Blog of Aaron J.: art of arff

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The Art of ARFF (part 10) - Conclusion

In the final chapters of The Art of War, Sun Tzu discusses the use of fire as a weapon, and the utilization of spies to bring victory. In war, fire was used to burn soldiers in their camp and destroy supplies, fuel, and weaponry. Sun Tzu makes the point that, in order for fire to be a useful tool, the supplies for creating fire must always be kept available.

In order to carry out an attack, we must have means available. The material for raising fire should always be kept in readiness. -Sun Tzu

In the modern fire service we have many tools available to us. Tools for the suppression of fire, prevention of fire, and the rescue of victims. However, for these tools to be most effective they must be available and ready to use. As firefighters, it is our responsibility to be aware of the most current tools and tactics for the completion of our tasks. We must know what tools are available. Those tools must be kept ready. The knowledge for using the tools must be kept sharp.

Do we know what tools and equipment is available? Do we know what tools and equipment our specific department/unit has available? Are those tools properly maintained and ready to be deployed when needed?

The enlightened ruler lays his plans well ahead; the good general cultivates his resources. -Sun Tzu

The act of pre-planning and being aware of the needs of your operation and community, will allow the "ruler" to ensure that the proper tools, equipment, and resources will be available. It is the leaders responsibility to plan and prepare, not just for the current needs of the community and department, but also for the future. The leader must take time to examine and reflect and get a sense of where the community is headed and what its needs will be.

To "cultivate" is to prepare and use, and acquire and develop. We must be cultivating tomorrows resources today. When tomorrow comes, with its emergencies and needs, it will be too late to prepare and plan, obtain equipment, or train personnel. The leader must look forward and prepare for tomorrow's unseen emergency, right now.

Thus, what enables the wise sovereign and the good general to strike and conquer, and achieve things beyond the reach of ordinary men, is foreknowledge. - Sun Tzu

The more we know about the communities we protect, the better prepared we can be. The time to learn about new technology, new industrial processes, or new structures or building methods, is not when we respond to it for the first time, but well in advance, in the pre-planning stages.

A key to gaining foreknowledge in our communities is in the relationships that we build. Sun Tzu lists 5 kinds of spies that must be utilized if victory is to be obtained. These 5 types of spies can be applied to the types of relationships that we must foster.

Local spies. Foreknowledge of a community and its coming needs can be found by understanding the communities history. Building relationships with long-term residents and community leaders is essential. By understanding its history and the goals a picture of the future of the community can be formed. From this picture, plans for future department needs can be determined.

Inward spies. When it comes to new technology, processes, or materials, the representatives and users must be consulted. As leaders we must be secure enough to humble ourselves and know that we do not know every detail about everything. We must turn to the experts in the technology, process, or materials. These experts are passionate about their product, and can tell you every nuance about it. It is the firefighters job to apply the product knowledge to practical application of fire prevention or fire suppression.

Converted spies. The fire service must look outside of itself in order to adequately plan for the future. We must work collaboratively with other organizations (non-profit, law enforcement, engineering, mutual aid departments, etc.). What do these organizations see in the future? How does the fire department fit into their plan? How do they fit into the fire department plan?

Doomed spies. There are those individuals who seem to have given up. These are the ones who have seen the history, seen plans made (or not), and still experienced failure. These may be the disgruntled ones. In talking to these individuals much can be gained by understanding their mindset, and what they have seen. The 'exit interview' is critical component of human resources. Every leader should engage leaving employees in an exit interview. It is in these exit interviews that the employee will potentially be most honest. The feedback received will show current areas of weakness in the department, and allow proper future plans to be put into place.

Surviving spies. In magazines, books, conferences, and classes the fire service has a wealth of knowledge to draw from. By knowing the stories and lessons learned from those who have experienced what we are experiencing or have been where we are planning to go we can establish foreknowledge of what to expect. It is from these "voices from the future" that we can adequately plan, prepare, and cultivate the resources that will be needed.

