A Firefighter - Difficult and Respectable Occupation

A firefighter’s job is not an easy one. To be worthy of being called a firefighter, one must expect to be put through strenuous tasks, mentally, physically and emotionally. On a regular basis, such people are expected to put out tremendous fires at the risk of their own lives. They are expected to know how to operate many different types of equipment and machinery, and can be held liable if they are not upholding their duties to the best of their ability. In addition to putting their own lives at stake, as well as their family member’s in an indirect sense, they are also accountable for the lives that they are obligated to save as well.

Needless to say, firefighters who perform their duties to the best of their abilities deserve not only recognition and praise for what they do, but should also be compensated accordingly. However, the duties which they are responsible for should be conducted in the proper manner. This means that overexaggerating duties, deliberately making tasks difficult or any other means of obstructing the job is unacceptable and should not be tolerated. By doing this, firefighters are not only jeopardizing their work ethic, but the lives and safety of the civilians that they are meant to serve. Upon learning that the firefighters under my leadership were intending to inflate their job duties in hopes of a pay raise, I would feel inclined to put a stop to it at once. However, it would also be my duty to ensure that their compensation is not affected negatively.

As the leader of the firefighters, I will also make sure that they are evaluated fairly and that their pay rate is adjusted accordingly. At the very least, I would go out of my way to object to any unjustifiable pay decrease in the crew. Like the people that I am overseeing, I too will hold myself accountable for my work performance and will report to the personnel analyst accordingly. This does not mean that I will speak poorly of my crew, but rather I will give them the credit they deserve. However, this credit must be given honestly. This is why it is absolutely crucial that the firefighters will go about their duties as usual. It is unnecessary and unethical to intentionally obstruct their own job functions for the possibility of a pay raise.

How well workers are compensated certainly plays a role in their work ethic (IBE, 2014). This does not mean that it is acceptable for workers to underperform in their line of work, especially considering that this particular occupation deals with public safety. To ensure that there would be no inflating of job duties, I would inform all members of the crew upfront that this will not be tolerated. I would reiterate to them that I am aware of each individual’s work ethic and what their duties entail. I would even go so far as to threaten disciplinary measures upon catching anyone doing anything of this nature. This not only includes what they are doing in their actual line of duty, but what they might be required to disclose to the personnel department analyst as well. Any information, true or false, that is revealed to the analyst will inevitably come back to me somehow. This will be especially noticeable if firefighters are approved for pay raises.

The personnel analyst will most likely be involved in more aspects of the firefighters than just their duties. I imagine that they will be conducting short interviews not only with myself, but with them as well. They will likely inquire of the nature of their work as well individual opinions regarding the difficulty of it. While much of what they will say is likely to be true to a degree, it is crucial that they will not inflate their job duties. This does not mean that they are forbidden from expressing concerns regarding the financial compensation they are receiving. This is a matter which should be brought up in a rational and professional manner, if at all. If it is to be taken seriously, it is also important for everyone to not overemphasize the difficulty of their tasks. Doing this will likely result in an indifferent attitude from the analyst regarding their pay rates.

With this said, I would want the firefighters to receive the recognition that they deserve, and for their current compensation to go unaffected, if not increased under the proper measures. I would not disclose what I have heard amongst the firefighters to the analyst, as this will likely affect their evaluation. I will give them the benefit of the doubt that they will perform and report accordingly, and will make sure to emphasize the true nature of the difficult tasks that these people face every day. It is a widely accepted fact that firefighting is a difficult and respectable occupation. With the proper influence, the analyst will likely feel inclined to implement a pay raise due to their perception bias that these people are good, hard workers. If they can fulfill their duties well and report to the personnel analyst honestly, their efforts will likely be noticed subconsciously through the positive stereotype that they fulfill (McCormick, 2016, p.5). To paraphrase my entire plan of action regarding this case, I would plan to remind my workers to remain honest in the job which they are in while convincing the personnel analyst to give them the credit and compensation that they deserve.