Exercise your democratic right, and vote the Captain / Group Officer etc out....but depending upon the people within the Group or brigade, you might get a replacement who is the same.....!
Anyone not wearing the right gear for the situation should be told - and told by anyone...after all, under OH & S legislation, we are all responsible for our own, and others safety..no chain of command involved....
I have quietly taken people aside from other brigades and Groups and "suggested" that they put on particular gear....one guy in particular wasn't too impressed, but put on the safety vest, before starting to direct traffic.....
Within my own brigade, we encourage a culture of wearing the right gear in all circumstances. Only rarely does anyone have to be told to put the right gear on...an when they do, it is normally because they have forgotten to put the gear on, rather than can't be bothered wearing it...(eg the driver, who has been sitting in the cab for the last few hours, gets out of the truck to help someone drag a hose up the hill, and forgot to put the helmet on...)
While telling people to put the right gear on / wear the right stuff sounds really easy, I understand it can be difficult - particularly for say a newer, inexperienced member, telling the Captain or GO to wear the right stuff....
Perhaps a way around it is start from the bottom - get the fire-fighters to start wearing the right stuff...on the way to a call out, make sure they are dressed in the right gear...if not, make light hearted comments and encourage them to wear the right stuff - eg "I can't take you anywhere without dressing you!" Obviously pick your target. If you start getting the fire -fighters to wear the right gear, and work you way up to the Captain.....
I know many people wander round with coat open on the fireground,particularly when the fire is small, & not doing a lot....I went to a fire late last year, to take photos. The fire was moving very slowly, and with a very low flame height. But, because it was a fire, I was fully kitted up (lucky I picked a camera I can use with gloves on...one of the important features when selecting a camera!)
I got myself to one side of the hill, and started to taking photos...fire still puttering along, not doing a lot. Without warning, the wind changed direction, strengthened, and within about 5 minutes of that occurring, the fire was crowning on the opposite side of the hill....so it doesn't take much to go from a nothing fire, to OMG!!!
To put simply, you gotta wear all the right gear, all of the time......
Pip
Pip