Like most other institutions, the fire service has experienced many changes in its 300-year history. One of the biggest changes has occurred in attitudes about firefighter safety.

In the early days of the fire service, injuries and deaths were considered unfortunate but acceptable. Firefighting was dangerous with unpredictable situations and consequences. The technology, discipline and training that are the norm today were nonexistent during these early days. Brave members of the community answered the fire alarms as part of a social responsibility to protect their respective neighborhoods.

The clanging bells sounded the alarm and created an excitement that everyone wanted to experience. As a result, every able-bodied community member rushed out to participate in firefighting activities to whatever degree possible. Whether the efforts resulted in a positive resolution or not, every participant was viewed as a hero. Those who were injured or died protecting their community resources were honored and celebrated. This tradition has continued to this day.

Just as the country has moved from the days of horse-drawn carriages, the entire fire service has become more sophisticated. The 20th century began an era of greater expectations for personal safety and service success. At the same time, the fire service grew and expanded operations throughout the country to mirror the growth of the communities it served.

Just as with other professions, the community members identify with the individuals in the fire service. The personal relationship continued to exist because the members of the fire service were the relatives of community members. As a result, when firefighters were injured or died, the community in which they worked felt a sense of personal loss. This has resulted in a significant change in society's acceptance of firefighter injuries. Because fire departments are located in the communities they serve, department leaders have had a public face. Leaders are community members and have had to accept personal responsibility when members of their team suffer injuries.

The expansion of the media also has played a crucial role in the changing attitudes about injuries and fatalities that involved members of the fire service. Fires are big news and often receive front page, top radio and television coverage. Pictures have created an intensely personal experience with the firefighting activities.

Residents and media are asking probing questions about the cause of firefighter injuries or deaths. They expect fire service leaders to explain these losses to the families and community at large and are beginning to assume that something went wrong when a firefighter is injured or killed.

As with other business organizations, regulatory agencies provide guidance geared to improve the safety and health of workers. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration and the National Fire Protection Agency both work to that end. OSHA developed rules and regulations that describe the policies, procedures and training required to conduct general firefighting activities. The NFPA established guidelines that further support firefighter and community safety. Despite the more than 30-year existence of these organizations, firefighting continues to produce far too many injures and fatalities.

Each year more than 100 firefighters die in the line of duty. U.S. firefighter fatalities far exceed the numbers in most comparable industrialized countries. Additionally, approximately 80,000 firefighters suffer injures each year. How can we account for these statistics? Fire service leaders must increase their efforts to provide firefighters with the safest work environments possible. Effective leadership is an integral component of a safe and healthy work environment. Everyone in a leadership capacity must support these efforts and take responsibility for failures.

The fire service resembles a paramilitary organization. Leaders establish rules and procedures, and the rank and file follow them. The fire service culture also has a strong sense of camaraderie. Teammates feel responsible for one another. Why then aren't team members working to ensure safe practices that follow established policies and procedures? How are the leaders addressing safety breaches?

There are serious problems within the fire service as an institution. In the past, like most paramilitary organizations, leadership imposed punishments for safety violations. Safety professionals and management consultants generally agree that this method is not effective in the long term.

Fire service leaders have identified some of the cultural deficiencies within the institution during the last 10 years. They are making strides to address the cultural issues with respect to the safety attitudes of firefighters. The transactual form of leadership is the more typical style that uses the reward and punishment system. The fire service must also embrace other leadership styles that are geared to transform the organization and its members.

Transformational leadership begins with developing a vision for the organization that has safety at its core. This vision should excite and convert members. Whether the vision comes from one leader, a senior-management team or combined labor-management efforts, the leader's belief in that vision is the most important factor.

The next is to sell that vision constantly as an integral part of the department's philosophy and activities. This requires energy and commitment, because few people will totally commit to such a dramatic change. Leadership must take every opportunity and use whatever works to convince its personnel to support safety as a key ingredient of departmental operations.

To create safety followers, leaders must create an environment of trust. Leaders' personal integrity is a critical part of the package that they are selling. Leaders must walk the talk when it comes to their safety vision. Safety must be incorporated into every communication with members of the leadership team and personnel.

At the same time it is important to look for areas that can be continuously improved. Organizations must constantly evaluate policies that can be made clearer and procedures that can be made safer. Experienced leaders intuitively know the way their organizations needs to go and look for ways to achieve their goals. Less-experienced leaders lack the foundation to develop a sound safety strategy, but can and should be involved in the exploration of possible routes to the goal of an effective safety culture.

It is important that all levels of leaders be given training in leadership styles that will guide organizational members to accept safety as a core value. The path an organization needs to take may not be obvious and may not be expressed in detail, but with a clear vision, the direction will always be revealed. Leaders should accept that there will be failures and blind alleys along the way. But these failures can be opportunities for personal and organizational learning. Leaders must be more flexible and the organization willing to accept directional change as part of its structure.

Leaders must stand in the forefront of the organization as it embraces change. They should be visible and willing to accept responsibility for mistakes rather than hide behind their personnel. Effective leaders also demonstrate their attitudes and model actions so personnel know what behavior is expected. They should also make continued efforts to motivate and encourage their personnel. Celebrations can also be used to demonstrate the significance of achieving cultural change goals.

Leaders should engage in activities that demonstrate involvement and commitment to safety. Overall, leaders must balance their attention between action that creates progress and the evaluation of the mental state of their personnel.

Visible commitment from leaders keeps the organization on course. The use of techniques such as observations, near-miss reporting, effective accident analysis, effective communications and positive reinforcement will provide support to the safety vision that drives and sustains the organization's safety culture.

Each of these areas requires training for both those in leadership as well as staff members. The additional training and activities require a financial as well as a time commitment for all involved. Engaging in processes like these also demonstrate leadership's commitment to a safer working environment.

Changing the culture of an organization where safety is an integral component rather than a program requires a dedication of resources, acknowledgement that it will not occur overnight, and above all, commitment from the organization's leaders.

Read the sidebar article, New Kind of Courage, for an example of firefighter safety concerns.

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Paulette Oliver is a safety and risk management consultant with WHA Insurance. She is pursuing a master's degree in insurance and risk management and education. Oliver has 20 years experience as a human-resources manager, regional trainer and safety manager.

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