The five keys to victory in fire ground leadership, that we can garner from Sun Tzu and this series of articles are:

Prevention - the truest victory is in avoiding the battle
Leadership - the leader must do the hard task of leading his troops
Training - the troops must have access to needed resources and pre-planning and train and exercise their use
Tactics - quick victory is key, and can only be achieved through the use of proper tactics
Responsibilities - everyone has a role to play, it takes everyone doing their specific function to be victorious

Other articles in this series:

The Art of ARFF (part 9) - The Nine Situations

Sun Tzu states that there are three areas that must be studied in order to ensure victory in battle.

The different measures suited to the nine varieties of ground
The expediency of aggressive or defensive tactics
The fundamental laws of human nature

In Chapter 11:The Nine Situations, of his book, The Art of War, Sun Tzu lists nine varieties of ground, or situations, and describes the appropriate tactics and how human nature will want to respond to each. Though Sun Tzu speaks of these in relation to troops in battle, they aptly apply to firefighters emergency response and firefighting tactics. The nine varieties of ground, or situations that personnel may find themselves in are:

Dispersive ground
Facile ground
Contentious ground
Open ground
Intersecting highways
Serious ground
Difficult ground
Hemmed in ground
Desperate ground

Dispersive ground. "When a chieftain is fighting in his own territory, it is dispersive ground." Sun Tzu refers to this as dispersive ground, because the troops are fighting close to home and human nature wills them to back down from the fight, return to their homes, and take care of their own.

We see this played out in the fact that many fire departments will not assign personnel to stations that live within their first-due response area. In South Florida, we can see this tendency demonstrated during an impending hurricane landfall. We must take care of our own homes and families, however, we may not be with them during the storm. We must report to work to serve our communities, as we have promised we would.

In these situations the tactics should be to "fight not". Avoid battle, and shore up a strong defensive position. The leadership should drive and inspire the personnel with unity of purpose. Remind the 'troops' why they serve, the oath they have taken, and their value to the community as a whole.

Facile ground. "When he has penetrated into hostile territory, but to no great distance, it is facile ground." This is the point where the troops are getting into the "thick" of the battle, but have not made a full commitment. They have a "facility for retreating". The point of no return has not been reached. Perhaps this best applies to the start of a large structure fire. The attack begins, but suddenly seems overwhelming and pointless. The tactics employed in this situation should be aggressive, fire service would refer to this as an offensive attack. Do not stop the operation, continue on. The key for victory in this situation is to maintain close connection between all parts of the troops and command. Maintain open communication. Sun Tzu states that this will "prevent desertion" and guard against "sudden attack". When all personnel are watching each others back and maintaining open communication there is no room for any one to fall back. Working together the goal can be achieved.

Contentious ground. "Ground the possession of which imports great advantage to either side, is contentious ground." This is ground to be contended for. It is in the contentious ground situation that the few and weak can defeat the many and strong. These situations dictate a more defensive posture, "attack not". The tactic used should be first to occupy an advantageous position, hurry up the rear so no stragglers are left behind, and advance with speed without hesitation. In ARFF, fewer personnel (maybe only 1 man and truck) are expected to extinguish large fires and save lives. This can only be accomplished by viewing these situations as contentious ground and applying the advice given here, by Sun Tzu. Know what positions are the most advantageous (staging areas, approaches, etc.) and get to them before the incident does. Use all your resources and work quickly.

Open ground. "Ground on which each side has liberty of movement." On open ground do not attempt to block the enemies way. This will expose the troops to risk. Take up a defensive position and monitor the defensive tactics in progress. No fire department tries to stop an advancing fire by standing directly in its path. Think especially of a wildland fire. Instead, they defend and protect surrounding exposures, forecast the fires behavior, and adjust tactics accordingly.

