Complexity Creep and the Fire Department

Complexity tends to obscure the nature of a thing.

It’s no wonder we’ve lost sight of this job… it’s covered in a thick layer of complexity.

On some level, most of us got into this job for the simplicity of the mission. We wanted to work with our hands and help people.

The job of firefighting is attractive because its value is clear. Many people can’t explain what they do for a living. When you tell someone “I’m a firefighter,” almost everyone knows what that means.

There is great satisfaction in knowing your value in a community.

As the world grows more complex, we are a constant. No matter how much society conflates, distorts, morphs, and evolves… we are still here, ready to help.

This is one reason why society respects the institution of the Fire Department. We are a rock. We are a known thing amidst chaos. It is important that we protect our tradition and our culture. We must know who we are so they know who we are.

We must know who we are so they know who we are.

We are not here to win the race of society. We are here to protect society while they compete in it.

We must evolve and keep pace with innovation, but this progress must always answer to our mission. Technology must serve to help US help THEM. And if it doesn’t help us or them, then it might not be progress. It might be complexity creep.

What Is Complexity Creep?

Complexity creep is when new features, processes, or requirements are added to an existing system without full assessment of their impact.

It’s tricky because these new tools seem like innovative solutions. They present as technological answers to real-world problems.

These “enhancements” seem beneficial, but they lead to unforeseen challenges—increased costs, steep learning curves, reduced usability, and uncertain workflows. They make otherwise simple processes inefficient.

How Complexity Creeps In

We often lack top-down analysis of how to best use technology to support our mission of serving the public. Additionally, we lack bottom-up communication on the effectiveness of new processes.

The prevailing theory in administrations seems to be: “If a new thing is good, then more new things are better.” But we rarely stop to assess whether new systems are actually serving us.

We have every arm of our department experimenting with and implementing new technologies. The weight of this digital responsibility falls on the shoulders of street personnel as they struggle to keep up with the demands of these vast digital touchpoints.

Better is not always best.

In the constant attempt to optimize, we often pass the point of diminishing returns.

Think of the history of forcible entry tools.

Early firefighters discovered a tool that crooks used to break into properties. They adapted it and made improvements until Hugh Halligan designed the Halligan tool. The fire service has used that tool for decades. Many companies have attempted to make something better… but better is not always best.

We have a job to do. We should vet new technologies, tools, and processes for genuine value. Either they help us succeed in our mission, or they don’t. We need to recognize when new is better—and also admit when old is best. High speed, low drag.

How to Combat Complexity Creep

Unfortunately, there is a level of complexity forced on us by our departments. Administrations attempt to use new technologies to stay current with digital “best practices” (a term that grates me for some reason).

At some point we have to square with the fact that it is not the “good ol’ days.” The digital component of our jobs is a fact of life.

But remember—you can't perform the most important of our tasks on a computer or a device. Ours is a job that requires real-world skills in real time.

To the best of our ability, we must preserve the simple, pure nature of our job. Our job is about people helping people. It is our most important task to become worthy of the title “protectors.” Our job is to train on the skills and tools that will make us useful in an emergency. When the time comes, the fireman you are at that moment matters more than anything else. Creeping complexity will distract you… but when you are called upon, it won’t be there to credit or blame. It will be you. It will be your hands and your skills.

So while you can't get rid of complexity creep, you can put it in its place.

Technology must serve to help US help THEM.

Always be open to new ideas, but relentless in auditing them for real value. That’s what we’re after: real value.

Focus on the basics. Make your mission as simple as reasonably possible. Be a craftsperson, a student, and a dedicated champion of what the fire department is about.

Peak Complexity

When a system has become obscured by layers of abstraction, it risks collapse. Technologies used to support the mission take on a life of their own. They have needs and demands. They begin to obscure the mission instead of supporting it. Soon, these layers of complexity can actually grow into their own mission.

Think of Jenga. When the game starts, it is a stable tower of blocks. You remove from the foundation and add layers on top. Before long, you create a very unstable stack of incoherent parts.

The stack reaches a point where the addition of one more block on top will topple it—this is peak complexity. No foundation. Only disjointed pieces in an unclear, weak stack.

The machinery of administrations pushes many things on us. We bear the burden of weathering the storm.

Our task is to keep the main thing, the main thing. Create systems to keep your digital responsibility satisfied. Recognize the tasks that need completion as a reliable employee of your department. But if you can help it, don’t let that become the job. The job is sacred. Don’t let complexity creep complicate your love for it.

The job is sacred. Don’t let complexity creep complicate your love for it.

Remember what you are here for.