In summer 2023, the Houston Fire Department (HFD) partnered with the Kinder Institute to better understand its safety climate, which refers to employees’ shared perceptions of an organization’s safety policies, procedures and practices, and the types of behaviors that are supported and rewarded by leadership. Nearly 600 emergency response personnel were surveyed about their experiences in the fire service and how safety practices were handled within the organization.
Many of the concerns raised in this study have since been addressed with the changeover in city and HFD leadership. The brief focuses on more perennial challenges with insights for targeted growth and development.
Key findings
Safety climate
- Average management commitment scores, which measure perceptions of how department leadership values and supports safety within the organization, were lower than the national average.
- Supervisor support scores, which measure perceptions of how direct supervisors value and support safety within their crew, were comparatively high.
Burnout, engagement and job satisfaction
- Compared to national averages, HFD firefighters reported higher rates of burnout on EMS runs and substantially lower levels of job satisfaction.
- High call volumes, long hours and issues with staffing and resources were identified as factors related to higher burnout, particularly for EMS-related calls.
- The most commonly reported factors affecting job satisfaction were a perceived lack of connection with department leadership, high-stress working conditions and compensation.
Safety compliance behavior
- Many firefighters reported inconsistent safety compliance behaviors, including use of N95 masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) on EMS runs.
- Firefighters who reported that their supervisors prioritized safety were more likely to report engaging in safety behaviors and using PPE that protects them more consistently.
