A fourth-generation career firefighter, Mark Emery is currently assigned as an Operations Battalion Chief in King County (Woodinville), Washington. Emery is a partner with Fire Command Incorporated (FCI) in Seattle; FCI has been providing incident management solutions to fire and life safety organizations since 1986. BC Emery is co-developer of the Integrated Tactical Accountability System (ITAC) and author of The Ten Command-ments of Intelligent and Safe Fireground Operations. Battalion Chief Emery is a graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program, is a National Fire Academy Instructor Specialist, and earned a Baccalaureate Degree in Education from California State University at Long Beach. Emery is also noted for founding and developing the six-week Officer Development Academy and the popular Advanced Pump Operator Academy in King County, WA. Feel free to email Mark Emery at mark.fci@comcast.net..
Comments
comments postedStrategy = The Hard Stuff
Why does the fire service regard aggressive tactics with high esteem rather than aggressive strategy? During a fireground operation (or for that matter any multi-company incident) strategy represents the hard stuff. Stewart Rose, a good friend and fire service colleague, once remarked: I'd rather work for a good strategist than a great tactician.
Aggressive tactics is easy compared to aggressive strategy. Aggressive strategy is often challenging because a fire officer arrives at an incident and tries to chase tactics with strategy. For example, when I arrive at a multi-company incident and aggressive tactics are already underway—without having been front-loaded with aggressive strategy—it is very difficult to 'herd the cats.' The result is the stressful and uncomfortable position of attempting to chase the tactics with strategy.
Strategic front-loading includes:
I believe it is impossible to be a proactive strategist when you are chasing reactive tacticians. The pressure to catch-up strategically often results in a fire officer buying-into and supporting the tactical operation that is already underway. Chasing aggressive tactics with strategy doesn't work.
Reality Check:
The absence of strategy kills fire fighters, not bugled tactics. Fire fighters are not being killed by incompetent ladder handling, improper hose advancement, failing knots, or chainsaw mishaps. Excluding apparatus and physiologic fatalities, fire fighters die because they in the wrong place at the wrong time—and often for the wrong reason.
The purpose of strategy is to ensure that each fire fighter is doing the right thing, at the right place, at the right time, and for the right reason.
Making sure fire fighters are doing the right thing at the right place at the right time for the right reason requires the aggressive strategy of a master craftsman fire officer.
Question to Ponder:
Wouldn't it be nice if we were at least as proud of our reputation for aggressive strategy as we are of our reputation for aggressive tactics?
I look forward to sharing your thoughts and ideas.