Episode 4-18 - Capt Nick Peppard - Firehouse Culture: Ideas over Egos

When we’re on the fireground or other emergency scene, most of the time we work as a great team. We know what to do, how to do it and what to do when we’re done. Sure, from time-to-time we may wonder about a particular task we’ve been assigned, but for the most part, it’s smooth running. However, back in the firehouse, it’s often a different story. Each firefighter is encouraged to ask questions, bring up new topics and propose new ideas. Too often though, a newer or less-experienced firefighter’s ideas or thoughts are dismissed out-of-hand. Why? Frequently, it’s because of another “herd of elephants” in the room – the egos of some of those firefighters with more experience.

My guest on this podcast is Capt. Nick Peppard of the Holley-Navarre Fire District in Santa Rosa County, FL, located on the beautiful Florida Panhandle. Nick discusses the scenario described above. The newer, less-experienced firefighters are too often shut down or told to hold their ideas to themselves, too often due to one or more, senior firefighters and the egos they have. As we discuss, there is no room in the fire service for egos; while one firefighter may have twenty years on the job and another has five, the ideas they share should be of equal value. Each and every firefighter should be included in every firehouse general discussion and, should be encouraged to ask questions or bring up an idea!

Egos all too often not only get in the way of healthy discussion around the firehouse kitchen table or dayroom, they often get in the way of firefighters taking proper care of their health. They are so “eat up” with themselves, they believe they’re almost invincible! Sadly, especially when it comes to their health, when they finally admit they have a health problem, it’s often, too late. Make the change in YOUR firehouse: IDEAS Over Egos!