Are We Preparing Firefighters to be Successful Company Officers –The Data Will Surprise You
Mark Nugent
Friday, June 13, 2025
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Through research for the final National Fire Academy applied research paper (ARP) for the Executive Fire Officer Program, titled “Are Firefighters Prepared to be Successful Company Officers”, the instructor will share the findings, themes, and recommendations of the ARP. Research was conducted through peer-reviewed articles and qualitative research of two specific groups of interviewees; company officers with two years or less in their position and battalion chief who have been in their position for at least three years. Those participating represented five fire/EMS/rescue organizations from three separate states.
The questions for the new company officers were developed to determine how prepared they were as firefighters to be successful as a new company officer, training they competed, where they felt prepared, and where they struggled in the new assignment. The questions for the battalion chiefs were centered on training they provided to firefighters striving to be company officers, areas where new company officers were prepared to be successful, and where these new company officers failed. The instructor has filled the role of firefighter, company officer, battalion chief, and chief of professional standards, with over 30 years of leadership and supervisory experience and has seen first-hand where new company officers have succeeded and failed.
The data collected painted a picture of new company officers not being prepared for personnel issues faced by new supervisors, having difficult discussions, completing administrative tasks, counseling, and evaluating their members. None of the company officers interviewed discussed struggling with operational tasks and duties (fire and EMS operations), yet several of those interviewed were promoted while never participating as an acting company officer. The battalion chief’s data painted a picture of new company officers struggling with personnel and administrative responsibilities, with many lacking the basic knowledge, skills, and abilities to be successful as an incident commander. They also highlighted “bad attitudes” being the worst trait a company officer could exhibit to their shift members and the community.
The program will highlight one of the significant research recommendations, in the form of developing and implementing a Company Officer Preparatory Program for those firefighters striving to become company officers. This program will move the training requirements beyond the typical operational requirements of the company officer position, to include training in the identified areas from the research to include personnel, administrative, and leadership skills being critical to being a successful company officer.
Mark Nugent
Assistant Chief Mark Nugent is a member of Horry County Fire Rescue, serving as the Assistant to the Fire Chief, managing all department Professional Standards, Community Risk Reduction and Fire Investigation efforts. Prior to joining Horry County Fire Rescue, Chief Nugent worked 35 years for Chesterfield, VA, Fire and EMS; served four years as the Chief of Emergency Services for Middlesex County, VA; a year as the Public Information Officer for Horry County Fire Rescue, and four years as a Division Chief and Fire Marshal for Midway Fire Rescue. Chief Nugent has an associate degree in Fire Science, an associate degrees in EMS Management, a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Management, a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, and is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officers program at the National Fire Academy.
Chief Nugent is an active member of the South Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs, the South Carolina Firefighters Association, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the Southeastern Association of Fire Chiefs, the South Carolina Fire Marshals Association, Board Member of the Institution of Fire Engineers – USA Branch, and Board Member for the United Way of Horry County. Chief Nugent is a South Carolina Certified Fire Marshal and holds the Chief Fire Officer designation from the Commission on Professional Credentialing. In 2019, Chief Nugent was presented the Fire Safety Commendation Award from the Sons of the American Revolution. Mark and his wife April live in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina with their two ornery cats, Phoebe and Oakley.
