Policy may not be the most exciting topic in the firehouse. In fact, retired Battalion Chief Bruce Bjorge jokes that when you bring up fire service policy and procedure in a mealtime conversation, you’re likely to be met with an eye roll. But in his webinar, “How’s Your Playbook? What Sports Can Teach Us About Excellence in Public Safety,” Bjorge makes a convincing case: Policy isn’t bureaucracy — it’s your playbook.
And in public safety, just like in sports, the playbook matters.
Imagine a football team (or any kind of team) without a defined playbook. No set formations, no expectations on execution, no clarity on roles — just players reacting in real time, hoping their instincts align. They might have raw talent, but without a shared strategy and understanding, success is unlikely.
The same holds true in the fire service. When your crew rolls out the door, every member should know the overall game plan, their individual assignment, and how to execute it under pressure. That only happens when policy is more than just a dusty binder on a shelf. It requires the full integration of policy and policy training into the core of your agency’s daily operations.
“It is foundational to a fire service organization’s success or failure,” Bjorge says. “You can have the best people, the best training, the best apparatus, but if you don’t have a clear playbook, none of it matters.”
Why Policy Still Matters
Policy discussions can seem boring, Bjorge acknowledges, but they’re critical for safety, efficiency and trust. “We need to make sure not only that you have a solid playbook, but that everybody knows what the playbook is and what their role is,” he explains.
Without clarity, even the best teams will struggle under pressure. Bjorge draws comparisons to professional sports: “Who goes to the Super Bowl? Teams that not only have good plays, but know how to execute on them.”
Check your attitude, know your role, and do your part to set your organization up for success.
Execute Like Champions
And let’s face it — execution is everything. Bjorge emphasizes that training must be directly tied to the organization’s policies. It’s not enough to drill skills in isolation. Teams need to practice the actual plays outlined in department procedures.
“In the fire service, it’s not just a matter of do you train or not,” he says. “But what are you training on? Is it of high quality? And is your training based on your policies and procedures?”
Just as sports teams drill against real plays, fire crews must align training with expectations and roles. That alignment is where excellence begins. So, when things get real and everyone needs to be on the same page, there will be no confusion about what to do. And what to do next.
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Normalize Accountability, Not Deviance
One of the most dangerous trends in public safety, Bjorge warns, is the normalization of deviance — when seemingly minor rule-breaking behaviors become accepted norms over time. “If we don’t hold each other accountable, we start cutting corners until it becomes the culture,” he says.
This is especially true in high-risk, low-frequency situations. Practicing policy-compliant responses to these events is what Bjorge calls “insulating risk.” Without appropriate training on the policy, members of your crew won’t have the knowledge and muscle memory to act in the best possible way.
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Policy vs. Procedure: Know the Difference or Pay the Price
It’s common for agencies to confuse policy and procedure, which can lead to enforcement issues and unnecessary liability. Bjorge clarifies: “Policy is a statement of position. It uses language like ‘shall’ and ‘always.’ It’s mandatory and enforceable.”
Procedures or standard operating guidelines (SOGs), by contrast, should offer tactical flexibility. These documents explain how to carry out the expectations outlined in policy but allow for situational adjustments. Bjorge emphasizes the importance of writing them with an eye toward operational nuance: “There is a big difference between what we must always do, and what we generally try to do based on conditions.”
As an example, he shares a story about a vehicle teetering on a guardrail, liable to tip over at any minute. The agency had an outdated SOG requiring stabilization of every vehicle with step chocks — regardless of the situation on the ground (or in this case, off the ground). “That kind of language sets us up for failure,” he says. In situations where traditional tools aren’t practical or safe, overly rigid procedures can put firefighters at greater risk, which would have been the case if responders had attempted to stabilize the tippy vehicle with step chocks. Departments need to allow room for discretion, Bjorge says, while maintaining alignment with policy.
“We need to build flexibility into our procedures without compromising safety,” Bjorge adds. Recognizing the difference between guiding documents and enforceable policy can help organizations train more effectively, discipline more fairly and ultimately operate more safely.
Dust Off the Binder: Make Access Real-Time
A playbook is useless if no one can find it. Bjorge urges leaders to move past binders and make sure their teams have 24/7 access to current policies.
“We need to show our people how they can get that information, where they can look it up quickly, and refer to it when they have time to think,” he says. Better yet, integrate policies directly into your agency’s training. Reviewing the appropriate SOG before a window bailout drill, for example, makes policy tangible.
Some departments use apps, digital drives or other mobile solutions. Whatever the method, Bjorge stresses: “Everybody needs to be playing from the same playbook.”
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Removing ‘I Didn’t Know’ from the Firehouse
Plausible deniability — “Geez, Chief, I didn’t know” — remains a major challenge. But Bjorge reminds leaders that it’s not just about enforcement. It’s also about communication.
“We flood our people with information,” he says. “But we don’t always highlight what’s important.”
To fix that, he recommends using technology or tracking tools to confirm receipt and acknowledgment of new fire service policy. “It’s not our job to force someone to read it,” Bjorge says. “It is our job to make sure they have access and acknowledge they’ve seen it.”
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Rules Are Only as Good as Enforcement
Bjorge shares a blunt reminder: “If we don’t enforce the policy, then it’s not worth the paper it’s written on.” Assuming, of course, that your agency’s policies are still printed on dead trees.
One of the most common policy violations in the fire service, Bjorge notes, is seatbelt noncompliance (despite mandatory-use policies). For some reason, public safety personnel are often remarkably blasé about their own personal safety. “You see belts buckled behind backs, and no one gets called on it,” he says. “That erodes the legitimacy of the policy.”
Equally important is applying rules equally across ranks. Whether it’s social media conduct or safety on scene, enforcement must be consistent and fair to maintain trust.
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Policies As Paddles: Row Together or Drift Apart
In closing, Bjorge returns to the central metaphor: Your policy is your paddle. If everyone isn’t rowing in the same direction, you’re not going to reach your destination.
“Everybody wants to be on a successful team,” he says. “If we get in the boat and know the mission, know our role, and know which side to row from, then we get where we’re going together.”
Policy isn’t just about compliance — it’s about cohesion. And cohesion is what separates struggling departments from those that thrive.
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Bringing Your Playbook to Life
Excellence in public safety doesn’t happen by accident. Like a championship team, success in the fire service requires clarity, consistency and commitment. That starts with your playbook, including policies and SOGs.
Bjorge challenges leaders to lead by example. Update your policies, integrate them into training, communicate changes clearly and enforce expectations fairly.
“This job really doesn’t suck unless we allow it to,” he says. “Check your attitude, know your role, and do your part to set your organization up for success.”
In other words: Know the plays. Drill on them. That way, when the time comes, the group works together like a championship team.
