Scott Thompson, author of The Functional Fire Company, says the functional fire company concept was not created but realized: “I realized, after many attempts at trying to view success in the organization from the top down, that it wasn’t possible. Real indicators of success in the fire service come from the bottom up. A fire department’s success is best judged at the company level.” “Many leaders and senior members have been taught the how but not the why, and they don’t understand the reasons for doing what they do,” Thompson says. “Because firefighting is such a technical activity, we must ensure that we are explaining why we do things while we demonstrate the how. It is essential that we develop critical thinking for solving fire suppression, rescue, and EMS problems.” WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING: “Chief Scott Thompson combines his decades of experience and years of observation with today’s leadership skills and provides a path for the successful fire department to follow. The Functional Fire Company will take you step by step from being an ordinary fire department to one which defines excellence. --Rick Lasky, Fire Chief (ret.) Texas “I found both motivation and a guide to implementation in this book. Chief Thompson has provided a deep resource for all ranks from creating culture to setting up training structure. I highly recommend this book to anyone with aspirations of making an organizational impact.” --Brian Brush “Chief Thompson has spent his entire career focusing on training and organizational effectiveness. The Functional Fire Company is his life’s work wrapped up into a playbook which offers insight into how to make your organization perform at maximum proficiency. Experience, perspective and a never quit mentality are evident as Chief Thompson provides a unique view to solving problems in the modern-day fire service.” --Terry McGrath, Assistant Chief, Lewisville (TX) Fire Department “This book offers a living, breathing example that Chief Thompson’s principles truly work. I hope you get as much value from this book as we have received from Chief Thompson’s lessons, and that you take what you learn back to your organization.” --Garrett Rice, The Colony Fire Department (TX) Battalion Chief, A Shift

As firefighters, even how we answer the phone or the door makes a first and lasting impression on the public and the community we serve. Author Jason Hoevelmann fills in the gaps that may exist in fire service teaching to better prepare you for a lifetime of the greatest job on earth. The New Company Officer tackles the not-so-obvious challenges you will face during your fire service career. Discover: Why do firefighters make bad decisions on the job and off duty? How can firefighters deal with their own problems and their challenges as firefighters? How can you enrich our own career and help your fellow firefighters improve, grow, and advance their own career? The New Company Officer strives to make a big impact on your department and your success. “We do an excellent job pulling hose and throwing ladders,” Hoevelmann writes, “but how do we deal with people every day?” Some of the goals book will help you to achieve are to: be prepared, set expectations, follow through, serve, listen, be humble, be a leader, make no excuses, do your best, and do what others won’t do. What you will learn: How to handle difficult colleagues How to create company drills that keep your firefighters proficient How to delegate and lead by example

John Norman has updated his best-selling book, a guide for the firefighter and fire officer who, having learned the basic mechanics of the trade, are looking for specific methods for handling specific situations. In this new fourth edition, readers will find a new chapter on lightweight construction, a new chapter on electrical fires and emergencies, updates to many chapters including such topics as wind-driven fires, and many new illustrations.

This book serves as a guide for the seasoned veteran, the new firefighter and everyone in between, bringing them together for what it all takes to have that love for the job. Each chapter addresses the next step in the leadership chain that is necessary for a fire service professional to succeed. The chapters are as follows: Our Mission; The Firefighter; The Company Officer; The Chief; Our Two Families; Sweating the Small Stuff; Changing Shirts-The Promotion; What September 11th Did For Us-The Good and the Bad; Ceremonies; Marketing Your Fire Department; Making It All Happen-Embracing Success; Have You Forgotten.

The Fire Chief’s Handbook, 7th Edition continues Fire Engineering’s 82-year tradition of publishing the definitive resource for advanced fire service training. The text has been completely updated to meet the changing environment and added responsibilities of the fire service. Returning authors have rewritten their chapter to address today’s leadership and administrative concerns, while new authors are also introduced to offer new perspectives. This comprehensive guidebook is designed for firefighters, company officers, and chief officers of all ranks and department types who want the latest information on the fundamentals of leadership in the fire service, as well as managing the day-to-day operations of a fire department.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and Jones & Bartlett Learning are pleased to bring you the fourth edition of Engine Company Fireground Operations. This expanded edition incorporates the latest recommendations from UL and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) into every aspect of fire attack and ventilation and presents an extensive study of engine company fire ground operations.This new edition is an ideal resource for fire service personnel preparing for promotion or studying for a civil service examination.Firefighters and company officers will gain knowledge in fire science, building construction, and the effects of burning modern fuels that result in extreme fire behavior.Specific features include:Detailed illustrations that show the tactics and approaches described in each chapterCase studies of strategies and tactics that resulted in firefighter line of duty deaths, as well as those that were successful, incorporated into the recommended practices of engine company fire attack, rescue, and ventilationDetailed information on size-up that applies risk management principles to the Value-Time-Size method, which considers survivability profiling and threshold limits, identifying problems, selecting strategies and tactics, developing a quick incident action plan, and applying a functional accountability system for safetyA significant emphasis on attacking residential and commercial basement firesA one-of-its-kind chapter on fireground operations and responsibilities for company level high-rise firefighting, with special attention paid to fire behavior within high-rise buildingsIn-depth coverage of all the basic engine company responsibilities, including:EquipmentInitial hose lays and water suppliesThe deployment of attack, back-up, and exposure hose linesRapid intervention teamsSearch and rescueMaster streamsFire protection systemsStandpipe operationsSalvage and overhaul

Ray Downey wrote the first edition of The Rescue Company in the early 1990s. Building on Downey's legacy, John Norman has written Fire Department Special Operations to take into consideration the earth-shattering events, funding increases, research advances, expanded capabilities, and changes in regulations and standards that have widened the knowledge gap since the publication of Chief Downey's book. Fire Department Special Operations is an excellent guide for agencies and individuals in establishing, staffing, operating, and maintaining heavy rescue units in the many forms they may take. It is also an ideal training resource for the officers and individuals assigned the duties that a rescue firefighter must accomplish.