Intersecting highways. "Ground which forms the key to three contiguous states, so that he who occupies it first has most of the Empire at his command, is a ground of intersecting highways." The first force to occupy the ground gains command and control. This refers to the formation of alliances and consolidation of forces. Fire departments practice this with the use of mutual aid agreements, and utilization of the Incident Command System (ICS) on large incidents. It is only through these mutually beneficial partnerships and alliances that we can increase the resources available to defend our communities in a time of crisis.

Serious ground. "When an army has penetrated into the heart of a hostile country, leaving a number of fortified cities in its rear, it is serious ground." The troops are in the heart of enemy territory, surrounded by the enemy. Sun Tzu says the troops should forage and plunder to maintain a continuous stream of supplies. This creates an aggressive/offensive position. Maintaining a steady stream of resources is vital to any emergency operation. When working in a fire, maintaining an adequate water supply is critical. When responding to some natural disaster, maintaining a steady supply of items essential to life (water, food, medical care, etc.) is critical to maintaining order and preventing chaos. If the resources fail to make it to the troops, the enemy gains ground, the troops fall back, and victory is lost.

Difficult ground. "Mountain forests, rugged steeps, marshes and fens - all country that is hard to traverse: this is difficult ground." In these situations keep steadily on the march, do not stop or encamp. Keep pushing along the road. Difficult ground requires and aggressive offensive tactics. It will be nearly impossible to restart, once the forward momentum is stopped. I am taken back to the physical agility test (or, CPAT) for entrance into the fire academy. By the end of the physical routine, exhaustion was setting in. However, those who stopped before completion, rarely were able to complete the test. The key was to keep pushing, through the exhaustion, all the way to the end.

Hemmed in ground. "Ground which is reached through narrow gorges, and from which we can only retire by tortuous paths, so that a small number of the enemy would suffice to crush a large body of our men: this is hemmed in ground." These are dire situations that require creative strategies and plans to be devised. Troops must not be permitted to retreat. When the troops start to fall apart the enemy will advance and destroy. Training is critical to the fire service. The way to be ready for hemmed in situations is to train creatively for all types of situations. Firefighters must be aware of the most current firefighting techniques, and self-rescue/survival strategies.

Desperate ground. "Ground on which we can only be saved from destruction by fighting without delay, is desperate ground." Desperate ground differs from hemmed in ground in that escape is not possible. In a military situation, this can occur when troops advance into unfamiliar territory, and become blocked by the surrounding terrain, structures, and advancing enemy forces. All that can be done in this situation is, fight. The use of local guides can prevent troops from getting into these positions. Conducting pre-plans, utilizing experts (such as facility managers or subject matter experts), creating and exercising emergency plans can prevent fire department personnel from encountering desperate situations.

We cannot enter into alliance with neighboring princes until we are acquainted with their designs. We are not fit to lead an army on the march unless we are familiar with the face of the country - its mountains and forests, its pitfalls and precipices, its marshes and swamps. We shall be unable to turn natural advantages to account unless we make use of local guides. -Sun Tzu

In these nine situations we see reiterated the 5 themes throughout the book - preparedness, training, tactics, leadership, and responsibilities.

Other articles in this series:

The Art of ARFF (part 8) - Terrain

Terrain refers to the topographical features of a geographical location. To discuss terrain is to discuss the lay of the land. When we are conducting pre-plans for fire and emergency response, the terrain plays an important role. Terrain elements consider the location of roads, vegetation, bodies of water, overhead obstructions (power lines, trees, canopies), and exposures. We want to look at how the terrain and surrounding structures will impact fire behavior to the structure and how a structure fire will impact the surrounding terrain and other structures. When assessing exposure hazards - terrain elements that will expose a structure to fire risk - factors considered are differing building heights, distance between structures, wildland/urban interface settings, and the proximity of high-hazard operations or contents. The goal is to create a plan to limit risk from these exposures.

