BY ALAN BRUNACINI
I was in a recent conversation at a management conference with a group of firefighters and was asked, "What is the most critical thing a fire officer must do?" My answer was that the boss must create and maintain an effective level of "fitness for duty." My answer produced a few blank looks; finally, someone (thankfully) blurted out, "Huh?" So then I tried to describe how critical being fit for duty is to how we operate. In our very active discussion, everyone seemed to agree that everything a boss does that affects fit for duty will either positively or negatively influence our operational effectiveness and safety. I guess this is the natural agony and ecstasy of being the boss.
Our basic duty is to prevent harm. To do that, we must deliver protective service. Our service delivery capability is created by all of our organizational resources: humans, facilities, hardware, and systems. Each of those categories has its own fitness-for-duty capability profile, and together they create the level of our overall ability to protect the people, places, and things in our response area.
If you are a current subscriber,login hereto access this content.
If you would like to become a subscriber, please visit ushere.
