First Responders

How do you handle conflicts and challenges within your department, and how do you promote a culture of accountability and professionalism?

Promoting Accountability & Professionalism: Insights from a Firefighter

So I think when you look at conflict and challenges within like stations or within a department and promote that accountability and professionalism, I think it starts from the top it starts from your senior. Firefighters it starts from your senior Chiefs, things like that. I think if they show the professionalism and accountability that they're looking for as well as you know, the accountability and professionalism also tie into how well, you know, your job. And that's a key aspect of being able to not just keep the information that you have to yourself but to be able to deliver that information to others. That's being accountable to not only your department but to the fire service in general because all situations in the fire, service are Dynamic and we reach in have individual experiences in different ways. And this is a way to continue to have be accountable to the next generation of firefighters.

Accountability and professionalism among firefighters should come from the top down, including senior firefighters and chiefs. This will ensure that all firefighters are accountable to each other and to the fire service as a whole. This will also help to ensure that they are delivering the necessary information in dynamic situations.

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Handling conflicts and challenges within a department and promoting a culture of accountability and professionalism starts from the top, with senior firefighters and chiefs setting the example. Demonstrating professionalism and accountability is essential, as is being knowledgeable and proficient in your job. Sharing information and delivering it effectively to others is a key aspect of accountability, not just within your department but also to the fire service as a whole. Recognizing that situations in the fire service are dynamic and that individual experiences vary, being accountable to the next generation of firefighters is crucial.

Can you describe a particularly complex emergency response situation that you had to manage, and how you handled it?

Managing Complex Emergencies: Navigating Car Accidents and Fires

Is a great question in. It's always hard to pinpoint an exact situation, but I think one of the things that always comes into play as car accidents and extrication from car accidents, is it's the amount of experience that you have to be able to understand how to get into a car that's either on its side or on its roof or is dented in and damaged so much that you have to make alternative route. It's to be able to get in there and I'm sure there's a lot of different aspects within complex responses. Every single fire that we go into as a complex response because you don't know the exact layout of the building, you don't know the exact location of the fire. And so a lot of times the complexity of emergency responses relies on our experiences and also on the same point are teams that are no right next to us.

The complexity of emergency responses often relies on experience and the support of other teams.

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Describing a complex emergency response situation is challenging, but one scenario that often requires careful management is car accidents and extrication. Dealing with vehicles that are overturned, on their side, or severely damaged requires experience and the ability to find alternative routes to access the occupants. 

In general, every fire response is complex because the layout of the building and the exact location of the fire are unknown. The complexity of emergency responses often relies on the experience of the responders and the coordination with neighboring teams.

While it's difficult to pinpoint a specific situation, these examples highlight the importance of experience and teamwork in effectively managing complex emergency response scenarios.

What are your goals for your Fire Department, and how do you plan to achieve them?

Firefighters' Unwavering Commitment to Community and Service

So the goals of the fire department they range because you have the administrative goals, then you have the special team goals and then you have station goals and then you have your personal goals. And I think for myself, it's it's showing up each day and doing as much as I can to be a part of the success of the fire service and transferring whatever knowledge. I have to the Next Generation. I know that every single day isn't like that and I'm sure every single Person that's out there. That's been in the career long time. They understand that there's, there's days that you're not at your best, but you're still going out there. Pushing the envelope to get. The goals of the fire department, which are to support your community and provide the best service in the time of need. When other people need you, and I think whether whether you're a volunteer department or a big career department or your wildland firefighter, or you're in the military as a firefighter, The same goal applies is that you're going to do the job to your best ability in that moment? We're all human, but the goals don't change. We get out there and we do something that most people wouldn't want to do.

The goals of the fire department are to provide the best service to their community in times of need. This means showing up each day and doing as much as possible to be a part of the success of the fire service, transferring knowledge to the next generation, and doing the job to the best of one's ability.

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The goals of the fire department can be categorized into administrative goals, special team goals, station goals, and personal goals. Personally, my goal is to contribute to the success of the fire service and pass on my knowledge to the next generation. I understand that not every day will be perfect, but I strive to give my best effort in supporting the community and providing the best service in times of need. Whether it's as a volunteer firefighter, a member of a career department, a wildland firefighter, or a military firefighter, the goal remains the same - to perform the job to the best of our abilities in that moment. We are all human, but our goals remain constant, and we willingly take on tasks that most people wouldn't want to do.

What do you see as the biggest threats to public safety in your community, and how do you address them?

Biggest threat to public safety: ourselves. Be diligent, alert, and proactive.

This is an interesting question because I think you're going a lot of different perspectives on this of. What do you see as the biggest threat to Public Safety in our community? And how do you dress it? I think our biggest threat is ourselves. We have to be diligent in looking at things around us and making sure to identify those things around us, that we may see as troubling or we may see as something that is out of the ordinary. You know, see something say, something is probably one of the biggest things in public, safety. The other thing is just to be diligent in your own space at home and at work with following the safety Protocols, are there for a reason we developed them through trial and error and somebody did something wrong to make sure that somebody in the future doesn't do something even worse. So I think the biggest threat is ourselves and so we just added to be diligent and getting more positivity and productivity.

