Setting Probationary Firefighters’ Expectations

BY STEVE PRZIBOROWSKI

If you are a company officer who recently has had a probationary firefighter assigned to you, you are in for a challenging and exhausting process if you do not acquaint the probie with your expectations up front. During the recruit academy, most fire departments teach their probationary firefighters how to do the manipulative skills and how to survive around the firehouse, but it is almost impossible to teach them how to successfully work with every company officer, especially since there are usually a number of company officers and each has a personal management style, good or bad.

Although each fire department has rules and regulations with which firefighters are expected to comply, each company officer has a different style and manner of doing things they expect their company members, especially probationary personnel, to follow. It makes things flow more smoothly when officers share their expectations with the probationary firefighter on their team. The probie has a tough enough time trying to complete the probationary period, let alone having to worry about the idiosyncrasies or the nuances of every company officer with whom he will work. Why keep your expectations a secret?