findings related to fire department leadership at all levels
Join Chiefs John Oates and Dena Ali for a discussion of leadership at all levels
BUILDING STRONG LEADERSHIP
The fast-moving Cocoanut Grove fire killed nearly 500 and changed fire safety and burn treatment as we know it
A heightened focus on personal and organizational value ultimately impacts recruitment and retention efforts
The fire service has a responsibility to educate its stakeholders so they can become meaningful contributors in the strategic planning processes
Starting with mayday basics, like when and how to call a mayday, primes them for actual emergencies and sets a foundation for more advanced training
From prevention to data-driven decision-making, department leaders must set the tone for mayday-minded training
Your crewmembers are your lifeline to survival, so communicate as much as possible
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
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
About the Sponsor: ImageTrend
ImageTrend is dedicated to connecting life’s most important data in the fire, EMS, hospital and emergency/disaster preparedness industries. The company delivers software solutions such as ImageTrend Elite™, Continuum®, Health Information Hub™, Patient Registry™ and Resource Bridge™ to enable fully integrated patient-centric healthcare and public safety. ImageTrend’s commitment to innovation, its clients, and providing world-class implementation and support is unsurpassed.