The biggest threat to public safety is ourselves, and we have to take responsibility for our own safety by being diligent in looking out for things that are out of the ordinary, following safety protocols, and adding more positivity and productivity.

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The biggest threat to public safety in our community, in my opinion, is ourselves. It's important to be vigilant and observant of our surroundings, identifying anything that may seem troubling or out of the ordinary. The see something, say something approach is crucial in maintaining public safety.

Additionally, it is essential to be diligent in following safety protocols both at home and at work. These protocols exist for a reason, often developed through trial and error to prevent future incidents. By adhering to these protocols, we can minimize risks and ensure a safer environment for everyone.

Ultimately, addressing the biggest threat to public safety starts with individual responsibility and awareness. We must be proactive in promoting positivity and productivity while remaining vigilant in identifying and reporting potential threats.

In your field or out, if you could pick one person in history to have dinner with, who would it be and why? 

Dinner with Mike Rowe: Uncovering the Value of Blue-Collar Workers

I love this question. Who would I pick to have dinner with and why? I would love to have dinner with Mike Rowe. I think he has put forth the effort to bring to light all of the blue-collar workers, all of the people on the front lines, and what their job entails and how our society is able to function the way it is because of individuals who have taken that step and done the dirty work. I think that's so important to understand and so valuable. The trades are having less people in them. We're having less people be volunteer firefighters. I think it would be so awesome to sit down with Mike Rowe and be able to have that conversation of what has he seen? What has he been able to uncover with the workers of why they got into it, how they're doing right now, and where he sees everything going? Plus, it would just be a great conversation. I love dirty jobs.

I would love to have dinner with Mike Rowe because he is a champion of blue collar workers and has shed light on the importance of their work. It would be great to hear his perspective on what he sees in the trades, why people get into them, and where he believes they are headed.

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I would love to have dinner with Mike Rowe. He has made significant efforts to shed light on the importance of blue-collar workers and the vital role they play in our society. I find it valuable to understand the work that these individuals do and how it allows our society to function. The trades and volunteer firefighting, for example, are seeing a decline in participation, and I believe having a conversation with Mike Rowe would provide insights into why people choose these professions, their current experiences, and the future outlook. Moreover, I think it would be an engaging and enjoyable conversation, as I am a fan of his show Dirty Jobs.

What do you think is the mindset needed to constantly learn and grow throughout your career?

The key to constant growth: a humble, adaptable mindset.

What do you think the mindset needed to constantly learn and grow throughout your career? I think it's two things. It's one is a growth mindset of constantly looking at things and understanding that you're going to be good at things and you're going to constantly have to adapt because the dynamic situation of our job is so ever-changing, obviously, because not all two incidents or accidents or situations are the same. And so being able to go into it with a humbleness as well is so critical, not thinking that you know everything because as soon as you think you know everything, something's going to come at you and you're not going to be ready for it or you're not going to be flexible enough to be able to adapt to it. So making sure that you're humble in your career, but at the same time with a growth mindset, always looking for that little thing of whether you're going into a fire and nozzle positioning, how to advance a hose line better, how to ventilate a roof better. There's always going to be certain things that you can take little pieces of and make better. It's no different than any kind of personal development. That's how we get better is taking little pieces of what we learn and applying it to what we're good at and continually striving to be better at it. Be humble to your mistakes, but at the same time be proud of where you are and where you can get to.

The mindset needed to constantly learn and grow throughout your career is one of humbleness, growth, and continual improvement. Be humble about mistakes and proud of where you are and where you can get to, and always look for ways to get better.

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The mindset needed to constantly learn and grow throughout your career involves two key elements. Firstly, it requires a growth mindset, where you understand that you will continually need to adapt and improve because the nature of your job is ever-changing. Recognize that not all situations are the same, and approach them with humility, knowing that there is always more to learn.

Secondly, it's important to approach your career with a sense of humility. Avoid thinking that you know everything because that mindset can hinder your ability to be flexible and adapt when faced with new challenges. Stay open to learning and be ready to embrace new knowledge and skills.

Continual growth in your career involves seeking out opportunities for improvement, whether it's learning better techniques for specific tasks or developing new skills. Just like personal development, the key is to take small pieces of what you learn and apply them to enhance your existing strengths. Embrace your mistakes with humility, but also take pride in your progress and the potential for further growth.

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Fireman Rob is known as a dynamic storyteller with an inspirational voice, on the courage to lead your life with a resilient mindset. He helps people become greater assets to themselves and others, with the ability to lead with courage, passion and mental strength. 

Fireman Rob delivers powerful impact to audiences through his stories and catalysts that have been Forged In The Fires of his life. From numerous years in the fire service to surviving on Discovery Channel’s show “Ultimate Ninja Challenge” to performing search & recovery after the September 11th attacks. His message resonates with everyone and has proven results. 

From surviving post-traumatic stress disorder to breaking a Guinness World Record to being a dad, he lives his message and delivers the fire to the audience.

ACCOLADES •  2012 Ironman Performance of the Year •  2012 HITS Triathlon Athlete of the Year •  2014 In Business Magazine “25 Most Influential People in Greater Madison” •  2015 Jefferson Award 

Robert Verhelst