The NIOSH 5 and Leadership – The Jeff Snider Interview – 403

In this interview, Dr. Gasaway talks with Jeff Snider about the NIOSH 5 – or the five most often cited contributing factors in Line of Duty death investigations and lessons for leaders.

 

Jeff Snider has served with the Canadian military as a Special Forces Operator (3 CDO), a Correctional Officer at a maximum-security facility, and 28 years in the Fire Service, serving in the positions of Firefighter, Lieutenant, Captain, K9 Handler, Acting Training Officer and Assistant Chief, in both the Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services, and the Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service. 

 

Jeff has been involved as an instructor in the Fire Service since 1997. Outside of the departments that he has worked for as a firefighter, he has been fortunate enough to have travelled all over BC, across Canada, and as far south as Mexico and Peru, in his role as an instructor/evaluator.

 

Jeff’s role now, as the Chief Instructor for the Practical N Tactical Training Group, allows him to work with like-minded, dedicated instructors, who understand that teaching is an outstanding opportunity to “pour back into” the community that has provided so much to them. He sees this as both a privilege and a pleasure. 

 

When Jeff’s not at work, he is spending time with his “Much Better Half”, his “mutts”, his family and friends. Exercising brain and body is a priority so he will often be lifting something, rolling with his Jiujitsu buddies or reading something. Otherwise, you may find him hiking the woods, building unusual playhouses for his grandchildren or carving things with a chainsaw!

 

The NIOSH five are:

1.   Improper Risk Assessment

2.   Lack of Incident Command

3.   Lack of Accountability

4.   Inadequate Communications

5.   Lack of SOPs or Failure to Follow Established SOPs

 

These are the top 5 causal factors that contribute to the ultimate outcomes in the investigated LODD reports. And while we are on the topic, please tell me you are reviewing, personally and with your crew, each and every NIOSH Line of Duty Death report. This is an invaluable resource, made available to all of us. When tragedy strikes our Fire Service family, it is imperative that we don’t lose the lessons that others have paid the highest price.

 

These five leading causes can also be attributed to the most common leadership failures, in the Fire Service, and many other organizations as well.

 

Here is an outline of what we’ll be talking about today:

1 - Inadequate communications

-       Listen (verbal and non-verbal).

-       How you communicate your message.

-       Clear and concise message.

-       Public speaking skills.

-       No unnecessary messaging.

-       Honest feed