3 Personality Traits You Want to See in Your Fire Wardens
Choosing the right employees for fire warden training is vital. While many people get through the training OK, this doesn't mean that they'll manage an emergency effectively. You need wardens with the right personality traits to cope in a crisis.
What should you look for when you shortlist potential fire wardens for your business?
1. A Cool Head
If you have a fire or other emergency at work, then you need your fire wardens to stay calm. If the person you've chosen for this role can't cope with the pressure, then they won't be able to follow their training and give people the guidance they need. This could put people in life-threatening situations.
So, choose employees who are good in a crisis. As you shortlist each candidate, think about how they cope when they are under pressure and have to make snap decisions. People who cope coolly in these situations are more likely to stay calm and collected in an emergency.
2. A Sense of Authority
If you have a fire in your building, then people need to follow your fire warden's instructions. They need to trust that these instructions are correct and obey them quickly. If your fire warden is a little timid and hesitant, then people may ignore or question their instructions. They may not do what the warden tells them to do because they don't see them as an authority figure. This can be dangerous.
The ideal fire warden has an aura of authority about them. People trust them to do the right thing; they do what they say. The best people to go to fire warden training are people who can lead others.
3. An Ability to Adapt
The training your fire wardens get should arm them with the knowledge they need to evacuate your building when necessary and keep people safe. However, fires and emergencies can create unpredictable situations that don't exactly follow a training manual's example scenarios. When this happens, some people get stuck in training mode. They desperately want to do the right thing; however, they don't know what to do.
If this happens, your fire wardens could lose the ability to make a judgement call and adapt to what is going on. Ideally, they should be able to think outside the box if they need to without taking unnecessary risks.
Your fire warden training provider may be a useful source of advice here. They can tell you more about the types of people who are best suited to this role.
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