Exploring the Role of Psychological Safety and Trust in the Lived Experiences of 

Women in the Fire Service

Results — Key lessons

ĵ Psychological safety is shown to be a significant element of workplace efficacy and enabling 

performance and cohesive teams. The results of this study are consistent with this important 

emergent research in workplace effectiveness.

ĵ This study reinforces claims that leadership plays a pivotal role in the retention of women in 

the profession. Fire service leadership must be vigilant in identifying and mitigating issues 

associated with gender disparity, discrimination, and harassment. Using the Critical Incident 

Technique, a methodology that is well-validated in studies that examine workplace relationships 

and organizational effectiveness, this study directly gathered information from women in 

fire service careers to better understand the ways in which we can support the retention of 

women in these careers.

ĵ Findings suggest that the participants in this sample intended to remain in fire service careers 

despite significant barriers and a lack of equal access to promotional opportunities. Major 

factors contributing to their intention to remain included endurance and trusted leadershipcentered work groups. 

ĵ Leadership actions which drew the most frequent attention from participants included both 

effective hearing and listening. The ability of an officer to stop and listen to what their subordinate 

is saying, to engage in conversations with empathy, and a leaders’ willingness to acknowledge 

ownership of the issues were among the most meaningful actions cited. Study results also 

suggested that trust in leadership, specifically the first-line supervisor (e.g., company officer), 

is a primary element in resilience and fostered a psychological safe environment for women 

endure the challenges of pursuing the fire service as a career path.

ĵ All participants were able to explain how the barriers they faced challenged them and how 

the support of both line officers and that of senior officers (including the executive level) 

provided assurance, validation, and affirmation. While there were varying expressed levels 

of self-confidence and empowerment, all eight of the participants gave significant credit to 

these leadership actions.

ĵ While trust is a trait not easily fostered and psychological safety of the group is a term not often 

used within the fire service, study results suggest that women view both as critical elements in 

promoting growth and longevity within their fire service careers by ensuring access to training 

opportunities, career development, and experiential learning.

ĵ Further data collection is necessary to comprehensively evaluate how women view trust within 

the firehouse. Highlighting the critical need for psychological safety at local and national 

events for the purpose of creating awareness is an important next step for data collection and 

discussion. More importantly, a comprehensive understanding of trust and psychological safety 

within the fire service contributes to the development of training and educational programs 

designed to support fire service leaders in creating more inclusive fire departments. 

ĵ Advocacy for recruitment and retention of women in fire service careers is already present to 

some extent in the curriculum at the National Fire Academy; however, this study recommends 

increasing efforts to build upon and expand the existing curriculum for both managing and 

executive-level officers. Building out a more comprehensive curriculum should focus on providing 

more tailored guidance for managing and executive officers in efforts to create inclusive 

environments that foster access to opportunities for women across all ranks. Additionally, 

providing instructional materials that demonstrate how to correctly identify and mitigate 

non-inclusive promotional policies and practices and will be a critical next step.

Congratulations 

to the 2023 

Manno Outstanding 

Research Award 

Winner

Benjamin D. Fleagle

Battalion Chief

University Fire Department, 

Fairbanks, Alaska
2024 Executive Fire Officer

and Leadership Symposium

Day one | Friday, April 5, 2024

7:30 - 8 a.m. Conference registration

E Building, first floor

8 - 8:10 a.m. Call to order, Pledge of Allegiance

Chief Trey Mayo

8:10 - 8:20 a.m. Opening remarks

Eriks Gabliks, National Fire Academy (NFA) superintendent

8:20 - 8:40 a.m. Executive Fire Officer (EFO) Program Updates 

Edward Kensler, Chief William Hyde, section staff

8:40 - 9 a.m. Manno Award

Chief Curvin Wolfgang

9 - 9:45 a.m.

Leadership Lessons From the Lab

Dr. Daniel Madrzykowski, senior director of research for the 

Underwriters Laboratories Firefighter Safety Research Institute

9:45 - 10 a.m. Break

10 - 11 a.m.

Building Resilience in Leadership: Strategies for 

Growth and Confidence

John Tippett, director of fire programs, National Fallen 

Firefighters Foundation

11 a.m. - noon

Leadership Through Upstream Thinking

Kristopher T. Blume, fire chief of the Meridian Fire 

Department (Idaho)

Noon - 1:15 p.m. Lunch 

National Emergency Training Center (NETC) Dining Hall

1:15 - 2:15 p.m.

DEI/Diversity Fatigue

Dr. Hezedean Smith, fire chief at Polk County Fire and Rescue 

(Florida)

2:15 - 2:30 p.m. Break

2:30 - 4 p.m.

Human Resources Hot Topics: Pregnancy, Drug Use, 

Others

John Rukavina, director of Public Fire Safety Services

4 - 4:30 p.m. EFO Section presentation

Chief Curvin Wofgang, Chief William Hyde, TBD

4:30 - 4:45 p.m. Closing remarks 

Chief Trey Mayo

4:45 - 5 p.m. Break

5 - 6 p.m.

Partner information tables, meet with authors of 

select EFO research papers, and reception at NETC 

Command Post Pub

Hosted by International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) 

EFO Section

All sessions will be held in E Auditorium unless otherwise noted. 

Schedule subject to change.

6 - 9 p.m.

IAFC/EFO Symposium Gathering

The Ott House

This is an independent event that is not affiliated with the NFA.

Day two | Saturday, April 6, 2024

8 - 8:10 a.m. Call to order, Pledge of Allegiance

Chief Trey Mayo

8:10 - 9:30 a.m. Chiefs panel

Moderated by Eriks Gabliks, NFA superintendent

9:30 - 10:15 a.m.

Mental Health

Dena Ali, battalion chief with the Raleigh Fire Department 

(North Carolina)

10:15 - 10:30 a.m. Break

10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Safety/Injury Reduction

Dr. Anthony Stowers, retired fire chief/emergency 

management director

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Lunch

NETC Dining Hall

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.

Put Your People in Their Place ... To Ensure Success

Rudy Ruiz, founder/CEO of Resource Management 

Consultants

1:30 - 2:30 p.m.

WUI/Risk Reduction

Matt Samson, deputy fire chief of South San Francisco Fire 

Department

Dave Winnacker, fire chief of Moraga-Orinda Fire District 

(California)

2:30 - 2:45 p.m. Break

2:45 - 3:45 p.m. Generational Leader

Ellen Yarborough, deputy chief of South Media Fire Company

3:45 - 4:45 p.m.

Lessons in Leadership

Charlie Dickinson, former U.S. deputy fire administrator and 

former Pittsburgh Fire Department chief

4:45 - 5 p.m. NFA/EFO closing