Making changes in the fire service is sometimes particularly challenging due to the passion firefighters have for their work. Unlike a welder who may not have an emotional attachment to a particular technique, we are often personally invested in our methods and tactics.
This passion is a strength, but it also means change might be hard. Here, I’ll share how I’ve come to understand and approach this challenge.
Some Changes Are Harder Than Others
The fire service is often labeled as conservative and resistant to change, which I strongly disagree with. Equipment, procedures, and organizational structures evolve constantly.
Compared to other professions, being a firefighter is likely among the most dynamic ones and a lot of changes happen over night.
But if you want to make changes in our response to structural fires, you are in for a world of hurt.
Now, the reasons for this are many and not the primary focus of this article. But if you, like me, are in the business of changing firefighting you need to be thoughtful in how you try to do that.
The Reality of Change
The idea that some people genuinely like change, or that I personally enjoy change, is just nonsense. No one truly likes change because it involves admitting that what we did before was wrong—or at least not the best way. That’s always hard.
On top of that, change requires effort—learning new skills, adjusting habits, acquiring new equipment, or reworking established procedures. Most of this isn’t particularly enjoyable.
That means that whatever change we need to make has to overcome this natural human resistance. We cannot walk around with a naive view that we can create a culture that thrives on change.
What we can create is a culture where people hate being wrong more than they hate to change, that is the reality.
The challenge is to get over that point of no return with as little friction as possible. We must present change in a way that feels necessary and beneficial rather than threatening.
Authority Isn’t Enough
Creating change in the fire service may require some level of authority, either formal or informal. Formal authority comes with rank—being a chief, officer, or instructor. But having a title doesn’t automatically earn trust or guarantee that firefighters will follow your lead.
Informal authority, on the other hand, is built through competence, sound decisions, and experience. But earning this trust is challenging and comes with risks.
If firefighters follow you without questioning, you've created loyalty, not critical thinking.
While loyalty might feel nice, the fire service thrives on critical thinkers who can adapt, challenge assumptions, and improve systems—not just obedient followers.
Authority, both formal and informal, plays an important role in change. But more importantly, change must be driven by the mission to serve others—a mission that inspires and resonates with those who dedicate their lives to helping people.
A Purpose-Driven Change
A crucial step towards change is anchoring the change in a purpose that resonates with firefighters. Firefighters are driven by a deep commitment to their mission—protecting lives and serving their communities.
We need to demonstrate that the change is not about personal interests, politics, or even safety. (Yes, I argue that safety is not a good motivator for firefighters but that is a topic for another article maybe).
The purpose must be about improving the effectiveness and service that firefighters provide to the public. If the change is perceived as self-serving or imposed without a clear benefit to the community, it will definitely face resistance.
Firefighters need to see the connection between the change and their core mission.
And they need to see that the change is also valued among their peers. By aligning change with the values that firefighters already uphold, you create a sense of shared purpose that makes the transition smoother and more accepted.
Understanding Before Persuasion
Once firefighters recognize that a change is aligned with their mission, the next step is making sure they feel heard and understood. If you want to create change, the first step isn’t convincing people you’re right—it’s proving that you understand them.
Have you ever had someone articulate your own thoughts better than you could? That’s the level of understanding you want them to feel.
This kind of connection doesn’t come from authority, rank, or reputation. It comes from understanding their arguments, their experiences, and the conclusions they have formed from it.
If they believe you share the same mission and understand their arguments, they will at least consider your perspective—curious as to why you see things differently.
Change Without Blame or Shame
But firefighters are just humans with all our built-in flaws. For change to be accepted, firefighters must have a way to embrace new ideas without feeling blamed for past choices. Resistance to change often comes not from disagreement, but from the fear of admitting past mistakes.
To prevent this natural resistance, change should ideally be framed as a response to evolving circumstances—new research, advancements in equipment, or any other shift in the environment.
By framing the change as a response to external factors, and not a judgment on past actions, firefighters can adopt changes without feeling embarrassed or defensive.
"You did nothing wrong; the circumstances changed."
While this may not always be entirely true, it helps shift focus away from blame and toward progress—which ultimately benefits everyone.
Summary
Creating change in the fire service requires more than just a good idea. Authority alone isn’t enough—firefighters need to trust the messenger and believe that you share the same mission. Change must be framed as something that benefits the community and aligns with core firefighter values.
You need to understand and validate firefighters’ perspectives to prove to them why they should listen to you. While also removing the fear of failure by framing the change around external factors, which has never been easier due to research and technology improvements.
If your idea is still rejected, consider that the issue may not lie with the firefighters. Perhaps your idea needs refinement, or maybe it hasn’t been communicated effectively.
But by considering these issues you have at least tried to create a better foundation for change.
