CONTENTS
Message from UFRA WINTER 2018, Volume 19 Issue 1 To Subscribe: To subscribe to the UFRA Straight Tip magazine, or make changes to your current subscription, call 1-888-5487816 or visit www.uvu.edu/ufra/about/ magazine.html. The UFRA Straight Tip is free of charge to all firefighter and emergency service personnel throughout the state of Utah. UFRA Customer Service Local (801) 863-7700 Toll free 1-888-548-7816 www.uvu.edu/ufra UFRA Straight Tip (ISSN 1932-2356) is published quarterly by Utah Valley University and the Utah Fire & Rescue Academy and distributed throughout the state of Utah. Reproduction without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Send inquiries or submissions to: UFRA Straight Tip magazine 3131 Mike Jense Parkway Provo, Utah 84601 Phone 1-888-548-7816 ufrastraighttip@uvu.edu Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the UFRA Straight Tip are those of the authors and may not be construed as those of the staff or management of the UFRA Straight Tip, Utah Fire & Rescue Academy, or Utah Valley University.
The Volunteer Chief’s Corner by Dave Owens Assistant Director of Training
Many people walk into the position of fire chief with no idea how complex it can be. Some may even have the position without seeking it, but all accepted it because of a dedication to providing service to their community. They don’t have a clear idea of what needs to be done or what the ramifications of not doing them can be. As the chief, do you know if your department is NIMS compliant and why that is important? Do you understand how the ISO rating for your community is determined and where you can make the most of the money spent on pursuing the best rating you can for your community? How current are your SOGs? Do they address social media? Do you understand how to use social media to your advantage? Do you know what grants are available and how to write an effective narrative on the grant application? When was the last time your SCBA tanks were hydrostatic tested? These are just a few of the topics a chief should be concerned with. The information overload to the new fire chief feels very much like drinking from a fire hose. To address this training gap, the Straight Tip magazine is adding a new section titled “Volunteer Chief ’s Corner.” Our intention for this section is to create an ongoing forum that will facilitate the exchange of information between chiefs who have learned how to successfully navigate the position’s “minefield” of duties and responsibilities and new chiefs who need to learn the best practices in dealing with the challenges of this very complex position. The section will be geared toward all fire chiefs but is particularly meant to help the fire chiefs of volunteer and small, part-paid departments. Although the focus will be on helping volunteer chiefs, this information will be valuable to every member of the fire service. It does not matter whether you are volunteer, part time, or career. Each issue will explore a topic relevant to the fire service today and what the best practices and concerns are with respect to that topic. While we have some initial topics we plan to cover, we would also be interested in hearing from you. You can either recommend topics that you feel would be beneficial or contact us to propose an article on a relevant or critical topic. With this issue being the kickoff of the new section, there will be two articles in “Volunteer Chief ’s Corner”: One will go over how to effectively work alongside elected officials (page 12), and the other will discuss designating and training a department public information officer (page 14). We look forward to hearing from you about this new section, and we hope you use it as another tool in your toolbox as you progress in your organization. To submit topic ideas, article proposals, or questions, contact Lori Marshall at lori.marshall@uvu.edu.
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