In their service to others, firefighters are compelled to conduct themselves under the incessant pressure to be error free. This pressure is tremendous.
This is reflected every month in fire-related publication. It is preached by fire instructors and constantly drilled into us during trainings. It hovers around the firehouse reflected in stories and myth.
The problem with this premise of perfection is the straightforward reality that mistakes happen. Despite the best intentions or any amount of training, things can and do go wrong. Successful firefighters understand that the key to lessening the impact of mistakes is to not allow them to repeat themselves, or more importantly, to gain momentum.
Repeating the same mistake over and over can diminish a career. Mistakes that are compounded on the fireground can lead to delays, changes in strategy and tactics or an unsafe incident.
Mistakes in the fire service come from many sources. Improper training, poor communications and lack of focus are a few of the origins of errors.