Emergency medical services supervisors have to handle their employees effectively in demanding, life-or-death situations. One way to improve accountability and overall effectiveness in EMS settings involves adopting company officer culture, a mainstay in fire departments. Each individual must know what he or she is responsible for and who to report to.

It's important to have a solid framework in place for succession within a police department. When leaders actively assess suitability for promotion at all levels of the command chain, open roles can be filled smoothly and quickly, with minimal disruption.

Letting stress go unnoticed or unmanaged within a fire department workforce can lead to problems over time. Psychological trauma leaves invisible scars, so recognizing it isn't always easy. Firefighter supervisors have to work hard to ensure their team members' mental health needs are being met.