Line Officer Position

[medic452]

I'm curious about how your Line Officer Positions are. Do you have an age req. to be an officer....do you have to be on the crew for a certain period of time to be an officer, ect.

The squad I come from, we are a small bunch...I'd say around 30 members. I will be with my agency for 1 year in April. Our Line Officer Elections are in April, and I am considering running for First Lieutenant. The is really noone else interested in the position.

As a young member, what advice would you have about running for such a position?

 

[BLSBoy]

I will be with my agency for 1 year in April. Our Line Officer Elections are in April, and I am considering running for First Lieutenant. The is really noone else interested in the position.

As a young member, what advice would you have about running for such a position?

Besides the bolded portions, what makes YOU qualified to become an officer? Wanting it when no one else does is not a valid/acceptable answer.

 

[AJ Hidell]

As a young member, what advice would you have about running for such a position?

What are your motivations for being an officer? What do you hope to accomplish? What leadership skills and experience do you have to offer the squad? I realize that in most of these volly squads that an "officer" is nothing more than a popularity contest for a prestige title, and qualifications have nothing to do with it. But this squad may actually expect you to have the skills, experience, and mature judgement to lead and manage people, as well as emergency incidents. Do you really think you have those qualifications? Or are you just thinking how cool some gold bars would look on your shirt?

 

[JPINFV]

The only position that might be considered a line officer was the crew chief and that is really only a 'handle crew problems and get equipment from the hospitals as needed" position. My current company doesn't have any. Personally, I'd take great offence to being told what to do or how to do something by someone who won a popularity contest.

 

[Hockey]

Whats a line officer?

 

[fortsmithman]

My service only has two positions co-ordinator and member. When the co-ordinator leaves town he appoints a member to be acting co-ordinator until he returns.

 

[Sasha]

Whats a line officer?

The officer in charge of drawing really straight lines without use of a ruler.

 

[Hockey]

The officer in charge of drawing really straight lines without use of a ruler.

Oh, that would be a really hard job!

Do they get more kudo points for doing it in the back of the rig?

 

[medic452]

Thanks for your replys.

BLSboy & AJ - Right now, our department is not falling behind by any means...but we're not moving forward either. If elected to this position, my goal would be to create an environment that would attract members to spend time at the station. We currently are having a heck of a time getting members to run day time calls...I'd like to look further into setting something up to intice more members to run those calls, ect. Among other things.

As for the title of 1st Lieutenant....it's not the title I'm after, not the flashy outfil that comes with the job...but the job duties that it details. (Membership, Members, Programs, ect) ....whether it's called 1st Lieutenant or janitor...it's all about getting our department to take that step forward and not two behind.

As far as leadership goes, our current crew already sees me as someone they can come to for advice, someone who usually sets them in the correct direction with a mature judgement.

I have plenty of EMS experance, but I've only been a member of this crew for one year, and I know most people who are in this position have usually been with the crew or a crew for several years.

 

[8jimi8]

Is yours a volunteer organization?

My volunteer FD has $25 gift cards that they give out for people who work a 12 hour shift. I also see alot of shifts still open... tho! hehe

 

[BLSBoy]

Is yours a volunteer organization?

My volunteer FD has $25 gift cards that they give out for people who work a 12 hour shift. I also see alot of shifts still open... tho! hehe

Yea, thats cause no one wants to work for 2.09 an hr.

I'm not even getting out of bed for anything less then 15/hr.

 

[AJ Hidell]

452, if you think you have a better plan and vision for the organization than the other candidates, then by all means go for it. If they are running this thing as a popularity contest democracy -- which would make me run, not walk, from the organization immediately, but that's just me -- then hopefully they are at least allowing candidates to campaign for the position with meeting time to present their qualifications and ideas. If you have an intelligent presentation and plan, and can intelligently articulate it, then that should help to overcome much lack of experience within this particular organization. After all, most professional fire chiefs and EMS directors come from outside the organization, so that is definitely not an automatic disqualifier. Just be sure to have real plans on how to achieve these goals, not just nebulous goals like attracting and retaining membership. Let the others spout off generalities, then come in with specifics to show that you are the man who can get things done. Good luck!

 

[8jimi8]

Yea, thats cause no one wants to work for 2.09 an hr.

I'm not even getting out of bed for anything less then 15/hr.

It's volunteer! He was asking for ideas on getting people to work. Then I asked if his organization is volunteer.