Just as terrain refers to the physical land layout, leaders establish leadership and cultural terrain within our organizations. Based on how we lead our people we are either creating a culture that exposes them to risk, failure, and defeat or we are creating a culture that will limit their exposure to risk, ensure their personal success, and professional victory.

"Now an army is exposed to six severe calamities, not arising from natural causes, but from faults for which the general is responsible..." - Sun Tzu

In Chapter 10 of The Art of War, Sun Tzu, lists these six "exposures" that our personnel could be subject to. The six exposures discussed are: flight, insubordination, collapse, ruin, disorganization, and rout.

Flight.
"If one force is hurled against another ten times its size, the result will be flight of the former."

When an incident - fire scene or management issue - exceeds the the departments assets the personnel involved will feel overwhelmed and defeat will be imminent. It is the leaders responsibility to know the capabilities of his personnel, assets, and resources. Specifically, the leader must know when these are not adequate for the fight. It is the leaders responsibility to know when to request additional assets, provide additional knowledge or human resources, or seek counsel and advice. As leaders, we must be knowledgeable enough to know that we need assistance, and humble enough to ask for it.

Insubordination.
"When the common soldiers are too strong and their officers too weak, the result is insubordination."

This statement should not be taken to mean that leaders and officers should suppress the development of their people, but just the opposite. It is critically important that the leader works and trains just as much, or more, than his personnel so that his knowledge and growth will continue and he can be on par with the knowledge, skills, and abilities of his men. As officers and departmental leaders we are expected to lead. We are the ones that have to make the hard decisions and stand by them. When officers do not do this the men will not follow. They will, instead, follow the man who can do this. They will follow the man who does maintain and continually develop his knowledge, skills, and abilities - both, in the practical functions of the job and in leadership skills.

Collapse.
"When the officers are too strong and the common soldiers too weak, the result is collapse."

An officer is only as strong as his people. The officer can be the strongest, smartest, most knowledgeable, best capable, but if his team cannot keep up then defeat will come. Victory cannot be won on the officers strength alone. To prevent collapse, it is the officers responsibility to continually make his personnel better. It is the leaders responsibility to bring the people up to, and hold them accountable to, the highest standards of excellence.

Ruin.
"When the higher officers are angry and insubordinate, and...give battle...from a feeling of resentment...the result is ruin."

Sometimes it is easy for officers to get tunnel vision and only think about what they can see from their perspective. The Chief, however, has a larger view and understands all the connecting parts. The Chief's actions and orders are based on facts and his knowledge of the whole picture. When officers become disgruntled with commands they do not understand, or make decisions based on their limited perspective (commonly referred to as, "freelancing"), ruin will come. A Chief can mitigate this exposure by explaining what can be explained, and officers can mitigate this exposure by submitting to their authority.

Disorganization.
"When the general is weak and without authority; when his orders are not clear and distinct; when there are no fixed duties assigned to officers and men, and the ranks are formed in a slovenly haphazard manner, the result is utter disorganization."

An officer's orders must be given with confidence and decisiveness. If they are not, they will not be followed. Every man must know and understand his role on the team, and within the organization as a whole. He should be given clear guidance as to the functions of his position, and how he can attain to other positions. Serious thought and consideration should be given to the make-up of shifts and personnel. The "ranks" should be formed with the right mixture of experience, skill, and leadership ability.

Rout.
"When a general...neglects to place picked soldiers in the front rank, the result must be rout."

This phrase speaks to the importance of putting the right men on the "front lines", having the right people in leadership roles. Our jobs are not easy, we are faced crises and emergency events, we have to make hard decisions, we have to do the hard work of steering the organization. If the weak or timid are on the front lines, then "disorderly retreat", rout, will ensue. Chan Yu paraphrases this line as, "Whenever there is fighting to be done, the keenest spirits should be appointed to serve in the front ranks, both in order to strengthen the resolution of our own men and to demoralize the enemy."

The principles for creating a victorious leadership and cultural terrain can be summarized in these lines from the Sun Tzu:

"The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom. Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look upon them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death."

