At first glance, firefighting and web projects may seem worlds apart, but many of the core principles from the fire service can be applied to our work at Digital Wave (DW) and help ensure success in both realms.
How do I know? I’ve been with Digital Wave since 2016 and am currently the Content & Information Architecture Director. In 2020, I joined Mountain Communities Volunteer Fire Department, eventually working my way up to Captain. I’ve also served as a part-time Firefighter/EMT with Northeast Teller County Fire Department since 2023. But enough about me; here are some lessons learned from my experiences in firefighting and web content strategy.
Know Your Objective
Initiating an emergency response and starting a web project can feel overwhelming, like drinking from a fire hose (not recommended, by the way). That’s why it’s crucial to establish clear goals, objectives, roles, and responsibilities from the outset in both cases.
The fire service operates on a pre-defined framework so everyone has a clear understanding of what’s expected of them in any scenario. We utilize a standardized approach to managing emergencies called the Incident Command System (ICS), which allows multiple agencies to work together on incidents of any size or type. ICS establishes common language, organizational structure, resource management, and flexibility so all parties can collaborate effectively and efficiently.
Similarly, at Digital Wave, we begin every project with a Statement of Work (SOW) that outlines the agreement between our team and clients. The SOW defines roles, identifies deliverables, and flags potential risks and scope changes, often addressed through change orders. We conduct in-depth discovery—including focus groups and surveys—to uncover the real challenges our projects aim to solve. With these insights, we craft a content strategy that specifies key user groups, content goals and objectives, writing guidelines, measures of success, and more. This strategy serves as our North Star, ensuring that every decision aligns with the project’s objectives as well as user and client needs.
Respond, Don’t React
First responders are called that for a reason—we are taught to respond to an emergency rather than react impulsively to it. Emotions often run high on incidents, and it’s no different when invested Digital Wave teams encounter unanticipated challenges. Just like in the fire service, it’s important to keep a cool head when these situations arise. I, like any other human being on this planet, can admittedly become frustrated when projects don’t go according to plan. Instead of reacting in the heat of the moment, I focus on how we can adjust and adapt to continue to meeting our goals. And if I don’t have an answer on the spot? “Let me do some research, consult with my team, and get back to you,” is a perfectly respectable response.
Communicate Clearly
To say firefighters and their radios are attached at the hip is entirely accurate. When several different individuals and agencies interact over said radios, it’s imperative that we have a shared understanding of terminology, and that we always keep our transmissions clear, concise, and direct.
At Digital Wave, effective communication is just as vital—whether we’re writing emails, creating documentation, responding to chat messages, or speaking during meetings. Jargon and acronyms are also prevalent at DW (IA, UX, QA, anyone?). We make an effort to define these terms in our SOWs and other shared documents. We also tailor communication methods to our clients’ preferences, ensuring clarity at every step. If anything still remains unclear, we encourage questions and reiterate key points to avoid misunderstandings and misinterpretations.
Master Your Tools
When firefighters respond to a call, it’s expected that everyone on the team knows how to use their equipment. If they don’t, they ask questions and train until they’re proficient. Similarly, at Digital Wave, we rely on a range of tools to do our work. While we may not all be experts in every tool, there’s always someone on the team who can guide others and ensure we’re using the appropriate resources for the task at hand. If a client prefers to use a tool we’re less familiar with, we invest time in learning it to deliver the best results.
Welcome Feedback
After action reviews (AARs) and quality management (QM; yay, more acronyms!) are essential components of the fire service for facilitating productive discussions around prior incident response to improve future performance. At Digital Wave, we conduct project post-mortems to reflect on what went well, what can be improved, and how we can evolve our processes. Our open-door policy encourages ongoing feedback from team members and clients, ensuring concerns are addressed and changes are implemented throughout the project.
Never Stop Learning
There’s a saying in the fire service that complacency kills, which is why there’s a strong emphasis on continuing education and consistent training to ensure that firefighters are always prepared. It’s paramount to obtain and maintain certifications, learn new skills, and work with new tools to help us perform in the safest, most efficient way possible. Similarly, while web projects may not be life-or-death, staying updated with new technologies and tools is essential for meeting our clients’ ever-evolving needs. We’re committed to learning, refining our skills, and staying ahead of industry trends to deliver the best possible solutions.
Embrace Camaraderie
The camaraderie among firefighters is a well-known aspect of the profession, built on trust and mutual support both in and out of the firehouse. While our workplace is our home in the fire service, my home is my workplace with Digital Wave. I interact with my DW colleagues almost entirely remotely, and we also share a strong bond that I’ve rarely encountered in other office job settings. We support one another, listen actively, and foster connections that often spark long-term friendships. This collaborative spirit extends to our clients, too, as we work side by side with their teams toward a common goal, often resulting in lasting relationships that span several years and projects.
In bridging the worlds of firefighting and web projects, we’ve uncovered a wealth of wisdom that transcends the boundaries of each discipline. The principles of clear objectives, calm responses, effective communication, mastery of tools, receptiveness to feedback, continuous learning, and camaraderie not only enhance our work at Digital Wave but also enrich our personal growth. The true art of both firefighting and completing successful web projects lies in our ability to adapt, connect, and thrive together. These things fuel my personal passion—the kind of fire I’ll never fight to extinguish.
About Abbie Parker
Abbie is a key contributor to several of Digital Wave's higher education and certifying board clients, bringing experience in content strategy and development, digital process management, information architecture, and social media strategy. She joined Digital Wave in 2016 and has led content efforts for numerous clients.
