Inconsistencies between Shifts

[eng54ine]

I'm in the process of compiling a applied research paper. I'm looking for comments and any statistics on problems encountered between shifts. Could be large stations, could be small rural departments. I think after being in the fire service for almost 28 years there must be someone else with knowledge of this problem. Any info will help. Thanks...

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[This message has been edited by eng54ine (edited 02-08-2001).]

[ADSN/WFLD]

Of course their are differences in shifts and stations, it comes from the different management styles of the officers at those stations. For example if station 6 has one officer that manages with a theory x approach and another with a theory y approach their is no way that the two shifts will be the same. It's not just different management styles that will create differences, a younger officer that wants to move up the chain will run things different that some one just waiting out the final years till retirement.

The key to minimizing the differences is for the organization to have a strong central command (Chief) Well defined objectives for the organization, following your mission statement, and having a good set of SOP's.

Some differences are good, they encourage new ideas and add diversity to the organization.

[ffnbs]

At one point during my ten plus years here we had three shifts that seemed to have their own culture in respects to attitude. We had the "crybaby" shift that whined and complained about everything, the lazy*** shift that didn't do anything, and the suck*** shift that kissed the chiefs butt at every opportunity. Luckily things have changed for the better, we now have a little of all on every shift.