Fire Officer: Principles and Practice, 4e

by Michael J. Ward

The fourth edition of Fire Principles and Practice was significantly updated and reorganized to better serve the Fire Officer I and Fire Officer II. The content meets and exceeds the job performance requirements for Fire Officer I and II in the 2020 Edition of NFPA 1021, Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications. The new edition places an emphasis on the application of leadership traits and management theories, common leadership and management challenges, and how leadership is used to meet objectives. The basic principles and methods of Community Risk Reduction are also discussed.In addition, the program now has two distinct Section One includes eight chapters, which set the foundation for Fire Officer I knowledge and understanding. Section Two comprises six chapters, which encompass the higher level competencies required for Fire Officer II. This new organization will allow you the flexibility to teach your Fire Officer I and II course(s) exactly the way you wish.

442 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 13, 2005

Reviews

[Jessica Boyd]

I actually read the 4th edition but I didn’t see it available to select on Goodreads. Some of the chapters are so long and random. It’s like they spread notecards with all of their topics out on a table and then put all the obvious ones together and then they were like “I guess we will just take the rest of these random ones and stick them wherever!” Also, I felt like they went too in depth on certain topics. At the captains level you just don’t need to know some of the things that they went super into detail on, at least not in our department. Additionally, they need to hire a better editor because I found at least ten errors. I also found the introduction and conclusion for the chapters to be lacking, the introductions in the building construction book were much more interesting and helpful. I did like how they had a mini glossary at the end of each chapter instead of along the sides of the book.

[Richard]

I like the material in the book - there's a lot of good stuff there. However, the review questions often seem to be focused on whether or not you memorized the material (like giving an item from a list and then asking which number it was in said list) rather than knowing how to apply the material. That is something that bothers me. The chapters also seem to have occasional conflicts (like -among other things - having multiple definitions of the word "discipline").

It's a good textbook, and you'll probably get a copy if you take the Fire Officer I or II class. If you're seeking promotion in a department that looks at certifications, this is a good book for you.

[Heather]

yeah...probably never gonna read that one again! :) It had some interesting tidbits, but I really only read it to help Curt with testing for the Captain's process to write out flashcards for him. 719 flashcards later, I am done. I'm pretty sure I could pass any multiple choice test on this book right now!

[Javatis Midget]

This book is a great introduction to what a new fire officer may potentially face. It was a great refresher for me!

[Jason Braida]

It's a book..,.and I read it. Yes I read it for work but hey....it counts...right.

[Rogelio Miranda]

Required reading for my department's promotional process. Very informative