“Firefighters Hate Two Things—Change and the Way Things Are” Exploring Firefighters’ Perspectives Towards Change

This study focuses on firefighters’ relationship with different types of change in their profession and what barriers and facilitators might contribute to how they respond. Informed by the Force Field analysis of change, interviews were conducted to better understand what specific barriers and facilitators contribute to their views on types of change and the level of influence they carried. Twenty-five interviews were conducted with firefighters from a variety of backgrounds, including different ages, genders, ranks, and experience levels for both career and volunteer firefighters. Thematic analysis identified different responses to four common rationales that helped to explain the acceptance or dismissal of changes. These were as follows: (1) openness or apprehension towards change; (2) the results of a cost–benefit analysis that considered financial and manpower limits, perceived legitimacy of the problem, and efficacy of the solution; (3) reference to past experiences with changes that had failed or succeeded; and (4) trusted messengers that respected the chain of command were preferred. These themes are applicable across multiple types of changes, including technological and cultural adaptation. However, they also reveal challenges that may emerge due to friction with firefighters’ professional identities and traditional masculine norms. The patterns identified here can help to inform future efforts to implement changes and to anticipate likely points of friction or motivation that can be leveraged.