THE ROOKIE INTERVIEW WITH LIEUTENANT JOHN MURRAY (DFD)

I was privileged to sit down with Lieutenant John Murray of the Dallas Fire Department recently to discuss this very thing. Over the next hour, you're going to have an opportunity to learn from one of Dallas' best Officers as he lays down The Rookie Gospel for those here in the city of Dallas and across the North American Fire Service.

Today's Fire Service is an interesting blend of Baby Boomers, Gen X'er, and Millennial firefighters. Each group has unique values and distinct ways of learning and processing information. As such, this interview is designed to build a bridge between these different generations... and hopefully to jump jumpstart a conversation at YOUR Fire Station. You may not do things like Lieutenant Murray and I do here in Dallas. Your department might have slightly different traditions and expectations for rookies. That's a good thing. The goal is to learn what is expected of you (as a rookie) and lean into the traditions and values that make your department great. 

The Fire Service Is Full of Tradition 

One of the greatest traditions has to be your first several years as a new Firefighter. During these years, you are known less by your actual name and more by titles such as Rookie, Probie, or Candidate. And if you're doing it "right," you're probably going to end up wet or covered in flour a handful of times... which is actually a compliment, I promise. 

But more importantly... 

It's a chance to prove yourself. 

To learn more than you ever thought you could.

It's a chance to earn a place within a crew and build a career almost anyone would envy. 

How Do You Crush Your Rookie Years? 

I was privileged to sit down with Lieutenant John Murray of the Dallas Fire Department recently to discuss this very thing. In this interview, you're going to have an opportunity to learn from one of Dallas' best Officers as he lays down The Rookie Gospel for those here in the city of Dallas and across the North American Fire Service. 

Here we discuss: 

  1.  Who are we talking about when we use the word "Rookie?" 

  2. What makes a “good rookie,” and what makes a “bad rookie?” 

  3. Do you think it’s harder to be a Rookie in today’s DFD or when you were a rookie? Why? 

  4. What do you expect from a rookie at your station?  

  5. What should a typical shift look like for a rookie?  

  6. Have the rookies let us down? Or have we let them down? 

  7. Is it important for rookies to embrace FD tradition? Why or why not?

We have included some PDF handouts, book recommendations, and other resources you should consider investing your time and money into (PDFs are free to download). The first of these recommendations is Lieutenant Murray's own, Rookie The Book: The Original Rookie's Guide to a Successful Fire Service Career. 

For The Rookie Firefighter

Congratulations if you’ve made it through the lengthy hiring process, Recruit/Rookie School, and into a Fire Station! You’ve hit the jackpot! The question now is...

How do you get off to the right start?
How do you make this a fulfilling career?
How do you honor the men and women who’ve gone before you? 

We set out to create a resource that should answer these questions and more. As we see it, there are two Fire Departments as of 2020. The “Old Fire Department” and the “New Fire Department.” You can’t find a better example of this than here in Dallas, TX. Over the past 5-7 years, we’ve had a mass exodus of veteran Firefighters as they’ve retired from our ranks. A new breed of firefighters is entering the service, and our goal is to help build a bridge for you between these two worlds. There are things you need to know, things you need to embrace, and very specific methods for success. Lieutenant John Murray lays it all out for you here.  If you live by this advice throughout your career, you’ll be one of those who confidently say, “best damn career ever!” 

THE INTERVIEW BROKEN DOWN INTO SMALLER LESSONS…

RESOURCES

As always, follow your department's policies and procedures first. This interview/conversation and resources are only intended to get you thinking and to give you one perspective on what it means to be a Rookie. There are several other resources on this subject that you can pick up on Amazon that we encourage you to read and/or watch as well. Seek differing viewpoints, and be sure to discuss this with your Station Officer (preferably before your first shift) what is expected of you.

Book Recommendations //

I cannot recommend enough that you invest in your career by taking the time to read through these books during your first two years: 

How To Thrive (Google Doc)

Rookie Training Schedule

Traditions by John Murray