In
today’s modern fire department the positions of rank are explicitly defined.
From the chief of the department to the captains to the engineers to the
firefighters, all ranks and responsibilities are known. If unsure, one can turn
to their manual of operations for a clear and concise explanation. There are,
however, positions within those ranks that are not defined and may not even be
known about. One of those positions is known as the first whip.
The
first whip, or senior man, is the senior firefighter of the crew or house. The
term first whip comes from the times of horse drawn engines and the first whip
was the senior fireman who held the whip and drove the horses. The first whip
is not necessarily the oldest firefighter in the house or the one that has been
there the longest. Although both of these facts usually do describe the first
whip they do not define him. The first whip is the firefighter who carries his
company and his department on his shoulders with extreme pride. He cares about
learning and about teaching what he has learned to those who will listen. He is
passionate about preserving the brotherhood of the fire service. He cares about doing the right thing, on and
off the fire scene.
The
first whip has many responsibilities both at the emergency scene and at the
firehouse. Although these responsibilities are not written down anywhere they
are nonetheless very important. The firehouse, though less exciting than the
emergency scene, is where most of the hard work and problem solving occur. The
fire scene will usually be run by a certain game plan. There is no game plan
for running a firehouse. So the role
of the first whip is paramount to having an orderly, smooth running and
enjoyable firehouse.
A
good first whip concerns himself with the day in and day out workings of the
firehouse. He does not
necessarily run the firehouse, although it may at times seem like he is. He does
handle the “mundane” and the “routine” so that his captain can concentrate
on more important things. He runs interference for his captain, dealing with
the simple items he can handle. The first whip and the rest of the crew, for
example, will order supplies. The captain will have to sign the paperwork but
the first whip should be familiar with what the house needs. The first whip
should be the one that ensures that housework is done properly. He should be
involved with maintaining station pride. Pride in his company goes without
saying and pride in his station should be equally important. The firehouse is his
house. Unfortunately, the firehouse is also the taxpayer’s house. If the people
he protects are the landlords then he is the renter. He gets to stay there
rent-free as long as he goes out and saves them whenever they call. So station
pride can go a long way to pleasing the landlords as well as making him feel
good about his station. It’s not always easy to motivate the crew to pull weeds
or wash windows. But the first whip needs to be the catalyst and may even have
to start the chore alone. Wanting to help him should motivate the crew to join
in. Leading by example will gain respect of his crew as well as alleviate the
captain from being the “bad guy” who has to tell them what chores to do.
As
stated earlier, the first whip’s main job is to run interference for his
captain. This becomes critical when dealing with a probationary firefighter or
a shift trader/overtimer. These firefighters will have questions. The
firefighter who is there for one day will need to know his riding position and
assignment as well as his housework duties and where he is to sleep. The probie
will have these questions and many more. The first whip will need to take the
initiative and open the lines of communication. He needs to intercept these
questions before they make it to his captain and he needs to let it be known
that he is the one to ask. His captain should not have to answer questions
pertaining to what side of the rig to sit on and where the mop bucket might be
found. Of course any good captain will want to say a few words to a new
crewmember, especially if it is a probie. But hopefully his conversation will
end with, “Firefighter Smith will show you around and answer any questions.” If
the first whip has done his job the new guy should answer with, “Thanks Captain
Jones, Firefighter Smith has already started showing me around.” If that new
crewmember is a probationary firefighter, the first whip has taken the first
step to introducing him to life in his firehouse and his fire department.
Getting involved with a new firefighter is a great way to influence the future. By his words, but more importantly by his actions, the first whip can help mold young firefighters into productive members of his department. He can pass on his experience concerning the correct way to fight fire. He can also show the probationary firefighter that it is okay to be enthusiastic about the job. After all, the first whip will be looked up to, if for no other reason than his number of years on the job. If the new firefighter can see that after ten or so years a senior firefighter can still be excited about the job than an image will be created in this young firefighter’s mind. Hopefully this image will carry on long after he is off probation. Possibly this image will inspire this new firefighter to continue to learn and train. And maybe he will work to improve himself in every aspect of the job because he loves it and not because he has to. By showing the new firefighter the “get to go to work” attitude instead of the “have to go to work” attitude the first whip has hopefully made a career long impression.
Now
it should be mentioned here that first whips are not captains.
There is no collar brass associated with being a first whip. First whips should
not try to change protocol or rewrite the rules and regulations. He should
confide in his captain before making any questionable decision. Captains get
paid the big bucks for making tough decisions. So let them. The first whip’s
actions should not lead to his captain having to cover for him in front of the
chief. Remember, a first whip runs interference for his captain he does not
create it.
For
the first whip, the fire scene is actually less complicated than the firehouse.
He ensures that the plan of attack that his crew has trained on gets carried
out. The captain is the “coach” and the first whip is the “quarterback.”
Whatever the captain calls for, the first whip needs to be ready to carry out
without being told twice. He is his captain’s extra set of eyes and ears. He
should create a confident crew that can deal with any circumstance. He should
relieve his captain of doubt and anxiety that the correct line will be
stretched, or that the proper tools will be carried or that the search will be
done proficiently. His captain should be confident the first whip knows that as
a back-up firefighter his position is at the front door pulling hose and not
right behind the nozzle. These fire scene “plays” are practiced on the drill
ground and the first whip must ensure their completion. He must have good
control of his and his partner’s actions. This will relieve the “coach” of
worrying about the “play” so he can concentrate on winning the “game”.
The
same holds true for other emergencies. Whether it is car accidents, medical
aids or “bells and smells” the first whip must have a plan. As with fires, the
right equipment makes all the difference. The first whip cannot get complacent.
He must remember that he has another firefighter watching him. If he goes to an
alarm bell without the proper gear on so will the other firefighter. Again, the
captain should not need to worry if his crew will be dressed correctly, because
one day that alarm bell on the sixth floor will be a fire. The
first whip must be ready and make sure that his partner is ready. He can’t let
his captain down. The same goes for medical aids. Bring all the equipment you
think you might need. DON’T GET COMPLACENT. Complacency is contagious.
If the first whip is complacent than the junior firefighter will get
complacent. The first whip cannot afford to be complacent and neither can his
crew.
The
first whip, or senior man, is the firefighter who is regarded as the “go to”
person of his crew. He helps his captain run the firehouse as well as the fire
scene. He assumes this responsibility because he knows how vital a first whip
is to the smooth operations of his crew, his firehouse and his department.
Although no extra pay or prestige comes with being the first whip, he assumes
the position with pride because he wants to make a difference. If he does his job
right, a first whip will help mold the young firefighters of his department and
in turn mold his department.