Se7en Characteristics For Saving Lives (continued)

from Georgia Firefighter - Summer 2023

Se7en Characteristics For Saving Lives (continued)

BONUS: For those assigned the task of ensuring the basic skills and abilities of their firefighters, a simple checkoff manual (that can be customized for your shift and/ or department) is available at the email address below.

ficult characteristics. As mentioned above some departments use the training officer’s position as a last-stop before retirement or a dumping ground. Other departments give great lip service to training but rarely do any more than that. The stakes are too high today to not consider training as the most important effort of a forward-thinking, modern fire and emergency service. That means sometimes you may have to advocate for training when others think it too expensive or too time consuming. When that becomes the norm, take a few minutes to research operational mishaps, LODDs and the value of training that is integral in reducing losses. Spend ten minutes in your favorite search engine or go to https:// usfa.fema.gov , www.nfpa.com or www.firehero.org and the information you seek can be found. If you adopt these traits or similar ones, you will be responsible for saving lives.

Go forth. Train with passion. Save lives.

Frank Montes de Oca served as a firefighter/paramedic for over 38 years serving as Chief of EMS, Training Bureau Commander, Emergency Disaster Trainer and Senior Operations Officer. Following retirement from Orange County (FL) Fire and Rescue, he was appointed Chief of Department for Springfield, Ohio; and Fire Chief and Emergency Services Director for Osceola County, Florida. His last appointment was as Emergency Services Director and Fire Marshal for Orange County, NC. Throughout his career he has been engaged in training, leading and developing firefighter safety programs and organizational change. Chief Montes de Oca is an adjunct instructor for the National Fire Academy and qualified to present training programs for OSHA and the EPA. He can be reached at frm1@ me.com or www.responder1.org.