“I found both motivation and a guide to implementation in this book. Chief Thompson has provided a deep resource for all ranks from creating culture to setting up training structure. I highly recommend this book to anyone with aspirations of making an organizational impact.” —Brian Brush
“Chief Scott Thompson combines his decades of experience and years of observation with today’s leadership skills and provides a path for the successful fire department to follow. The Functional Fire Company will take you step by step from being an ordinary fire department to one that defines excellence.” —Rick Lasky, Fire Chief (ret.) Texas
“Chief Thompson has spent his entire career focusing on training and organizational effectiveness. The Functional Fire Company is his life’s work wrapped up into a playbook that offers insight into how to make your organization perform at maximum proficiency. Experience, perspective, and a never-quit mentality are evident as Chief Thompson provides a unique view to solving problems in the modern-day fire service.” —Terry McGrath, Assistant Chief, Lewisville (TX) Fire Department
“This book offers a living, breathing example that Chief Thompson’s principles truly work. I hope you get as much value from this book as we have received from Chief Thompson’s lessons and that you take what you learn back to your organization.” —Garrett Rice, The Colony Fire Department (TX) Battalion Chief, A Shift
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter 1 : The Colony Project
Chapter 2 : Don't Neglect the Culture
Chapter 3 : Sizing Up Fire Department Organizations for Change and Culture Modification
Chapter 4 : Fire Service Success : The Basics
Chapter 5 : Positioning the Fire Company for Success and Survival
Chapter 6 : Effective Supervision
Chapter 7 : Courageous Leadership
Chapter 8 : Training Essentials
Chapter 9 : Training Basics
Chapter 10 : Being Safe and Managing Risks : The Funcational Fire Company Way
Chapter 11 : The Seven Pillars of Smart Firefighting
Chapter 12 : Coaching The Functional Fire Company
Index
