How do you run your start-of-shift roll call?

Almost every department requires some type of gathering at the start of the work shift. This is the time to confirm the day’s staffing, make assignments, pass-on information from the off-going shift and provide firefighters with department-required information.

Times have changed from roll call as a formal event where the on-duty crew shows up in Class A uniforms at the start of the workday. Mike Legeros shared this picture from a 1972 “Day in the Life of a Fireman” News & Observer article about Raleigh, North Carolina.

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An example from FDNY

Battalion Chief Frank Leeb describes how the informal roll call is conducted in the quarters of Engine 287 and Ladder 136:

… begins at 0900 hours in a small sitting area
 behind the engine apparatus. The roll call
 starts with a discussion of
 recent fires to which the
 companies responded, as
 well as other noteworthy 
fires from around the City
 and beyond.

… one of the junior 
Firefighters reads from the
 book, The Last Alarm, authored by Micheal L. Boucher, Gary R. Urbanowicz and
 Frederick B. Melahn, Jr.
 This book provides information on the circumstances
 of each line-of-duty death
 (LODD), documents the traditions of the FDNY and ensures that members will never forget the sacrifices of the 
FDNY’s fallen members.

The conversation then moves on to the
 current “hot topics” and current events
 that are likely to impact the companies.
 This will include items related to the safety 
of the Firefighters, as well as a discussion 
regarding adjoining companies out of service, activities (such as training or building 
inspection) scheduled for the day, the fore¬
casted weather and, of course, the assignment of riding positions. This roll call often
lasts for more than 30 minutes and it is not
 uncommon for both incoming on-duty and
 outgoing off-duty members to attend the 
morning roll call.

What an impressive way to pass on values, safety/situation awareness, and expectations. The 2007 hardback version of The Last Alarm is out-of-print, this link takes you to a print-on-demand service that will provide you a copy for $49.

The-Last-Alarn.jpg

Other officers have used NIOSH LODD reports, Firefighter Close Calls, and Firefighter Near Miss reports to provide examples to share at roll call.

FDNY Pro Digital Subscription

Two years ago I moved from a paper to digital subscription of the quarterly training journal With New York Firefighters (WNYF). The FDNY Foundation runs WNYF, Pro EMS, and ProFit magazines. They are expanding into more digital content with a blog, podcast, videos, and films.  Recently they added WNYF back issues and published Chief Dunn’s latest book Building Construction: The Firefighter’s Battlespace.

A FDNY Pro digital subscription is $25 for 1 year, $35 for 2 years. Click here for details

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Leeb, Frank (2017, 4th issue) “Roll Call: The Firefighter’ Competitive Advantage” With New York Firefighters. page 6. Retrieved May 13, 2018, from www.fdnypro.org/digital-edition/2017-4th-wnyf/