Confusion in the World of Wildland Fire Radio Communication

On my first day in a fire dispatch center in 1984, I was tasked with monitoring radio traffic while my supervisors attended a meeting. Shortly after my supervisors departed, a resource advisor radioed dispatch. His vehicle had started a fire, or was that “afire”? I wasn’t sure if his vehicle was on fire, and I should notify the rural fire department; or if the desert was on fire, and I needed to send wildland fire engines.

With additional information exchange, I determined that the vehicle’s catalytic converter had started a grass fire, and wildland fire engines were needed as the fire had grown beyond the resource advisor’s capabilities.

My communication problems didn’t stop there. The Bureau was in the midst of transitioning to a new communication model called “clear text.” Local engine operators were still using 10-code communications with one operator giving a very clear “10-8” as he responded to the incident. The next operator radioed that he was “en route.” Luckily, a 10-code reference card on the radio console confirmed both drivers were en route. Confusing verbiage, numerical or crew-specific code talk, or texting can produce unintended communication problems.

There are those in our midst that say the 10-code system was a more concise method of communicating and freed the airwaves for more important information transfer. There are others that contend the 10 code was a safety concern, lacking across-the-board-standardization and more importantly that you had to know the code in order to communicate. Whatever your opinion, the use of “clear text” or common terminology across all jurisdictions is the standard.

Although wildland fire personnel are taught about proper radio communication in wildland fire courses, report after report lists “poor communications” as a causal factor in accidents and fatalities. Poor communications can be anything from frequency overlap, long-winded or unnecessary transmissions, to misinterpretation of radio messages.

Effective, efficient communication skills is something that each wildland firefighter has the ability and responsibility to develop. Whether a leader of one or a leader of organizations, creating a culture of respectful, effective communication is a duty of all wildland firefighters.

Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge - Digging a Little Deeper

• Discuss with your team communication challenges you are facing. Develop a plan to address your concerns.
• What is your plan when communication is poor?
• How has technology advancements helped or hindered fireline communications?

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About the Author:
Pam McDonald is a writer/editor for BLM Wildland Fire Training and Workforce Development and member of the NWCG Leadership Subcommittee. The expressions are those of the author.

IGNITE: Focus on What You Can Put Into Your People

Focus on what you can put into people rather than what you can get out of them. – Leadership Promises by John Maxwell

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Do You Have the Courage to Choose the Difficult Right?

"Leaders must both model courage and call forth courage from others." - Leadership Promises by John Maxwell

Choosing the difficult right over the easy wrong takes a lot of courage. However, research shows that "situational pressure leads to ethical fading." Good leaders must have the moral courage to do the right thing in challenging situations.

Here are a few excerpts from Leading in the Wildland Fire Service:

Fear
Fire leaders work to keep fear from being a barrier by understanding those fears that affect their team. Fear can destroy communication and, with it, trust and cohesion. In looking out for our people, we are mindful of their fears and vigilant in eliminating unnecessary fears. (Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, p. 48)

"Your life expands in proportion to your courage. Fear limits a leader." - John C. Maxwell

Moral Courage
Wildland fire leaders demonstrate moral courage by adhering to high ethical standards and  choosing the difficult right over the easy wrong. We avoid ethical dilemmas by direct team members to operate in ways that are consistent with our professional standards and by directing them only to actions they can achieve ethically.

When we make mistakes, we handle them in honorable and effective ways, fixing the immediate problem then searching for root causes. Leaders with moral courage look for causes, not scapegoats, learning and improving, looking for ways to turn weaknesses into strengths.

An outgrowth of strong character, moral courage enables us to build trust with our teams and gain respect from peers. Although some may judge that leading ethically compromises short-term gains, leading ethically allows us to accomplish more than our mission.

Because the consequences of ethical decisions can be great and those who make such decisions may be asked later to justify their conclusion, following a careful and thorough process is a wise approach in situations with ambiguous courses of action. The values of duty, respect, and integrity should weigh heavily in any ethical decision. (Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, pp. 63-64)

Beware: "Situational pressure leads to ethical fading."

Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge - Digging a Little Deeper

• Watch Brooke Deterline's TEDx video on creating ethical cultures in business. Commit to  retraining your brain through practice. 
• Become a pattern interrupter.
• Identify individual, team, and organizational patterns.
• Create your MAGIC PAUSE BUTTON.
• Develop your innate capacity for courage.

