| WEEKLY RANDOM THOUGHTS |
| The passing of the Baton, are we ready? By Coleen Mitchell A Friend of mine told about an old chinese curse, which sticks in my mind as I write this piece. " May you live in changing times". The Department I work for is soon approaching just that. Within the next two to four years there is going to be a massive shift in our current workforce. Many of the "Vets" have taken advantage of a retirement incentive program. They will be leaving in droves. What will be left is the "Youth" of the department to carry on. With this I also see a large group of inexperienced people being hired , at a lower salary, to replace those that are leaving. I also foresee many people, not ready for the leadership role they take on, being thrust into positions of authority. Unlike the business field which this type thing goes on everyday, there maybe a dear price to pay.... people's lives. The veterans in this department have several advantages to thier contemporarys. They have the advantage of time and experience for one. Secondly, let's face it, they had more fires. Which gives them many things to draw from when making decisions. As much as one would try, you can not draw the same knowledge regarding fires from a book as you would actually fighting one. No book can prepare you for any and all the variables at any give fire scene. Books, SOPs, and directives can put some order in a chaotic situation by offering guidelines ,technical instruction and information. But, the bottom line is; Firefighting is an art form, and like any other it can not be clearly defined in writing. What can be done though to improve our department through these changes is to glean the knowledge of other occupations that " practice" thier craft. For example, the medical field. In both Medical and Nursing school they both go through a "clinical" period of thier education. This is at least a year in duration. During this time they train in a real hospital and are supervised by instructors. The Hospital though still provides staff nurses, who are ultimately responsible to the patients. Years ago, our Fire Department had something similar, Training Companies. Training Companies though had a fatal flaw. The older "veterans" were pushed out of these assignments and "new guys" were placed there. There were no "old timers" to show these "kids" the ropes. The "Senior Man" sometimes had only 2 years of experience. This concept also created resentment by pushing out members that did not want to go. The bottom line of this dilemma is of course, money. Will the initial investment made by having the "cadets" undergo a three month extension in training in the field pay off in the end? My opinion is;Yes. It will pay off in a reduction in injuries, and fire losses. I also think this investment would give morale a shot in the arm. Existing employees would see that the administration cares about the competancy of the individual working beside them. In closing, I liken the above to a relay race. As our "Veterans" are rounding the last lap, tired and sweaty, do they pass the baton to just anyone waiting to take it. Or, Like a coach, does the administration prepare individuals , via training, to competently finish this race. Making us all winners. |