Other articles in this series:

The Art of ARFF (part 7) - The Army on the March

A sure path to defeat on the battlefield, and the fire ground, is lack of disciplined personnel. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of a discipline deficiency is the first step to ensuring victory with your personnel. This is the subject of section 9 of Sun Tzu's, Art of War. In this section of verses we see four signs and symptoms of discipline deficiency, and we see the four cures for this deficiency. Upon seeing the first glimpses of these signs and symptoms the department heads should seriously examine the department and personnel and make needed corrections.

If there is disturbance in the camp, the general's authority is weak. If the banners and flags are shifted about, sedition is afoot. If the officers are angry, it means that the men are weary...The sight of men whispering together in small knots or speaking in subdued tones points to disaffection amongst the rank and file. --Sun Tzu

4 Signs of a Discipline Deficiency

Disturbance in the camp
Angry officers
Shifting of banners and flags
Small huddles and subdued tones

Disturbance in the camp. If it seems that the daily operations of the shift just do not go smoothly, or it seems that there is always an 'issue' or 'problem' being caused this is a sign of weakened leadership. The men feel that they do not have to follow the leaders commands. This is the source of the disturbance. Instead of just doing what is asked, the officers and personnel feel that they have the right to question every decision, and treat every order as 'optional'.

Shifting of banners and flags. In war banners and flags were used to send signals and messages on the battlefield. Shifting of banners and flags indicates that someone else is sending the signals. The troops are following another's orders. Though, the leader by title (lieutenant, captain, chief, etc.) has given the orders, the troops are carrying out the commands of another. This other individual is the person the troops trust, and believe to have their best interests in mind, regardless of formal title.

Angry officers. If the troops are tired, weary, lack motivation, every task becomes a major undertaking, every command is met with resistance. This will quickly wear on the officer's patience. The officer has a command to fulfill, he needs his men to accomplish the goal, when they are not working cohesively it makes the job doubly hard. The officer just wants his people to do the job they are supposed to do. The troops, however, are not at the peak of their performance. They are tired or weary. Their minds are not clear or focused. This is also tied to the point above, if the officers do not have real authority, the men are following the cues of someone else, the officer will feel defeated.

Small huddles and subdued tones. The disgruntled troops will start to form groups (we might refer to them as 'cliques') with those who share the same complaints. They will start to separate themselves from the larger department body. These groups can be like cancer to a department. They start with a few minor complaints, then spread their negativity and bad ideas to everyone else. Often times the disturbance in the camp, is a result of these small huddles.

These four symptoms work in a type of loop system and each is connected to another. If there is a disturbance, a complaint, an uneasiness, a lack of cohesion, the troops start to look elsewhere for leadership. They are looking to the one that can bring the troops, or shift, back together and establish order. The troops see the disturbance as a failure on the officers part, and do not follow his commands. They break away and start to form their own groups and spread their discontent.

Troops in this condition, that demonstrate these symptoms will not be successful on the battlefield, or on the fire ground. Lack of discipline among the troops, will lead to sure defeat.

Sun Tzu, does not just tell the symptoms, he provides the cure. He share 4 cures to having disciplined personnel that will lead to victory.

If soldiers are punished before they have grown attached to you, they will not prove submissive; and, unless submissive, then will be practically useless. If, when the soldiers have become attached to you, punishments are not enforced, they will still be useless. Therefore, soldiers must be treated in the first instance with humanity, but kept under control by means of iron discipline. This is a certain road to victory. If in training soldiers commands are habitually enforced, the army will be well-disciplined; if not, its discipline will be bad. If a general shows confidence in his men bu always insists on his orders being obeyed, the gain will be mutual. --Sun Tzu

4 Cures for Discipline Deficiency

Treat men with humanity; control with discipline
Habitually enforce all commands (even in training)
Show confidence in the men
Insist on orders being obeyed

Treat men with humanity; control with discipline. Treat your personnel well. Make sure to care for their needs. Earn the trust and respect of your people. However, discipline must still be maintained. Ensure that personnel understand the goals of the department, and expectations of its personnel. When personnel act inappropriately or do not follow orders punishment, and corrective action, must be handed out. Rules, policies, procedures, must be enforced. When they are not, the trust and respect earned, begins to erode.

