Mentoring Officers

[Carl]

Due to some good discussion within another thread I thought I would start a thread on the topic of Mentoring Officers. 

• Which services have them and who are they?
• How are they mobilised and what to?
• Do they take over and if so when and should they?
• Do they provide any value to an incident or commanders?

Feel free to discuss all aspects of the Mentoring Officer role. 

[Aspire]

In LFB, we have the role of the monitoring officer, this will be remote or in person dependent upon the incident. Their role is to advise, guide and support the incident commander until the threshold for taking over is reached.

• 2 Pumps - Sub/StnO IC, SC will remotely monitor dependent on incident type
• 3/4 Pumps - Sub/StnO IC with SC MO and GC RMO

*If a Sub is in charge, then the StnO can monitor and the SC will assume assurance role.

• 5-6 Pumps - SC IC, GC MO, DAC(AM) RMO
• 7 - 10 Pumps - GC IC, DAC(AM) MO, AC RM
• 11 - 15 Pumps - DAC IC, AC MO, Dep or Commissioner RMO

AC takes over above 15 

The role of the remote monitoring officer is to monitor the messages from where they are and liaise with the monitoring officer at scene to provide that additional level of ‘support’. If a job is made up, it should be that RMO coming on to assume the MO role and then IC if required.

There were plans to increase the threshold at SC and GC to reduce such frequent handovers, but that has not come to fruition.

Also, my loosely based table above doesn’t take into account the recent appearance that the dep and chief aren’t doing ops anymore and their role seems to have been given to a senior AC, almost a resurrection of the ‘third officer’….. Political motivation. 

[Becile]

Flexi officers (any not just ops assurance )  are mobilised to incidents (life threat and above 16 personel) If the flexi doesn't take over at the smaller incidents(not complex) then the only role they can assume (if staying )is monitoring officer, (dons tabard  !) they would observe, advise , mentor and debrief/ discuss points with OIC towards end of incident (if required )We also have a specific IMO debrief proceedure that should be followed.(ops assurance)Obviously If the IMO considers he or she needs to take over at any time they do.

If a flexi SC is in charge - a GC is mobilised as IMO, and so on as you move through Incident levels.

Generally works apart from where you get a very experienced operational JO (20- 30 years say )and a less experienced more Senior Officer who may not have spent much time on the ground so to speak. But everyday's a school day, and learning goes both ways.

Must stress it is not breathe down anyones kneck. (Unless they really need it ...lol...then you take over)

[TandA]

11 hours ago, Becile said:

Must stress it is not breathe down anyones kneck

Despite my tongue in cheek comment on the other thread, I would have to say it is the same here.  I have only ever received supportive and helpful input on the fire ground.  I am a strong believer in every day being a school day and always willing to learn from the knowledge and experience of others. 

[HB2016]

Our Tactical Advisors are generally good as gold. They won't take over unless they 1 - Deem it necessary or 2 - Have to. They will sit in a mentoring/advising role and generally take some of the mundane considerations off of you such as cordons. We'll give them an SRPR on arrival (Situation, Risks, Plan, Resources) and they'll either say excellent, carry on or ask for the tabbard.

Most of the managers are people you've worked with on watches in a previous life so they're pretty chilled out.

I have attached an image to show how our system works.

[Steve]

On 29/01/2022 at 08:59, Aspire said:

• 3/4 Pumps - Sub/StnO IC with SC MO and GC RMO

Also, my loosely based table above doesn’t take into account the recent appearance that the dep and chief aren’t doing ops anymore and their role seems to have been given to a senior AC, almost a resurrection of the ‘third officer’….. Political motivation. 

Aspire, Am I not correct in thinking the SC only goes out at 4 pumps and is informed at 3 pumps and then only if it is declared a 3 pump fire? or has that changed. As a GC, I'd not be happy at the constant buzzing of the pager every time a SC goes out to a 3pf, especially if it wasn't declared and was just a 3 pump attendance at a fire (albeit I accept if they are keeping 3 they should state that, but we know the reality).

As for the last nonsense.... what a sh1tshow that is. Talk about run away from responsibility. I wouldn't have even taken the job if they were the terms, although I am not political, so that bit of my head where someone would accept that from the Mayor (which is where I believe it originated) isn't wired that way and almost certainly why the roles above GC were never for me and I never for them. 

[Aspire]

1 hour ago, Steve said:

Aspire, Am I not correct in thinking the SC only goes out at 4 pumps and is informed at 3 pumps and then only if it is declared a 3 pump fire?

Yes, you are right, I certainly cant remember the last time I went out on a three. Especially as we tend to make up in even numbers until 12.

Totally agree on the political part, the Commissioner should be able to run the service as they see fit, not as a proxy!

[HB2016]

@Aspire Forgive me if this seems a strange question. You noted Sub/Stn O as your initial commanders. What about LF? I notice that is not mentioned at all. Do LF's not go out in charge of appliances?

[Aspire]

They go out in charge of appliances but will only take charge of single appliance incidents. If there is a second appliance, command will default to the Sub/StnO.

[HB2016]

Ah ok, Thanks!