IGNITE - Serve Others

The measure of a leader is not the number of people who serve him, but the number of people he serves. – John C. Maxwell

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BLM FLT Participates in the Devil's Den Staff Ride

Devil's Den Staff Ride

BLM National Fire Leadership Team 

Spring Meeting

April 16, 2014

Oak City, Utah

Background

On August 17, 2006, a Bureau of Land Management employee from Utah sustained a line-of-duty death on the Devil's Den fire that was located on the Fishlake National Forest. The fire was located approximately 1.5 mile east of Oak City, Utah. The fire started on August 15, and had grown to more than 20 acres by the morning of August 16. By the end of August 16, the fire had grown to more than 90 acres but was 75% contained.

IGNITE - Authentic Communication

The heart of communication rests in being authentic. – Lolly Daskal

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How to Lead from a Cubicle (and other odd places)

Wildland Firefighter Memorial at NIFC in Boise, ID

One of my favorite leadership quotes goes something like “if you think you’re leading but no one is following, you’re just going for a walk.” While it’s got that great punchy character that gets people’s attention, and it’s indeed true in a lot of situations, it doesn’t apply to every situation. As I’m sure many of you know, there’s more to being a leader than just being in the front of the pack, and it’s likely that most of us will be in a situation at some point in our careers where we don’t have anyone following us in the traditional sense.

In my life, I’ve recently made a career move that puts me in a situation where I’m not exactly a leader, but not exactly a follower either. I went from being the assistant supervisor on a ten-person crew to a position where I work as a member of a three-person module where we’re more peers than anything else. I went from working in an environment where there were lots of “lead from the front” opportunities to one where leadership is definitely more subtle. I spend a lot of my time in a cubicle, in the winter and shoulder seasons at least, and it seems when I do make it to the field, I’m doing my own thing, collecting data and being a kind of freelance Field Observer (FOBS) rather than leading a crew or squad. I do plan on continuing to do fire in the traditional sense, taking assignments here and there to stay current and up to speed, but it’s not my primary job these days. It’s not a unique situation by any means, as on every district, forest, field office, or park there are fire effects folks, fuels technicians, and various prevention and patrol people that don’t fit into a traditional leadership role.

To my mind, this is where the idea of leadership as a more holistic concept comes in. Look at the values and principles championed by the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program for example… it’s not all about others. In fact, there are several principles of leadership that are more self-oriented, like being proficient at your job, or seeking self improvement. Being in that in-between place between follower and leader can actually be a great opportunity to do some personal growth.

In my case this is especially true, as I’ve challenged myself to not grow stagnant as a leader, but to find other ways to contribute. Sure, I’m not leading people in the traditional sense, and it probably looks like I’m out for a walk more often than not, but I’m learning that being a leader within a community like wildland fire and aviation means more than just leading the boots on the ground. I’ve taken on some additional responsibilities, like assisting the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program with their social media and reading programs. I’ve taken the time to put myself through some training I never had the opportunity to pursue before, like accident investigation and risk management. I’m making new professional connections, and gaining new perspective on leadership as a result of seeing and doing things in a way I really hadn’t before.

In a funny way, in stepping away from a stereotypical leadership role I’ve realized that there’s much more to being a leader than just having followers. In fact, you can have just as much, if not more influence by being a follower, so to speak. When you don’t have position power, you’re forced to think more about what you’re trying to do, and why, and have better justification for your actions than you would otherwise. I think that, far from being a negative thing, being a follower and leading via influence is just as important as being a positional leader. Everyone has a boss after all, even if you are in a leadership position you’ll still have peers, and leaders above you.

So if you’re like me, and not in a traditional leadership role, I challenge you to take a look at your situation and find opportunities to grow as a leader, and as a person. Look for ways to support those around you, ways to enable your peers, and those around you, to be better at what they do. As I see it, being outside, being a follower, you can wield as much, if not more influence than you could before, and the opportunities are endless… Sometimes taking leadership actions, looking out for your coworkers and peers, can create a chain reaction of leadership good vibes.

If you find yourself making a transition from leader to follower like I have, treat it as an opportunity to approach familiar problems from new angles, or even tackle new challenges. Go forth and do good things, and don’t stop being a student of fire, and leadership.

Until next time…

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Justin Vernon is a regular guest contributor on our blog. Justin works for the United States Forest Service and is the a member of the NWCG Leadership Subcommittee as steward of the Professional Reading Program. Check out his Chasing Fire blog. All expressions are those of the author.

