The role of the senior firefighter in developing young firefighters and newly promoted company officers has never been more challenging or important. The sacred responsibility and privilege of developing young members to lead and operate optimally under pressure demands a comprehensive understanding of the internal and external forces that can impair performance.  This class explores the psychophysiological, social, and societal forces that impact the performance of our firefighters in an operational context. It illuminates the increasing complexity, uncertainty, lethality, and responsibility that today's young firefighters are confronted with in a world of accelerating sociotechnological change--change that demands we reform how we train, equip, and operate at fires and emergencies. It will inspire the training, development, and empowerment of young firefighters to ensure that the fire service gains and maintains a competitive advantage in the years ahead.