Fire Service Leadership - Case Study Example

Fire Service Leadership A career in the fire services requires preparation to face challenges in the most unexpected circumstances, and the decisionsrequired could be the difference between life and death. A study has been conducted with the objective of examining the role of leadership, especially during challenges. Such as study would serve to prepare for challenges by extracting key attributes or qualities that would help overcome the challenges. The study includes Joshua Lawrence Chamberlin on the battlefield of Gettysburg, Wagner Dodge in the Montana Fire, and Eugene Kranz in the Apollo 13 mission. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was born on 09/08/1828 in Brewer, Maine. Chamberlain was an excellent student and graduated from Bowdoin College in 1852. He went on to study at the Bangor Theological Seminary after graduation. He got married to Fannie Adams, and accepted a teaching position at Bowdoin College in 1855. The couple had five children. He was a believer of the strength of the American form of government, which was threatened by secession of the south in 1861. He left his position to volunteer his services to the State in 1862. Despite his lack of military experience, his education landed him the rank of lieutenant colonel for the 20th Marine Infantry Regiment. The regiment was assigned to Butterfield’s “Light Brigade” of the Fifth Corps, Army of the Potomac. The Maryland campaign of the fall of 1862 was his first battle experience. During the battle of Antietam on 19/17/1962 the 20th Maine Infantry was held in reserve. The 20th Maine was put in the forefront of the battle in Fredericksburg, Virginia on 12/12/1862. He had been promoted to Colonel by the summer of 1863. The charge of the 20th Maine Infantry under his leadership contributed largely to the Union victory at Round Top. He led his brigade at the battles of Wilderness, Spotsylvannia Court House, North Anna and Cold Harbour in 1864. He returned in 1865 after miraculously recovering from an injury as brigadier general to lead his troops at the Battle of Five Forks. After the battle, he was placed in command of the First Division of the Fifth Corps. He rode at the head of his troops in the Grand Review of the Army of Washington. He was elected governor of Maine in 1866. He accepted the position of president at Bowdoin College in 1871, and he restructured the college to include science and engineering curriculum. He resigned from his position in 1883 due to ill health, and remained active in veteran circles. He was honoured with the Congressional Medal of Honor for gallantry at Gettysburg in 1893. He was appointed Surveyor of the Port of Maine in 1900, and held this position until he died in 02/14/1914. The Fifth Corps marched to Hanover, Pennsylvannia before turning to Getysburg on July 1, 1863. Chamberlain faced the duty of addressing “mutinous” solders; who had refused to carry arms before their enlistments had expired. His brief speech and pledge to plead their cause caused all with a few exceptions to take arms and join the ranks of the 20th for the forthcoming battle. Fighting began at 4 o’clock. Colonel Chamberlain’s men rushed to the front placed on the southern slope of the Little Round Top, the extreme left of the Union line. Colonel Chamberlain’s regiment stood firm when the regiments collided. The colonel was able to observe the effects of Confederate charges on his position standing behind his ranks. Confederate attacks were in waves each more intense than the other. Chamberlain was hit with a bullet in his left thigh, but was fortunate to be left with a painful bruise. However, the Colonel leapt to his feet and continued to direct his troops for the defence of the rocky hillside and encouraging his men. The situation looked grim as ammunition began to run out. Chamberlain was observing the southern attacks in addition to directing his men. He sensed exhaustion among the Confederates, who were also running out of ammunition. He formulated a plan to defend the 20th Marine part of the shrinking Union line. The colonel called a quick meeting of his officers and explained his proposal. The charge by the 20th Marine Infantry was the climax of the fighting in front of Vincent’s brigade contributing greatly to the Union victory at Little Round Top (Gettysburg National Military Park). Wagner Dodge Wagner Dodge was one of the three people who survived the Mann Gulch Fire in 1949. He was a smokejumper. He died from cancer on 01/12/1955. The Mann Gulch fire was spotted on 08/05/1949 at 12:25 pm. The fire was in the Gates of Mountains Wild Area 20 mi north of Helena, MT to the east of Missouri River. It was a hot and windy day with temperatures reaching 97F. The fire was near the top of a ridge between Meriwether Canyon and Mann Gulch. To the north of Mann Gulch was mature ponderosa pine, and to the south was Douglas fir, ponderosa pine and juniper. Lower elevations had heavier undergrowth, and there was scattered timber and grass in the upper drier areas. The area was roadless and access was difficult. A smokejumper crew was dispatched from Missoula, MT, and the jump was completed between 3:50-4:10 am. Wagner Dodge, foreman and Earl Cooley, jumpmaster considered the jump routine. Foreman Dodge instructed squad leader Hellman to lead the crew along the north side toward the Missouri River. The fire was moving along the northeast, and Dodge decided that the ridge was not the safest place to attack the fire. The wind was blowing from north and east, which switched to the south and continued to blow at 24 mi/h at 3:30 pm. Foreman Dodge and recreation guard Harrison guard overtook the crew at 5:40 pm, and they continued down covering 400 yard in 5 min. It is believed that downdrafts of a small local thunderstorm blew the fire onto the mouth of the canyon. The crew turned around at 5:45, when they found that the fire was blocking their path to the river (see point 1 in figure 1). The fire was 150-200 yd away when the crew turned around. They continued uphill with an 18 percent grade. At point 2 the crew were instructed to drop their heavy tools. It was estimated that the fire could reach point 2 by 5:54; 1 min after the crew reached the point. Dodge lit an escape fire between points 2 to point 3. As the crew retreated up the canyon they moved away from timber into more open areas with higher exposure to wind. The fire was spreading at a rate of 360-610 ft/min and would have arrived at point 3 between 5:55 and 5:56 pm. Dodge tried to rationalize the