IGNITE - Leaders Respect First

To gain respect from our people, we first respect them. - Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, page 45

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Play On!

"We learn when we enjoy ourselves." - Kelly L. Howarth

Many years ago, I was standing on Sandia Peak overlooking Albuquerque, New Mexico. A young gentleman walked up beside me. He didn't know anything about me, but I immediately knew something about him from his distinctive appearance. He was dressed in Nomex and carrying a yellow day pack. He was a wildland firefighter.

I took the opportunity to introduce myself and mentioned I worked with the NWCG Leadership Subcommittee which administers the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program. His immediate response was, "I  have been trying really hard to get into L-380!" He had heard it was a great learning experience but was unable to get into the class due to demand and lack of seniority.

If you have taken an L-course, you understand the allure these courses create. They are not your typically run-of-the-mill classroom courses. Students are active participants in real-life scenarios. The "hotseat," as it is fondly called, forces a student to respond to inputs and make decisions. This experiential learning technique creates a safe environment in which to learn. In fact, this sort of play, leaves learner and educators wanting more.

Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge - Digging a Little Deeper

• Watch "Adult Learning is Child's Play" featuring Kelly L. Howarth.
• If your team hasn't participated in experiential learning for leadership development, start today. Visit the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program Toolbox for an suite of tools to share with your team.

IGNITE - Be Serious About Growth

The more seriously you take your growth, the more seriously your people will take you. – John C. Maxwell

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A Discipline of Practice

Few of us are naturally-born athletes. In fact, some of us make better fans than athletes, yet we all make up the team. Regardless of your athletic ability, practicing is critical to the game. Without consistent practice and hard work, we may never realize our goals. To be a part of a team means that we create a discipline of practice and implement what we learn come game time. There is nothing for the quarterback to do if the center doesn't hike the ball and the offensive line doesn't block.

In this blog, Dan Cathy, President and COO of Chick-fil-A, shares what he calls the four disciplines. Effective leaders have a consistent level of performance. Dan believes consistency comes from discipline of practice.

Key Disciplines

Mental - Are you the student you need to be?

• TIP: Book time in your calendar to visit with a mentor and reflect.

Emotional - People follow those who are passionate about what they are doing.

Physical - Take care of yourself.

• TIP: Get good sleep, exercise and eat well.

Spiritual - Maintain a good moral foundation.

Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge - Digging a Little Deeper

• Take a moment to watch Dan Cathy's video
• Develop a plan for this year that includes the consistent practice of "You Time." 

IGNITE - RESPECT!

Know your people and look out for their well-being. – Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, page 58

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Zooming Out on Complexity

Cohesive teams are more creative and adaptable when dealing with complex situations. This enables them to detect and mitigate errors before irreparable damage occurs. Cohesion allows team members to anticipate the needs and actions of other team members. This increases efficiency and saves time. (Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, p. 52)

In his short TED Talks video "Simplifying Complexity," Eric Berlow contends that "complex doesn't always equal complicated." He suggests that by embracing complexity through the use of good visualization tools and stepping back or zooming out, simple answers may emerge.

IGNITE - Provide Clear Intent

Unclear expectations lead to inefficient processes and subpar performance. – Christine Lotze

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Leadership Lessons are for Everyone

Followership is Leadership: Are you up for the challenge?

"Leadership lessons apply to EVERYONE. (No matter where you sit or what season you are in.)" ~ Chery Gegelman

Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge

• Read Chery Gegelman's Simply Understanding... blog "Leadership Lessons Are For Everyone."

"Escape: A Dateline Special Presentation" Airs This Weekend

Leadership in Cinema Documentary Alert:

NBC Dateline is airing a documentary on the Cedar and Paradise Fires this Sunday, March 8 at 9 p.m., 8 Central.

"My hope and my sense from our interactions with the crew working on this program is that it will be a sensitively drawn retrospective. For sure, the fact that NBC chose the Cedar Fire as one of only three catastrophes featured in this special 3-part series about disaster survivors validates our extraordinary experiences here in San Diego that terrible week in 2003--and again in 2007.

Let this new version of our story be a tribute both to those loved ones we lost and to our resilience as survivors." - Sandra Millers Younger, author of "The Fire Outside My Window"

More from Sandra Millers Younger:

Some students of fire are familiar with Ms. Millers Younger from the development of the San Diego County Mega Fire Interactive Case Study development. Find out more about this historical documentation of the Cedar fire and Sandra's efforts to change and prepare her community on her website.

