Lead the Role 

Develop strong leadership habits and real-world decision-making skills that go beyond test prep. This section will help you think, act, and communicate like a company officer before you ever wear the badge. From setting expectations to earning trust, you'll learn how to lead your crew, influence firehouse culture, and build the command presence that defines great officers. This is where leadership begins.

Real-World Simulations

In this section, you’ll build the mindset and tools to tackle any role-play, in-basket, or real-world challenge you face as a company officer. From making quick, clear decisions to managing tough conversations, you’ll learn how to prioritize, communicate, and lead under pressure — no matter what the scenario throws at you.

Interview Preparation

Go beyond rehearsed answers and learn how to speak with purpose, presence, and confidence. This section gives you the tools to structure your responses, highlight real leadership experience, and connect with your panel. Built to help you succeed in the test — and sound like the officer you’re becoming.

About the Course

Elevate your career with Owning the Front Seat: A Course for Aspiring Officers — a self-paced program designed for firefighters preparing for promotion, currently serving in acting roles, or simply looking to level up their leadership. This course goes beyond test prep, offering real-world tools in leadership habits, emergency response, interview preparation, and conflict resolution to help you think and operate like a true company officer. More importantly, it’s built to challenge your perspective, encourage self-reflection, and help you develop your own leadership style rooted in presence, integrity, and accountability. Whether you're on the path to promotion or already in the seat, this course is your next step toward leading with confidence. Enroll now.

Meet Your Insructor

Hello, future leaders! I’m Michael and your guide on this transformative journey. I designed this course specifically to prepare you for the promotional exam — not just to pass, but to excel. You will tackle every component: Leadership, interview preparation, role play scenarios, essay writing, in basket exercises, and commanding tactical simulations. My goal is to give you both the confidence and competence to succeed under pressure, whether that’s in front of an interview panel or in the middle of a complex incident. This course was created to support you not just in the process, but in the seat itself. Join me in Owning the Front Seat: Fire Officer Prep Course.

Course Curriculum

12 Chapters · 104 Lessons

  1. 1

    Welcome to Owning the Front Seat: Your Officer Prep Course

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Welcome!

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Front Seat Academy LLC — Terms of Use

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Legal & Copyright Disclaimer

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Owning the Front Seat

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Before You Start: What You’ll Need for This Course

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      The Promotional Playbook — My Full System

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      Reflection: Why Are You Here?

  2. 2

    Lead the Role, Not the Rank

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Understanding Leadership Styles

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Leadership Isn’t One Size Fits All

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Setting Expectations & Building Trust

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Reflection: Applying Your Expectations

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Accountability: Coaching Before Correction

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Accountability Scenario: Practice Coaching

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      The Leadership Mindset: Growth vs. Fixed

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      The Circle of Safety: Protecting Your Crew

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      Command Presence: Leadership They Can See

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      Leadership — Creating the Right Environment

    11. (Included in full purchase)

      Tough Conversations and Feedback

    12. (Included in full purchase)

      Radical Transparency

    13. (Included in full purchase)

      Reflection: Your time as a Firefighter

  3. 3

    Preparing for the Assessment

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      A Finite Game

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Study Habits vs Study Discipline

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Study Discipline Planner

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      The Mindset of Reps

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Understanding What They're Really Grading

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Reflection: Understanding Your Strength and Weaknesses

  4. 4

    Commanding the Interview

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Mindset — Walk In Like an Officer

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Reflection – Write Like an Officer

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Know Your City and Department

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      CLEAR Framework

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Working Sample of a CLEAR Framework

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Analyzing Who You’re Speaking To: Know Your Panel

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      What They’re Actually Grading You On

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Study Themes, Not Just Questions

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      Emotion Creates Memory

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      How to Tell Your Story — With Emotion, But Always Professional

  5. 5

    Interviews Topics You Should Own

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      What Have You Done to Prepare?

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Customer Service: Building Trust Through Leadership

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Leadership’s Responsibility to the People

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      What is Your Leadership Style

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Defining Your Leadership Style Example

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Self Reflection on Leadership

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      Supporting Mental Health

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Recruitment in the Modern Fire Service

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      Recruitment Example

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      Reimagining of Service

    11. (Included in full purchase)

      Risk Management On & Off the Fireground

    12. (Included in full purchase)

      Interview Practice with Worksheets

  6. 6

    Commanding the Room: Role Play Prep

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Understanding the Role Play

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      The Honest Truth

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Breaking Down Common Role Play Scenarios

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      The FOCUS Framework

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Breaking Down Communication Tactics

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Role Play Worksheet

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      Downloadable FOCUS Script

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Understanding FBOR & Firefighter Rights - California

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      FBOR Overview

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      Due Process for Firefighters – If You’re Not in California

    11. (Included in full purchase)

      Role Play Practice with Worksheets

  7. 7

    The In-Basket Exercise

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      What Is the In-Basket Exercise?

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      How the In-Basket Works- Crew Talk Example

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Prioritizing the In-Basket

  8. 8

    Officer-Level Essay Writing

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Understanding the Essay

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Real Example – Scoring Breakdown

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Write Like You Belong to the Organization

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Mind Mapping Before You Write

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Mind Mapping- Worksheet

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Mind Mapping Example

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      Write the Body First — Masterful Essay Structure

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Common Essay Topics to Expect

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      Practice Under Pressure

  9. 9

    Commanding an Emergency

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Introduction

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Static Vs. Dynamic

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Ground Yourself in Reality

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Lip It & Bag It

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      RECEO-VS vs. SLICERS

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Divisions vs. Groups

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      Seeing the Fireground

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Mastering the 13-Point Size-Up (COAL WAS WEALTH)

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      What's your 13-Point Size Up?

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      What is Blue Card Command & Where Did It Come From?

    11. (Included in full purchase)

      Blue Card- Arrival Report

    12. (Included in full purchase)

      Blue Card- The Follow Up Report

    13. (Included in full purchase)

      What's Your Follow Up? CAN Report

    14. (Included in full purchase)

      Knowing Your Department

  10. 10

    Managing the Incident

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Breaking Down the Tactical Worksheet

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Front Seat Academy Tactical Worksheet - Emergency Simulation

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      En-Route Considerations

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Tactical Worksheet - Arrival Report

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      The Arrival Report

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Practice Your Size Up & Arrival Report

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      Practice Your Arrival - Units on Scene

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Declaring an Initial Operation Strategy

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      Tactical Worksheet-Assigning your Alarms

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      Filling Out Your Tactical Boxes

    11. (Included in full purchase)

      Make Your Notifications

    12. (Included in full purchase)

      Expect an Incident Within an Incident

    13. (Included in full purchase)

      Mayday-Emergency Simulation

    14. (Included in full purchase)

      Turning Over Command

  11. 11

    Build Your Statement of Qualifications & Personal Mission Statement

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Building Personal Mission Statement

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Build Your Own

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      A Statement of Qualifications

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Statement Of Qualifications Example

  12. 12

    The Foundation Is Built — Now Lead

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Beyond the Course

Ready to Lead with Confidence?

Enroll now and embark on your journey to become a proficient company officer.

$199.00

Enroll Now