Knowledge is the “Understanding of a science or an art. The range of one’s information, including professional knowledge and understanding of your personnel1.”
The No Knowledge Firefighter
It does not matter what state or country we are in, there is always a firefighter that somehow made it through the academy, but still has no concept or knowledge of the job.
I had one such firefighter when I was in the military. He was born and raised in Colorado and knew every player and statistic about the Denver Broncos football team, but after four years in the military he still did not know that we carried 35’ extension ladders on our rigs. There were other basic facts that he did not know as well and that certainly was not only a negative mark against him, but also his previous supervisors who did not take the necessary steps to correct his inability to perform the job.
A Wealth of Knowledge
Loveland Fire is part of a regional training consortium and there is a Haz Mat Group within the larger training organization. In 1998, I took over the Loveland Fire Rescue Hazardous Materials Team and the Consortium’s Haz Mat Group evaluated the available technician level training in the United States.
We settled on the 160-hour haz mat technician curriculum offered by the California Specialized Training Institute (CSTI) and contracted with Chemical Safety Training to deliver the course in Northern Colorado.
The owner of the company, Brian Heinz, has an amazing knowledge of chemistry and hazardous materials, and he is a subject matter expert in this field.
How Did Brian Gain That Knowledge?
Brian gained his knowledge of chemistry and hazardous materials through hard work and study. We gain knowledge through hard work, training, education, reading, study, experience, coaching, and mentorship. It does not come in an easy to swallow pill, a can, or a drink mix.
Leadership and Knowledge
A person will never be an effective leader without knowledge of their profession, leadership, and human behavior.
What about you? What are you doing to increase your professional knowledge? Are you attending classes and seminars? Do you have a professional reading list? Do you have a coach or mentor?
