IGNITE: Respect = Value

 Respect is how we value our co-workers. – Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, page 58

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Texas A&M Honored at George Bush Presidential Library and Museum

(George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, College Station, TX. Note the fire tower to the right and the dozer and engine to the left.)

The Texas A&M Forest Service is being recognized for 100 years of service with an exhibit at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station, Texas. The exhibit demonstrates the progression of fire suppression tools and tactics from the early days when fire patrols were conducted on horseback to the current techniques employed today.

Included in the exhibit is a kiosk that presents the Wildland Fire Leadership Values and Principles. 

Also on display, is the Paul Gleason Lead by Example Award that was presented to TFS in 2006.

 

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Thanks to Mark Stanford, Fire Chief for Texas A&M Forest Service and agency representative on the NWCG Leadership Subcommittee for this contribution. 

IGNITE - Leadership is Developed Daily

Leadership is developed daily, not in a day. – John C. Maxwell

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Follow Along with the Dude Fire Staff Ride

On April 29, 2015, students of fire and leadership will be participating in the Dude Fire Staff Ride. The Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center (LLC) staff will be sharing their experience as they move through the various stands. The LLC issued the following challenge to those unable to attend:

When: April 29, Starting at 0800 MST

Where: Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center Facebook Page

What: Follow along as we walk through the Dude Fire Staff Ride. Get full descriptions at each stand, see real time photos, and PARTICIPATE in the discussion!

To prepare for participation, students of fire are encouraged to watch the Dude Fire Fatality Case Study video and refer to information found within the Staff Ride Library.

Command Philosophy

Command Philosophy

Our philosophy of command supports the way we manage incidents. To generate effective decision making and to cope with the unpredictable nature of incidents, fire leaders decentralize command. That is, we empower subordinate leaders to make decisions based on their understanding of their leader’s vision for success.



Command Based on Intent
Translating vision into clear leader’s intent is at the heart of our command philosophy. Describing the task, purpose, and end state is the prerequisite for empowering our people to exercise individual initiative and take appropriate risks and actions as the situation requires.

This philosophy is based on the understanding that competent subordinate leaders who are at the scene of action understand the current situation better than does a senior commander some distance removed. This does not imply, however, that our actions are not coordinated. Fire leaders continually work to achieve coordination and cooperation among all forces toward a commonly understood objective.




Unity of Effort
Our leaders subscribe to unity of effort as a second key component our command philosophy. In a high-risk environment, mixed messages or countermanding directives add to the potential for friction, danger, and uncertainty.

Many times at all levels of the wildland fire service, leaders find themselves in gray areas where jurisdictional lines blur and overlap. No matter the challenges at hand, fire leaders work together to find common ground and act in the best interests of those responding to the incident, the public, and our natural resources.

In these situations, leaders must employ multiple leadership skills to influence decisions, forge effective relationships, facilitate cooperative efforts, and ensure that objectives are achieved.

The longer it takes to develop a unified effort, the greater the vacuum of leadership. Delays increase confusion, which in turn magnify the risk to our people and increase the likelihood that people will take unproductive or independent action without understanding the larger intent.

A unified leadership team sends a powerful message: when all leaders follow the same priorities and reinforce leader’s intent through consistent actions and words, our people develop a strong sense of trust for their leaders. It dispels the propensity to second-guess command decisions as subordinates recognize that the leadership team moves as one and is solidly in charge.

[Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, p. 15]

IGNITE: Mind, Body, Spirit

The wildland fire service approach to taking care of people encompasses mind, body, and spirit. – Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, page 45

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‘Staff Ride’ of Santa Barbara Front Country Helps Prepare Local Agencies for Wildfire

By Lara Cooper, Noozhawk Staff Writer 

Participants stop at a handful of locations along the South Coast, discussing previous blazes and how to react in similar situations

Santa Barbara County Fire Battalion Chief Steve Oak and Montecito Fire Division Chief Kevin Taylor talk about the Painted Cave Fire in 1990 and decisions made during the incident. (Lara Cooper / Noozhawk photo)

Standing on a road surrounded by waist-high brittle grass, dozens of emergency personnel from around Santa Barbara County got together to strategize how they'll react in the next wildfire and also to relive and analyze decisions made in past fires.

It was part of a "staff ride" of the Santa Barbara front country, and the event was spearheaded by Los Padres National Forest Division Chief Mark vonTillow.

VonTillow was part of a Los Padres Forest Service contingent that was sent to training at Quantico in 2001, where he witnessed U.S Marines conducting a similar exercise.

"We immediately saw the value," he said, adding that "this has been rolling around in my brain for years," but Thursday was the first time they've been able to do such a large-scale event.

Staffers from the city and county of Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara Police Department, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department, the California Highway Patrol as well multiple fire agencies from the South Coast area were part of the group.

The event created a caravan of about 60 people who stopped at a handful of locations on the South Coast to talk about major fires in the area, and was meant to have attendees ask how they would react to decision making in a similar situation.

"What do you do when you've lost an entire community of 600 homes?" vonTillow asked.

