Survival Skills for the Fire Chief

By Robert S. Fleming, Ed.D

Survival Skills for the Fire Chief examines the management mistakes fire chiefs often make that compromise their effectiveness and ability to manage and lead their fire departments.

In his book, Dr. Fleming, a nationally recognized authority on fire and emergency services, provides the understanding necessary to enhance the fire chief's success and that of his or her fire department. The book's themes include understanding, meeting, and, where possible, exceeding the reasonable expectations of fire department stakeholders and preparing as a fire chief for professional, personal, and organizational success.

Survival Skills for the Fire Chief is ideal for current and future fire chiefs; participants in related college and university courses; and participants in training programs, seminars, and courses offered by fire and emergency services training agencies.

Features and benefits

• A value-added source of information for the aspiring or incumbent fire chief
• An indispensable resource providing beneficial insights to members of the fire service taking promotional examinations or participating in assessment centers
• Twenty-six lessons, each addressing a specific management survival skill, describing the survival skill, listing what to do and what not to do, and providing Job Aids to help apply each survival skill

Contents:

• Preface
• About the author
• Making the transition to fire chief
• Challenges you will face as fire chief
• Roles of the fire chief
• Your role as a manager
• Your role as a leader
• Preparing yourself for success
• Management skills you will need
• Delegation is essential
• Positioning your department for success
• Understanding and meeting stakeholder expectations
• Recruiting and retaining personnel
• Motivating and empowering personnel
• Managing role-related issues
• Managing performance
• Administering discipline
• Communicating effectively
• Making decisions
• Solving problems
• Handling complaints, concerns, and inquiries
• Managing projects
• Managing change
• Managing conflict
• Managing and leading with integrity
• Managing financial resources
• Marketing your fire department
• Working with stakeholder groups
• Final thoughts