The Station-Ready Rookie: Firefighter Preparation Beyond the State Skills Test, 2nd Edition

By Colin Blasingame, Justin C. Dickstein, & John E. Gomez

While fire academies teach the fundamentals and technical skills of firefighting, “life as a rookie” is an area that is mostly overlooked. Three fire service veterans wrote The Station-Ready Rookie to help new firefighters know and understand what will be expected of them during their first assignment to a fire station and throughout their probationary period. This book is designed to shorten the rookie’s learning curve and help the reader become an outstanding new firefighter from day one. It is perfect for aspiring firefighters, new recruits, fire departments, and training academies!

The second edition of The Station-Ready Rookie takes into account reader feedback and addresses current topics for today’s new and seasoned firefighters. It contains an entirely new fourth section as well as new chapters on:

• choosing your city of employment
• the expanding role of the fire department
• hazing within the fire department
• utilizing your chain of command
• creating and seizing opportunities
• the importance of being involved in your community

Table of Contents

Introduction
Section 1: At the Station
1. Be Proactive
2. Get Ready to Clean
3. Know the Tools
4. It is Your Equipment
5. Learn to Cook
6. Use Your Time Wisely
7. Be on Time (Early)
8. Bring Money
9. Look Like a Professional
10. Get in Shape
Section 2: On Scene
11. Learn Something on Every Call
12. Take Responsibility for Your Own Safety
13. Wear Your SCBA
14. Smooth is Fast
15. Do Not Freelance
16. The Right Tool for the Job
17. Fight Fire Like You Have Been Trained
18. Learn Building Construction
19. Learn to Read Smoke
20. Get Ready to Drive
Section 3: Attitude Is Everything
21. Take Pride in Your New Career
22. Learn the Rules
23. Respect Your Elders
24. Listen More Than You Talk
25. Do Not Be Afraid to Ask Questions
26. Learn From Your Mistakes
27. Train
28. Actions Speak Louder Than Words
29. Watch Out for 10/20 Syndrome
30. Leave Your Opinions at Home
31. No Temper Tantrums
32. Not The Military, but it is Close
33. Learn to Love EMS
Section 4: Beyond the Job
34. The Malady
35. Your Mental Fitness
36. Pitfalls of the Profession
37. Where to Draw the Line
38. N.O.W. (No Opportunity Wasted)
39. Stay on the Rise
40. You Only Get One Career
41. More Than Just Fighting Fire
42. Get Out of the Firehouse and Get Involved  
Conclusion

Testimonials

“To be effective, a training program must be realistic. Firefighters today want to know the realities of what they will face once they are on the job. This is why we have adopted The Station-Ready Rookie as a required part of every recruit school in our state. This excellent book is easy to read and gives new recruits a glimpse beyond the technical aspects of firefighting. The authors have done a great job preparing new firefighters to become part of our fire service family.”—Allan Rice, Executive Director, Alabama Fire College & Personnel Standards Commission