Looking back, a lot has changed over the last thirty years in fire and EMS officer development. Our industry was considered a trade and a high school diploma was sufficient to get hired. An Associate’s degree was rare and a Bachelor’s degree was unheard of, even as we promoted through the ranks into management positions. However, as an industry, we recognized the need to move from a trade to a profession. There were many topics, such as human resources, finance and budgeting, strategic planning, and the like, that were not covered in high school or the fire academy.
Realizing this, leaders began to focus on encouraging our incumbents to go back to school and earn a two year technical degree. Employers also began to give more credit to candidates with college degrees who were seeking employment as a firefighter or paramedic. This slow evolution created a new norm where a two year degree in fire science was an edge for those competing for company officer promotions or entry level positions. This created a ripple effect upward and soon raised the bar within the profession for senior incumbents and chief officers. Chief officers and chief officer candidates were headed back to school to earn their four year college degrees, and fire chief hopefuls were seeking post-graduate degrees. Today, many entry level firefighters possess graduate and post-graduate degrees, and this has also served to encourage incumbent supervisors who want to lead these new firefighters to obtain more formal education.
It is normal human behavior for employees to move toward the things where rewards exist, to move away from the things associated with punishment, and to ignore the things where neither reward nor punishment exists. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs proposes five areas for human motivation, and he proposed that these exist in the shape of a pyramid. The base of the pyramid represents human physiological, or basic, needs followed by security, or safety, both of which are vital to survival. One of the many ways employers tried to address these basic needs for incumbent employees was by creating educational incentives to go back to school. It is common today for an employer to pay for an employee’s formal education, and then once the degree is earned, to continue to reward the employee with formal education incentive pay.
While this incentive addresses the basic needs, it also addresses, potentially without the employee realizing it, the three higher needs, those being social, esteem, and self-actualization. At the same time, we as an industry have developed a great thirst for officer development. Perhaps it’s time we should consider replacing the formal educational incentives with an incentive for professional credentialing, which meets those higher needs and ensures continuous professional improvement.
Credentialing defined is “that which entitles one to confidence, credit or authority”, while designation is defined as “a distinguishing name, sign or title.” Understanding this, we believe that the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) through its Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPC) has the most current and applicable officer development format and designation process that establishes continuous professional development as a core value. For chief officers, there are several professional credentials, including Chief Fire Officer (CFO), Chief Emergency Medical Services Officer (CEMSO), Chief Training Officer (CTO), and Fire Marshal (FM), while company officers have the option to pursue the Fire Officer (FO) credential.
Once earned, the designation requires documented proof every three years that professional development has continued over that period of time. Credentialing encompasses a healthy mix of formal education, training, and experience that articulates competency at the particular level being sought. It also takes into account the individual’s personal development goals, community service, and technical competency.
More and more, we are beginning to see employers require one of these professional credentials for chief officer level positions within employment contracts and collective bargaining agreements. Some employers have also structured resumes for promotion with the credentialing format in mind, and if an oral resume is part of a promotional assessment, that same structured format is used. This not only encourages, but also allows candidates to submit the materials to CPSE for consideration of credentialing at the conclusion of the assessment.
If we replace educational incentives with credentialing incentives, we are actually killing two birds with one stone. Not only will we reward officers with higher levels of education, we will also know that they meet the requirements of the credential, which means their experience and technical competency is there as well.
As our workforce changes, so must its leaders, and this is one potential change that creates value now and into the future. We know that money talks, and we understand it’s value in employment contracts and collective bargaining agreements. So consider this potential incentive the next time you sit down at the bargaining table as it will be a win-win-win for your organization, your employees, and the citizens we all serve. Your workforce and the citizens who expect excellence will certainly be better for it!
By: Wayne Senter & Deputy Chief Norris Croom
Wayne Senter, CFO, MIFireE, is the Fire Chief (retired) of South Kitsap Fire Rescue in Washington State and is currently the Executive Director for the Washington Fire Chiefs representing 2500 fire service members and 487 fire agencies. He is currently a Director on the Center for Public Safety Excellence Board representing the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
Norris W. Croom III, EFO, CEMSO, CFO, is the Deputy Chief of Operations for the Castle Rock (CO) Fire and Rescue Department. He’s currently serves as the International Association of Fire Chiefs EMS Section’s Director at Large and International Director, and also as the Vice Chair and EMS Representative on the CPSE Commission on Professional Credentialing.