Habitually enforce all commands. Discipline must be maintained at all times. Consistency is what is needed. Even in training, with limited risk, discipline must still be enforced. When officers let things slide during down times and training, it is believed that the officer will always let things slide. The officers leadership will then be compromised. And as long as, personnel feel that they will not be disciplined for disobeying order, or freelancing, then the whole company is at risk.

Show confidence in the men. Trust your personnel. Do not micro-manage, let them do their job. Also, do not be quick to discipline, have confidence that your personnel did not deliberately disobey an order, policy, or procedure. Investigate then discipline.

Insist on orders being obeyed. In today's society people seem to get their feelings hurt easily, they want explanations for everything, and they feel entitled to share their opinion on all matters. As the leader, the commands and orders that you issue must be obeyed. Hurt feelings, explanations, and other's opinions do not change this fact.

Other articles in this series:

The Art of ARFF (part 6) - Variation in Tactics

Sun Tzu states that there are five faults that lead to an army being overthrown, its leader slain, and a victory lost.

Recklessness
Cowardice
Hasty temper
Delicacy of honor
Over-solicitude for his men

Recklessness.

Recklessness leads to destruction. Recklessness is the result of going to battle being ill-prepared and unaware of the opposition. One commentator states, "...he who fights recklessly, without any perception of what is expedient, must be condemned." To go into battle, to attack a fire or crash scene, without any prior preparation or knowledge will result in loss. The way to prevent recklessness is to be always ready, always prepared. Recklessness can be eliminated by constant and evolving training, by fire prevention and pre-planning efforts, and by networking and learning from those that have gone before.

Cowardice.

Cowardice leads to capture. The translation of the Chinese word for 'cowardice' used here refers to "the man whom timidity prevents from advancing to seize an advantage". With the fire departments emphasis on safety, it seems that the "timid" firefighter is becoming more common. Though we must act safely, we must also remember, that we have not chosen a 'safe' career. People are counting on us to do the hard things, to take the risks, that nobody else will. Timidity leads to hesitation which leads to death.

This idea was best stated by FDNY Lt. Ray McCormack during his keynote speech at the 2009 FDIC. In his address Lt. McCormack stated that the fire service needs a "culture of extinguishment not safety". Due to the "constant barrage" of safety messages, the fire service is at risk of losing its identity and effectiveness. If firefighters stop taking the risks necessary to save lives, who will do it? Who will step in to save these lives?

If you follow the rules outlined by Sun Tzu, victory and safety can be obtained.

Hasty temper.

A hasty temper can be provoked by insults. This passage speaks to the importance of self-control. Destruction and loss will surely come to those who cannot control their emotions. When emotions are allowed free reign all perspective, reasoning, and logic disappears. In anger and selfishness we are prone to poor decision making, speaking things which should not be said, and taking part in inappropriate actions. There have many careers lost due to letting emotions take-over, and not being kept in check.

Delicacy of honor.

Delicacy of honor is sensitivity to shame. This is not to say that honor is a negative quality in a leader. The meaning of this phrase is the victorious leader must be thick skinned. There is no room for sensitivity to outside judgments, slanderous reports, or opinion. Leaders stand by their decisions, and understand what they are ultimately responsible for, regardless of what others may say. A Sun Tzu contemporary stated this sentiment as, "They who seek after glory should be careless of public opinion".

Over-solicitude for his men.