Posted on January 28, 2025 by Abbie Parker in Commentary
At first glance, firefighting and web projects may seem worlds apart, but many of the core principles from the fire service can be applied to our work at Digital Wave (DW) and help ensure success in both realms.
How do I know? I’ve been with Digital Wave since 2016 and am currently the Content & Information Architecture Director. In 2020, I joined Mountain Communities Volunteer Fire Department, eventually working my way up to Captain. I’ve also served as a part-time Firefighter/EMT with Northeast Teller County Fire Department since 2023. But enough about me; here are some lessons learned from my experiences in firefighting and web content strategy.
Know Your Objective
Initiating an emergency response and starting a web project can feel overwhelming, like drinking from a fire hose (not recommended, by the way). That’s why it’s crucial to establish clear goals, objectives, roles, and responsibilities from the outset in both cases.
The fire service operates on a pre-defined framework so everyone has a clear understanding of what’s expected of them in any scenario. We utilize a standardized approach to managing emergencies called the Incident Command System (ICS), which allows multiple agencies to work together on incidents of any size or type. ICS establishes common language, organizational structure, resource management, and flexibility so all parties can collaborate effectively and efficiently.
Similarly, at Digital Wave, we begin every project with a Statement of Work (SOW) that outlines the agreement between our team and clients. The SOW defines roles, identifies deliverables, and flags potential risks and scope changes, often addressed through change orders. We conduct in-depth discovery—including focus groups and surveys—to uncover the real challenges our projects aim to solve. With these insights, we craft a content strategy that specifies key user groups, content goals and objectives, writing guidelines, measures of success, and more. This strategy serves as our North Star, ensuring that every decision aligns with the project’s objectives as well as user and client needs.
Respond, Don’t React
First responders are called that for a reason—we are taught to respond to an emergency rather than react impulsively to it. Emotions often run high on incidents, and it’s no different when invested Digital Wave teams encounter unanticipated challenges. Just like in the fire service, it’s important to keep a cool head when these situations arise. I, like any other human being on this planet, can admittedly become frustrated when projects don’t go according to plan. Instead of reacting in the heat of the moment, I focus on how we can adjust and adapt to continue to meeting our goals. And if I don’t have an answer on the spot? “Let me do some research, consult with my team, and get back to you,” is a perfectly respectable response.
Communicate Clearly
To say firefighters and their radios are attached at the hip is entirely accurate. When several different individuals and agencies interact over said radios, it’s imperative that we have a shared understanding of terminology, and that we always keep our transmissions clear, concise, and direct.
At Digital Wave, effective communication is just as vital—whether we’re writing emails, creating documentation, responding to chat messages, or speaking during meetings. Jargon and acronyms are also prevalent at DW (IA, UX, QA, anyone?). We make an effort to define these terms in our SOWs and other shared documents. We also tailor communication methods to our clients’ preferences, ensuring clarity at every step. If anything still remains unclear, we encourage questions and reiterate key points to avoid misunderstandings and misinterpretations.
Master Your Tools
When firefighters respond to a call, it’s expected that everyone on the team knows how to use their equipment. If they don’t, they ask questions and train until they’re proficient. Similarly, at Digital Wave, we rely on a range of tools to do our work. While we may not all be experts in every tool, there’s always someone on the team who can guide others and ensure we’re using the appropriate resources for the task at hand. If a client prefers to use a tool we’re less familiar with, we invest time in learning it to deliver the best results.
Welcome Feedback
After action reviews (AARs) and quality management (QM; yay, more acronyms!) are essential components of the fire service for facilitating productive discussions around prior incident response to improve future performance. At Digital Wave, we conduct project post-mortems to reflect on what went well, what can be improved, and how we can evolve our processes. Our open-door policy encourages ongoing feedback from team members and clients, ensuring concerns are addressed and changes are implemented throughout the project.
Never Stop Learning
There’s a saying in the fire service that complacency kills, which is why there’s a strong emphasis on continuing education and consistent training to ensure that firefighters are always prepared. It’s paramount to obtain and maintain certifications, learn new skills, and work with new tools to help us perform in the safest, most efficient way possible. Similarly, while web projects may not be life-or-death, staying updated with new technologies and tools is essential for meeting our clients’ ever-evolving needs. We’re committed to learning, refining our skills, and staying ahead of industry trends to deliver the best possible solutions.
Embrace Camaraderie
The camaraderie among firefighters is a well-known aspect of the profession, built on trust and mutual support both in and out of the firehouse. While our workplace is our home in the fire service, my home is my workplace with Digital Wave. I interact with my DW colleagues almost entirely remotely, and we also share a strong bond that I’ve rarely encountered in other office job settings. We support one another, listen actively, and foster connections that often spark long-term friendships. This collaborative spirit extends to our clients, too, as we work side by side with their teams toward a common goal, often resulting in lasting relationships that span several years and projects.
In bridging the worlds of firefighting and web projects, we’ve uncovered a wealth of wisdom that transcends the boundaries of each discipline. The principles of clear objectives, calm responses, effective communication, mastery of tools, receptiveness to feedback, continuous learning, and camaraderie not only enhance our work at Digital Wave but also enrich our personal growth. The true art of both firefighting and completing successful web projects lies in our ability to adapt, connect, and thrive together. These things fuel my personal passion—the kind of fire I’ll never fight to extinguish.
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About Abbie Parker
Abbie is a key contributor to several of Digital Wave's higher education and certifying board clients, bringing experience in content strategy and development, digital process management, information architecture, and social media strategy. She joined Digital Wave in 2016 and has led content efforts for numerous clients.
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