Mentoring A New Generation

Continuing our partnership with the Eagle Rock School (ER), students of Cynthia Elkins and Dayan Safferstein’s art class spent the past 5 weeks painting this mural in the Alpine Interagency Hotshot Dorm at Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP). Building on the success of the ER Internship and Citizen Science Classes (Fire & Dragonfly), students learned how to work with clients, adopt and expand their vision, work on a team with varied work styles, and finish an original work of art under a deadline. The project was a new way to involve ER students and to connect with new audiences and students that may have never thought about doing anything with the National Parks. The mural provides a way for youth to leave their mark on RMNP and show other students they too can get involved and leave a lasting impression.

The class was the idea of Paul Cerda (Alpine Hotshots), Ben Baldwin (RMNP) and Jon Anderson (ER). “We have worked together on several internships, classes and opportunities and thought this would be an interesting idea,” said Ben Baldwin.

The class also painted a replica of the "1981 Arrowhead 1" logo on the south facing wall of the dorm. The image was taken from a crew shirt Jon Larson gave Paul Cerda at the crew's 30-year reunion. 

IGNITE - Invest in Training

The best leaders know that the investment in training will pay off in the long term. – Kouzes & Posner, The Leadership Challenge 5th Edition

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Behind the Curtain

Follow the yellow brick road, and you shall reach the Emerald City. Beware, however, for what you find behind the curtain may not be what you expect. 

Located in the City of Trees (the Emerald City) in a small office from behind two large monitors (behind the curtain) and a set of controls (a keyboard and the Internet), this blogger (the wizard) administers various Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program social media platforms.

Through my wizardry, I am able to do great and powerful things. If it weren't for Facebook intervention, I just might control everything you see. So, who am I, you ask? Well, I am just like many of you. I am no one special. I don't have a fancy title. I don't have a big office. I don't have special powers. I don't have the answers. Truth be known, I am a "humbug"—a fraud. I am a nice person but a terrible wizard, and I don't act alone. There are communities of people who help me create and maintain the splendor you see.

Munchkins from near and far bring skills, creativity, and magic to create a leadership social media network that reaches students of fire and leadership in kingdoms around the world. These wonderful helpers write blogs, create mini posters, share content, and promote our program. Together we create one of the biggest and best lands of leadership around.

However, no matter how much glory and praise is given to this wizard and Munchkins, the truth is the wizard cannot give to the Tin Men, Cowardly Lions, Scarecrows, and Dorothys what they already have. Inherently, each of you already possesses what you need to succeed. All the wizard does is flip the controls using the resources of others to create a path of discovery.

It is along the path of discovery that we connect with one another to share our stories, and our knowledge and experiences. We vow to never repeat the mistakes of others and to remember those that have gone down the path before us. We know the path is long and may not be paved with gold, but with persistence we hope to obtain whatever it is we seek to find. The truth is ours to find.

There is no Emerald City. There is no wizard with great powers who will do for us what we can do ourselves. There is no path that we don't build ourselves. And lastly, there is no place like home where those we love await our return each day.

This is Part 2 of a two-part series. 

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About the Author:
Pam McDonald is a writer/editor for BLM Wildland Fire Training and Workforce Development and member of the NWCG Leadership Subcommittee. The expressions are those of the author.

Paul Cerda Presented with 2014 Lead by Example Award

(Mike Lewelling, Paul Cerda, and Jim McMahill)

Congratulations to Alpine IHC Superintendent Paul Cerda. Paul was one of the recipients of the 2014 Paul Gleason Lead by Example Award for motivation and vision.

Paul  was recognized for boldly leading with inspired vision and clear intent. His efforts to lead the Alpine Interagency Hotshot Crew to Type 1 Wildland Fire Module status shows his ability to innovate, communicate, and influence change. This bold effort to diversify for the betterment of the wildland fire service took insight and courage.

As an advocate for leadership development, Paul embodies the values of duty, respect and integrity. His vision, motivational ability, and innovative methods to “build the team” demonstrates true passion for his people and those he serves. Paul has not only created depth within his own organization but also strengthened the entire service through your positive influence. Paul has shown what right looks like.

IGNITE: Love - The Strength of Any Organization

I don’t necessarily have to like my players and associates, but as their leader, I must love them. Love is loyalty, love is teamwork, love respects the dignity of the individual. This is the strength of any organization. – Vince Lombardi

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