Over-solicitude for the men, will expose them to worry and trouble. The Marine Corps primary objective is, mission accomplishment. Their secondary objective is, troop welfare. At first glance, this may seem out of order. Since troops are needed to complete the mission, shouldn't their welfare be first? The answer is no, and here's why. If we put troop welfare first, then the mission would fail based on the attitude, feelings, or ideas of each man. However, with mission accomplishment being the primary objective, personal feelings, ideas, and discomfort are not a hindrance to victory.

The good leader, or company officer, does not neglect the care of his personnel. He does, however, understand and emphasizes the primary objective of mission accomplishment.

Sun Tzu introduces these five faults with the idea that he has expressed throughout his writing, prevention and preparedness are key to victory. He states, "The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable."

Other articles in this series:

The Art of ARFF (part 5) - Maneuvering

Sun Tzu states that "there is nothing more difficult" than tactical maneuvering. "The difficulty of tactical maneuvering consists in turning the devious into the direct, and misfortune into gain." In Chapter VII of his, The Art of War, he enters into a broad discourse on how exactly to accomplish this. There are three main points that can be applied to the work we do:

Importance of discipline.
Use of resources.
Sharing of victories and rewards.

Photo by DVIDSHUB

"Maneuvering with an army is advantageous; with an undisciplined multitude, most dangerous."

In the fire service we are familiar with the term discipline as it refers to organization, structure, and uniform operations. IFSTA Essentials of Fire Fighting, describes discipline as "an organizations responsibility to provide the direction needed to satisfy the goals and objectives it has identified."

Discipline is not just the sole responsibility of the organization or the organizational heads. Self-discipline is the responsibility of every individual. In our business where times can sometimes be slow, it becomes easy to slip into complacency, and just complete the minimum tasks and requirements. This is an undisciplined mind. Self-discipline mandates that we constantly work toward improving ourselves, our departments, and our community/customer. Self-discipline is taking it upon ourselves to do the hard work that will make the department better, and push it towards is goals and objectives.

"We may take it then that an army without its baggage-train is lost; without provisions it is lost; without bases of supply it is lost. We cannot enter into alliances until we are acquainted with the designs of our neighbors. We are not fit to lead an army on the march unless we are familiar with the face of the country - its mountains and forests, its pitfalls and precipices, its marshes and swamps. We shall be unable to turn natural advantage to account unless we make use of local guides."

This speaks to the benefit and necessity of taking full advantage of the resources that are available. It is easy to complain about lack of resources, it is easy to request additional funds for more tools/equipment/apparatus. It takes a bit of 'sweat equity' and creativity to ensure that we are fully utilizing the resources that we have available. This includes those resources that we utilize for training and teaching classes. It also applies to resources that can be used to further our knowledge of the community, facilities, and aircraft.

Your fire prevention personnel can provide a wealth of knowledge in regards to building fire protection and life safety systems. Are you fully utilizing these individuals and extracting as much information out of them as possible? Do you regularly interface and interact with fire prevention to ensure that all personnel have the most current information regarding the facility?

Aircraft managers and crew chiefs are experts on their aircraft. Are you establishing relationships with these individuals? Are you setting up training and tour opportunities with these people for your personnel?

The internet offers an endless supply of information, training, and knowledge in the ARFF field. This information is all free or low cost. Here are a few valuable resources that I look to:

What are some resources that you are using? Share those in the comments below.

"When you plunder a countryside, let the spoil be divided amongst your men; when you capture new territory, cut it up into allotments for the benefit of the soldiery."

No victories are won by a single individual. No fire incidents are successfully addressed without many functioning team members. It takes many people working together, in their particular area, to accomplish victory. When we are rewarded, or receive special mention, we should always pass these on to our team. It is because of the team that we are able to accomplish our stated goals and objectives. There is no room for individuals to only push their personal agenda or build themselves. When the department is functioning as a "united body it is impossible either for the brave to advance alone, or for the cowardly to retreat alone."

