IGNITE: The Past

Successful leaders make the past a platform, not an anchor. – Dan Rockwell

[Photo credit: Baker City IHC]

IGNITING Beyond Borders

Mentoring and sharing knowledge, skills and abilities is part of being a mission-driven culture. San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) is leading by example and sharing their service for the common good. In the video below, the common good stretches international boundaries to the firefighting brotherhood of Saudi Aramco in Saudi Arabia.



Service for the Common Good
Service for the common good is at the heart of the Mission-Driven Culture; it is the core value that motivates people to dedicate their time, talent, and energy to become members of incident organizations.

Although staff members consistently voice a strong motivation to serve the public, individuals express this commitment differently, and the resulting differences in behavior and attitude can generate friction and thwart concentric action.

At the core of this value is a commitment to ensuring that all actions and decisions promote the desired team result, which is the staff’s collective interpretation of how to serve the common good.

© Mission-Centered Solutions. Used with permission.

IGNITE: Stepping Forward to Lead

Leaders in the wildland fire service chose to reach beyond the challenges of learning the craft of firefighting by stepping forward to lead people in complex and dangerous environments. – Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, page 67

[Photo credit: Midewin IHC, Pioneer Fire (2016)]

IGNITE: Mastering Self

Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength, mastering yourself is true power. – Lao Tzu

Do your part and share the word.
[Photo credit, Redding Interagency Hotshot Crew]

A Mission-Driven Culture

What happens when an incident exceeds your worst-case scenario—a situation so complex that chaos reigns supreme and the command and control structure fails?

San Diego Fire-Rescue found themselves facing just such a situation during the 2003 Cedar fire. In response to that event, SDFD evolved and began aligning themselves with the concept of a mission-driven culture.

IGNITE: Choosing Between Right & Wrong

Thank you to all the hard-working fire and emergency responders doing their jobs this Labor Day. We know your commitment comes at a sacrifice to family. Thank you for your service!

People of integrity separate what is right from what is wrong and act according to what they know is right, even at personal cost. – Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, page 66

Do your part and share the word.
[Photo credit, Justin Vernon]

IGNITE: Respect First

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

Do your part and share the word.
[Photo credit, David Morris, South Africa]

Lessons Observed Collection

(By Johannes Moreelse (after 1602–1634) - Own work, Public Domain,)

"No person ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and it's not the same person." Heraclitus

The Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center and OMNA International have teamed up to create a web-based collection form that allows firefighters to input lessons they have observed. Data will be used for trend analysis and integration into training and education curricula.

We thank you for helping to make the entire wildland fire community a learning organization, able to effectively integrate lessons from the past into the fluidity of a rapidly-changing operating environment.

IGNITE: Behavior Matters

Titles are granted, but it’s your behavior that earns you respect. – Kouzes & Posner, The Leadership Challenge

[Photo credit: Thanks, Tatanka IHC, for being our partner to IGNITE the Spark for Leadership!]

An Hour and a Half in a Shelter

Trees are torching. Saws are buzzing. Dirt is flying. Your division is working hard. Seems like a typical day until your entire division of 118 people becomes surrounded by wildfire. Seventy three (73) deploy their fire shelters and ...

This event was a reality for firefighters on the Butte fire on August 29, 1985. Take a moment to review the events of that fateful day and create a slide for future reference.



More information on the Butte fire shelter deployment:

• Butte Fire Shelter Deployment Review
• Fire Management Notes, 1986