Pete Michalak, Part 1: Hire for Character. Teach with Purpose.
Send us Fan Mail Pete Michalak from Northville Township joins me to talk about the people we hire and the way we teach them. We get into academy culture, connecting with students, keeping the job fun, and helping firefighters think for themselves. Part 1 of two. Part 2 and the full YouTube conversation arrive Monday, November 9 at 9 a.m. Eastern. I love working with Pete, and this conversation gets into why. We start with Northville Township's culture and what it means to hire people you want to work and live with. Pete talks about choosing a better fit for his career, even when the move meant starting over in rank. Then we get into the classroom. How much of a fire academy should be paramilitary? When does discipline need to become coaching? Pete explains the approach he takes and why he wants students to leave with more than a passing score. We also talk about the small things that help an instructor connect: learning a student's name, listening to a question, and making the room feel like a conversation. Pete explains how teaching changed the way he acts as a student, too. We finish Part 1 talking about options, different bodies and abilities, and developing firefighters who can think through a problem. In this part: - Hiring for character and building a crew people want to join. - Career choices that go beyond rank. - Academy discipline, coaching and enjoyment of the job. - Connecting with students without putting yourself above them. - Learning from other instructors. - Teaching adaptable firefighters. Part 2 continues with mentoring, a mistake Pete still learns from, and what we expect from a good teammate. Part 2 and the full YouTube conversation arrive Monday, November 9 at 9 a.m. Eastern. Thanks to Fire Facilities for supporting 3 Point Firefighter: https://www.firefacilities.com/ Explicit language. The training examples are part of the guest discussion, not a standalone skills lesson. Email me at 3pointFirefighter@Gmail.Com Check out our Facebook Page 3 point Firefighter Podcast https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560769894306 YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAv_hMC8vxrurhIunXtaJXg 3 PFF Merch https://3-point-firefighter.printify.me/products #JakeBarnes,#3Pointfirefighter
