The Brave Fire Leader program is unique and we get asked from time to time, “why should I or my fire officers take the program?”  The answer is simple and complicated at the same time.  The Fire Service does a great job teaching and training people to take charge and lead in emergency situations but not so much in the leadership and management skills necessary to lead a Fire Department in the various functions needed to be a successful organization away from the emergency response.  That’s the easy answer.

 

The more complex answer requires a deeper look into what a successful organization must have to be successful.  It requires leadership and management skills 24/7/365, not just in the minutes of an emergency scene.  Fire Departments are led by a Fire Chief but he or she are not the only leaders in the organization.  Fire Chiefs are the “leaders of leaders” and how have we prepared those other leaders to handle the myriad of situations that are day-to-day occurrences in a Fire Department?  Personnel situations, resource situations, communications requirements, budgetary needs, political situations, non-emergency public services and interactions, news media interactions, internal investigations, employee evaluations, ethical dilemmas, conflicts and challenges, interagency relations, and avoiding exposing self and the organization to liability in many forms is but a few of the required skills for leaders at all levels.  Brave Fire Leader gives participants the skills and tools necessary to manage those challenges.

 

The Fire Chief cannot be in every place and time and make every decision for the organization and it is a much better prepared organization when officer/supervisors at every level are prepared to handle the situations that WILL arise.  Sometimes even the Fire Chief is not fully prepared for what will and can occur and must reinforce his or her skills with the Brave Fire Leader program.  This program makes better leaders and supervisors for your Fire Department, not just for the fire scene but also in the fire station, in public encounters and when representing the organization.  What is more cost effective for your Fire Department?  Training in leadership skills, or legal costs and settlements defending bad decisions?