The day began at Fire Station 18 in Gaviota, where the group discussed the Gaviota Fire in 2004, when the decision had to be made to shut down Highway 101.

The next stop was a bridge that crosses Highway 101 near the San Marcos Foothills Preserve, where Los Padres fire officials explained the area had been a hub for the Gap, Painted Cave and Jesusita fires, right at the edge of the urban interface.

A map shows the edges of each fire that have raged through the Santa Barbara County front country over the years.

A handful of groups were formed around fire and law enforcement officials, who talked about how decisions were made in several historic front country fires, including the Painted Cave Fire in 1990.

Here, the groups discussed strategic decision making and how evacuations were ordered.

Montecito Fire Division Chief Kevin Taylor held up a map showing where mandatory evacuations were required during the Painted Cave Fire, and a red zone showing those evacuations butted right up the north side of Highway 101.

That fire doubled in size every 10 minutes as it raged down from the Painted Cave area, driven rapidly by sundowner winds that pushed the flames closer to homes and neighborhoods.

"If something is moving that quickly, how does that affect your community?" he asked a group of about 10 people, which included staff from county supervisorial offices, local boards and city staff.

The group talked about issuing a reverse 9-1-1 call, and Taylor asked what they would do about residents who didn't want to leave, even in the face of a mandatory evacuation.

"They're on their own," someone replied, and Taylor confirmed that California law says that residents cannot be forced to leave their homes.

Santa Barbara County Fire Battalion Chief Steve Oaks was also in the group, and recalled being there during the fire.

Reverse 9-1-1 had yet to be implemented, so Santa Barbara County sheriff's deputies were driving through the neighborhoods with loudspeakers, warning people to get out.

The fire came so near to the Santa Barbara County Jail that the inmates had to be evacuated, and were led across the highway to San Marcos High School to wait out the danger.

The county's dispatch center was also at the County Jail at that time, and had to be evacuated as well.

"The last thing we heard from them over the radio was, 'Good luck, you're on your own,'" Oaks recalled. "It was very fast moving."

The immediate danger of each fire was discussed, as well as the years, and sometimes decades, of rebuilding that each group was asked to consider.

After each fire, city and county officials were deluged with new permits to rebuild.

VonTillow said he hopes that after Thursday's event, each agency will be better able to work together in the next fire event.

"It's important that when the next one does happen, we're ready," he said.

— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at lcooper@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.

 

Los Padres National Forest Battalion Chief Jay Enns presenting Stand #2 to Santa Barbara Front Staff Ride particpants.
[Photo credit: Mark vonTillow; not featured in the Noozhawk article]

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Thank you to Lara Cooper and Noozhawk for allowing us to reprint this article.

IGNITE: It's About What You Do

Leadership is not about who you are; it’s about what you do. – Kouzes & Posner, The Leadership Challenge

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What is Your Level of Commitment?

Pig or Chicken - What is Your Level of Commitment?

(Image: Business Setup Group)

"Once we commit to becoming leaders, our focus is no longer ourselves." (Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, p. 6)

Inspiration for this post comes from Steven Pressfield's blog on commitment. His piece reminded me of the leadership parable about a ham-and-eggs breakfast and depth of commitment. Here is Agile Jedi's version of the story:

Once Upon a Time....

A chicken and a pig lived on a farm. The farmer was very good to them and they both wanted to do something good for him.

One day the chicken approached the pig and said, "I have a great idea for something we can do for the farmer! Would you like to help?"

The pig, quite intrigued by this, said, "of course! What is it that you propose?"

The chicken knew how much the farmer enjoyed a good healthy breakfast. He also knew how little time the farmer had to make a good breakfast. 

"I think the farmer would be very happy if we made him breakfast." 

The pig thought about this. While not as close to the farmer, he too knew of the farmer's love for a good breakfast. 

"I'd be happy to help you make breakfast for the farmer! What do you suggest we make?"

The chicken, understanding that he had little else to offer suggested, "I could provide some eggs."

The pig knew the farmer might want more, "That's a fine start. What else should we make?"

The chicken looked around...scratched his head...then said, "ham? The farmer loves ham and eggs!"

The pig, very mindful of what this implied, said, "that's fine, but while you're making a contribution I'm making a real commitment!"

Commitment

You will find commitment spoken of a great deal in Leading in the Wildland Fire Service. The following excerpt comes from pages 53-54.

Leaders create teams committed to the mission. To increase the level of commitment, leaders seek input and delegate appropriately.

We involve team members from the start and actively solicit contributions—not just strong backs but also ideas and observations about the work environment. We make people responsible, give them enough authority to accomplish their assignment, and hold them accountable. Although we take a risk when we delegate, the resulting ownership far outweighs the risk. Involvement is the foundation for commitment.

Questions to Ponder

• What is your level of commitment to your organization, team, or mission?
• Are you committed or involved?
• Are you willing to increase your level of commitment?

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chicken_and_the_Pig

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Original posting: January 14, 2013.

IGNITE: Doing Your Part

Each team member needs to be able to trust that all team members will do their part to accomplish the mission. – Don Mercer, Follow to Lead

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