What Firefighters Want in 2025? 

The relationship between aggressive tactics and a heightened safety culture has long fueled intense debate at firehouses across the nation. In its 2025 state-of-the-industry survey, FireRescue1 sought to understand what’s truly fueling this conversation and what firefighters ultimately want. 

The key takeaway is encouraging: 95% of firefighters surveyed believe that a safety culture and aggressive firefighting can, in fact, coexist. Furthermore, 88% of respondents consider themselves aggressive firefighters, and 97% identify as safe firefighters, showing a strong belief that these two concepts do not exclude one another. 

However, digging beneath the surface reveals nuances and misunderstandings about core principles, suggesting that while the consensus is clear, the practical execution and definitions continue to evolve. 

Safety & Aggression: Coexisting Concepts 

Chief John Oates directly addresses the notion that safety and aggression are mutually exclusive; a position the survey strongly refutes. Aggressive tactics, when correctly applied, can actually drive safe fireground decisions. The underlying logic is that if fire companies train aggressively and deploy sensibly, the fire will be extinguished faster, making the operation safer by reducing the time spent in the hazard zone. 

A significant challenge is the lack of a standard definition for both “safe” and “aggressive” behavior. The interpretation often changes based on the department type and location—career departments in urban settings, for instance, may operate with a greater sense of predictability than volunteer departments in rural areas without municipal water supplies or guaranteed staffing levels. In this context, the risk calculation for the first-in company changes drastically. 

Furthermore, the data points to a misunderstanding of foundational principles like “2-in/2-out” and risk analysis. Some respondents argue that safety culture requirements delay action, stating, “Safety culture costs time our victims do not have.” The eBook counters this by noting that a rapid 360 size-up and a go/no-go decision takes a skilled company less than three minutes, indicating that “It takes too much time” to be safe is the mantra of the lazy or unprepared. The ideal aggressive firefighter is “calculated and efficient,” not unsafe or reckless. 

Good Risk vs. Bad Risk 

The fire service moves toward differentiating between good risk and bad risk. This distinction is critical for tactical decision-making: 

• Good Risk involves calculated, necessary actions that firefighters take with preparation and awareness. 
• Bad Risk is reckless or unnecessary decisions that endanger personnel without a corresponding benefit. 

Organizational culture plays a crucial role in how firefighters view risk. Departments that prioritize safety mitigate risks through protocols, while cultures that celebrate heroism may tolerate a higher threshold for risk. The survey indicates that 91% of respondents believe their department commits strongly to safety, while 87% believe their department supports aggressive tactics, illustrating the desired balance between the two. 

Firefighters Debate Safety Culture vs. Mission Expectations 

The personal mindset about safety culture elicited nearly 1,500 survey responses, which fell into five themes: 

• Risk vs. Reward Mentality: Firefighters agree the job is dangerous, but unnecessary risk is unacceptable. 
• Safety Through Training and Competence: Training is the cornerstone of safety, and competence provides a direct way to reduce danger. Many feel they should focus on increasing competency rather than merely adding more safety protocols. 
• Balance Between Firefighter Safety and Civilian Rescue: This is an intensely personal concern. Many respondents feel the pendulum has swung too far toward firefighter safety, sometimes at the expense of civilian life. They acknowledge they should not “kill firefighters to save the unsalvageable” but must be willing to “move mountains to save those whom they can save.” 
• Concern Over Safety Culture Overreach: A number of firefighters voiced concern that the safety culture pendulum has “swung too far,” leading to an overly “risk-averse” mindset. Some believe safety culture serves as a “crutch to shore up incompetence, fear and accountability.” Aggressive firefighters desire the freedom to take actions they train for and prepare for. 
• Personal Responsibility for Safety and Situational Awareness: This theme emphasizes that safety begins with the individual. A powerful summary of this view is “I train so I don’t have to rely on policy to keep me safe.” Situational awareness and making educated, calculated decisions are key components of this mindset.

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The Final Word

The conclusion firefighters draw from the collective sentiment is that the modern firefighter seeks a professional balance, which they build on training and discipline. 

For a firefighter to be aggressive and safe, they must utilize their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) correctly, acknowledging that this gear is a lifesaver, but only when they respect and use it as designed. Beyond the physical tools, the mental and emotional health of personnel constitutes a vital element of safe operations. The job involves witnessing trauma and loss, which takes a significant toll. Supporting each other mentally and physically is necessary for a firefighter to sustain the aggressive, yet calculated, approach the service requires. 

Ultimately, firefighters want to be the best possible force for their communities. They know that constant training creates intelligent firefighters, who then become safer and more confident, allowing them to aggressively extinguish fires and save victims.