Other articles in this series:

The Art of ARFF (part 4) - Tactical Dispositions, Energy, and Strong Points

"He wins battles by making no mistakes. Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated...Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won." -Sun Tzu

I do not fully subscribe to the age-old idea that "there is always somebody better" out there. Somebody has to be the best. The best talent. The most knowledgeable. The top performer.

To win battles you have to make no mistakes. The way to make no mistakes is to be the best at what you do. There is a plethora of personal development resources that provide guidance on being the best. A synthesis of this information has shown that the top performers in any industry minimally possess four characteristics.

Focus. Top performers are laser focused on their goal of becoming the best. They partake only in the activities that will support and contribute to their goals. This often means having to say, "no", to other opportunities (even seemingly good ones).

Passion. Top performers are passionate about what they are doing. Their passion for the field, craft, or industry is what drives them to be the best. Passion is what makes a vocation and career more than just a job. Passion is what enables top performers to put in the longer hours, and make the bigger investments into their development and the enhancement of their industries.

Work Ethic. Top performers have a strong work ethic. Those with less natural knowledge, skills, or abilities, can quickly become a top performer by simply working harder than everyone else. Top performers are the best in their field because they are willing to do the hard work.

Giving. Top performers are givers. They routinely give to those around them, and to their industries at large. They freely share of their knowledge and resources. They continuously contribute to the betterment of all around them. They know that by helping others achieve, and become their best, they will achieve their goals as well.

No matter what your aspirations in the ARFF industry may be, these four characteristics can be applied to ensure that you are the best in your field, and mistakes are not made when it matters most.

For example, if you are one of those individuals that loves being a ARFF apparatus operator, then you should focus on being the best at that skill. Take courses and classes, read, be in the company of others who are passionate about ARFF operations. You should drive, operate, study, and know the vehicle more than everyone else. Share your knowledge, experiences, and opportunities with those around you. Teach the next generation of ARFF operator everything that you know, so they are prepared to take the wheel. Transfer your passion to someone else!

"The clever combatant looks to the effect of combined energy, and does not require too much from individuals. Hence his ability to pick out the right men and utilize combined energy...Thus the energy developed by good fighting men is as the momentum of a round stone rolled down a mountain thousands of feet in height." -Sun Tzu

The wise warrior understands that victory cannot be obtained by only one person or type of personality. Victory can come only through the combined energy and talents of the whole team. If more responsibility is placed on one person that all the others, that individual will quickly tire and 'burn-out'. His effectiveness will become severely diminished. Likewise, if the wrong responsibility is assigned to an unsuited team member, the same results will occur.

Victory comes when the company officer knows his personnel. He knows their strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes, experiences, limits, and personal factors. By intimately knowing all personnel, the proper tasks and work loads can be assigned. This utilization of "combined energy" will lead to victory. A good tool to utilize for this is a profile assessment such as the DISC profile or others.

Tu Mu, a Sun Tzu commentator, says, "He first of all considers the power of his army in the bulk; afterwards he takes individual talent into account, and uses each man according to his capabilities. He does not demand perfection from the untalented."

Notice how he states that perfection cannot be demanded from the untalented. The inverse of this would be that perfection is to be expected from the talented, the top performers.

"Carefully compare the opposing army with your own, so that you may know where strength is superabundant and where it is deficient." -Sun Tzu

Special operations forces utilizes a peer review assessment tool. This tool is an evaluation of by personnel of their peers. With this tool each individuals contributions and skill level can be seen. Areas for improvement can be customized for each individual as their part pertains to the team.

Evaluate your team on a regular basis. An evaluation can be used to understand the level that your personnel are at, where their strengths lie, and what deficiencies need to be worked on. If you find that certain fire or medical skills are lacking you can train on those. If specific aircraft or facility familiarity is missing, then you can arrange for hands-on or walk-throughs to improve these areas. Any area of deficiency (knowledge, skills, or abilities) is the area where failure should be expected. Ensuring that there are no deficient areas can make your success sure.