situation and tried to clear an area, where the crew could go after the fuels burned away and give them a chance to escape the flames of the main fire. However, the crew split and continued to move up the canyon. Only three smokejumpers survived; Dodge in the fire escape fire, and Sally and Rumsey who took the steepest and shortest route to the ridge top. Dodge lay down within the area he had burned off, and the grassy slope burned away giving him an area free from fuels or radiation from injuring him. At 6:10 pm Dodge was able to move about the pockets of fire still burning (Rothermel 1-14). Figure 1. Mann Gulch Fire (Rothermel 1-14) Eugene Francis “Gene” Kranz Eugene Francis “Gene” Kranz was born on 08/17/1933. Kranz was born in Toledo, Ohio. He grew up on a farm overlooking the Willys-Overland Jeep production plant. He was fascinated by flight, which was apparent in his high school thesis “The Design and Possibilities of the Interplanetary Rocket.” He graduated from Parks College of Saint Louis University in 1954. He joined the US Air Force Reserve as Second Lieutenant and completed pilot training at Lackland Air base in Texas in 1955. He got married to Marta Cadena. He was sent to South Korea to fly the F-86 sabre aircraft for patrol operations. After the tour of South Korea, he left the Air Force and worked for McDonnell Aircraft Corporation assisting in the research and testing of Surface-to-Air and Air-to-Ground missiles for the US Air Force. Subsequently, he joined NASA Space Task Group in Virginia. He served as Mission Control procedures officer for MR-1 test, MR-3, and MA-6 flights; promoted to Assistant Flight Director for MA-7 flight, and Mercury and Gemini Flights. He then served as Flight Director on odd numbered Apollo Missions. He was promoted to Deputy Director of NASA Mission Operations in 1974, and Director in 1983. He served as Flight Director during Gemini and Apollo programs. He is well known for his role in directing successful Mission Control team saving the crew of Apollo 13. After retiring from NASA in 1994, he and his wife Marta reside in Texas along with his six children and seven grand children ("Eugene F. Kranz."). Apollo 13 was launched on 04/11/1970. It was the third mission to land humans on the surface of the moon. There was an explosion of one of the oxygen tanks, and resulted in damage to other systems. Pre-flight testing in oxygen tank 2 had damaged the wires; which got shorted and Teflon insulation caught fire. The fire spread raising the pressure and the tank exploded, damaging oxygen tank 1. With depleted oxygen, the command module became unstable. This resulted in the mission being aborted before the lunar landing could take place (NASA). Astronauts of Apollo 13 returned to earth through the leadership of Eugene Kranz on 04/17/1970. He created an environment of trust that lead to open communication, teamwork, shared knowledge and information, and collaboration. He would not have been able to succeed without the knowledge of many people. Kranz never doubted a safe return and when signs of panic began to emerge, he suggested everybody to keep their cool. He focussed on collaborative problem solving, and the common goal of the astronauts’ safe return (Myren). Analysis and Lessons Learned Chamberlin was correct in his observation of exhausted troops and estimation of diminishing ammunition. His strategic move to charge the Confederates, caught the advancing troops unawares and demoralized them eventually leading to their defeat. Also, he displayed abilities that were admired by others, which put him in a natural leadership position. I would have consulted with the three other regiments to co-ordinate the charge on the Confederates, and provide necessary back up if the plan did not work out. An alternative plan to charge at the Confederates would have been to pierce the Confederates, and break and trap them into segments that would have been more manageable. The Confederates had penetrated along the Union Line into Chamberlain’s regiment and were distanced from the rest of the Confederates. However, Chamberlain displayed remarkable courage and has taught that besides being courageous, it is important to continually assess the situation, analyze different outcomes, and be able to take calculated risks. Wagner Dodge displayed remarkable thinking in difficult circumstances. He has taught that during difficult circumstances, being able to think with a calm head could be the only help. He displayed qualities of being vigilant, quick thinking, and making calculated decisions. There was hardly much time and it would have been very difficult to do anything otherwise. When at point 1 the crew were confronted by fire, I would have considered alternatives to reach the river through or along the fire rather than running in the direction of the wind and along the direction of fuel. However, the circumstances were very difficult and Dodge displayed remarkable analytical and decision making ability. Eugene Kranz took responsibility for the situation, and emphasized on everybody remaining calm. He was able to have several intelligent minds eke out a solution for the safe return of the astronauts. I wouldn’t have handled the situation in any other way. He displayed courage, collaboration, emotional stability, and ability to shoulder responsibility in a challenging situation without blaming others. Conclusion Attributes those were common in all three situations where the ability to keep calm, observe, analyze and select options that had the highest probability of success. Challenging situations are often hard to predict, and present themselves in ways that do not have pre defined solutions. Facing such challenges requires the ability to learn attributes that leaders displayed, when they were faced with such situations and has been aptly said: “Leading under fire is when the flame burns brightest, when we can see what makes deference.” References "Eugene F. Kranz." Academic.Ru. 2009. Academic.Ru, Web. 3 Nov 2009. . Gettysburg National Military Park . "Col. Chamberlain & the 20th Maine Infantry." Voices of Battle. 2009. Gettysburg National Military Park, Web. 3 Nov 2009. . NASA. "Apollo 13 Command and Service Module (CSM)." NASA. 2009. NASA, Web. 3 Nov 2009. . Rothermel, Richard. "Mann Gulch Fire: A Race That Couldn’t Be Won." General Technical Report INT-299 United States Department of Agriculture. 1.1 (1993): 1-14. Print. Myren, Laura. "Eugene Kranz Returns Apollo 13 to Earth." Rick Ringers Home Page. 25/04/2007. Illinois State University, Web. 3 Nov 2009. . Read More