We all know “Duty, Respect, and Integrity”. These values are taught to us from day one. But it hasn’t always been that way.
So where did our wildland firefighter values and principles come from? Some may assume that they have always been a part of the wildland fire service. This assumption is incorrect. Prior to the early 2000s we did not have a common set of values and principles to follow.
After the tragic loss of life during the 1994 fire season, in 1998 the “Wildland Firefighter Safety Awareness Study, Phase III” (Tri-Data report) was published. This report had hundreds of recommendations for the fire service. It was in this atmosphere that a Task Group set out to tackle leadership training in the wildland fire service.
The Task Group presented their report in February 2001. A quote from this report states: “Without common definitions and agreed-upon principles for leadership, how can people learn what to focus on in their own development or the development of their subordinates?”
The report goes on to state: “Leadership gurus in the private sector, such as Steven Covey, promote ‘principle-centered leadership’. All branches of the U.S. military have defined leadership ‘traits’ and ‘principles’. While the terminology may vary from one organization to another, many of the concepts appear to be fairly universal. Military organizations worldwide supply their leaders with a list of the leadership traits and principles that are valued by the organization. The wildland fire community owes its leaders no less.”
This Task Group recommended the values of “Duty, Respect and Integrity” that we have today.
These values so dearly held in our hearts and souls are relatively new. The extent to which these values have been adopted and internalized shows how the fire service is capable of adapting and incorporating new concepts into our overall culture. We are more than capable of change (learning) if we embrace the process.
[Click here to download Learning in the Wildland Fire Service.]
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