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Opportunity #1: Agency Management & Organization
ESCI has identified six major Long-Term Opportunities that should become part of the foundation for the future success of the Southington Fire Department. Within each of identified Long-Term Opportunities, ESCI has further identified multiple specific Short-Term Recommendations that could be implemented to capitalize on the Opportunity.
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Opportunity #1: Agency Management & Organization
Recommendation 1.1: It is imperative that the Southington Fire Department determine its current identity.
This report detailed the difference between “combination” and “dual” fire departments. A combination fire department is one where career and volunteer firefighters are “combined” into a single system to provide fire and emergency response to the community. A “dual” fire department is one in which career firefighters are segregated from volunteer firefighters and there is little cooperation and integration between the two. Although Southington Fire Department’s administrative team supports the volunteers and is working to restore continuity within the department as a combination system, the fact that firefighters have developed individual perceptions over time regarding their role within the department makes this an issue that must be addressed.
Within the Management Components section of this report, ESCI highlighted the importance of establishing a current mission statement, values statement, and organizational values. As part of this process, it is imperative for the Southington Fire Department to determine its current and future identity. As the fire department is a dynamic environment, the Southington Fire Department will need to regularly evaluate, potentially update, and then reaffirm its mission statement, vision statement, and organizational values. The exercise of evaluating, updating, and reaffirming is necessary to ensure that limited resources are appropriately deployed to satisfy the priorities of the department. It is imperative that all levels of the organization, from the newest firefighter to the town’s elected officials, understand the mission and priorities of the department so that decisions made at all levels possess the same focus and priorities.
Recommendation 1.2: Once the Southington Fire Department establishes its identity, it must then brand itself.
A brand is a product, service, or concept that is publicly distinguished from other products, services, or concepts so that it can be easily communicated and marketed. Branding is particularly important if the Southington Fire Department continues to be staffed by both career and volunteer firefighters; this arrangement must be effectively communicated to the public and leveraged to recruit both new career and volunteer firefighters. The Southington Fire Department should consider developing a new marketing strategy.
Recommendation 1.3: Better-define the roles and the intersection of authority of the Fire Chief and Town Manager with the Board of Fire Commissioners, Board of Finance, and Town Council.
The Southington Fire Department is governed by more political boards and commissions than most fire departments due to the fact the town has a Board of Fire Commissioners, Board of Finance, and Town Council. There are five Fire Commissioners, six Board of Finance Members, and nine Town Council Members. This totals 20 elected officials who have varying levels of authority related to the fire department.
Feedback received by ESCI from Southington Fire Department members, both during in-person meetings and through the anonymous survey, identified politics as one of the major threats to the future success of the Southington Fire Department. With few exceptions, people who want to fight fires become firefighters and people who want to be involved politically run for elected office. Allowing politics to permeate the fire department will only detract from its mission.
Recommendation 1.4: Training should be provided at the start of the term and as needed for all elected officials to ensure that policy decisions and operational decisions are made by the appropriate individuals.
Within the Town of Southington, the governing bodies have elected and appointed administrative staff in the form of a Town Manager and Fire Chief. The purpose of these administrative professionals is to oversee the town and fire department’s day-to-day operations, thus enabling elected officials to focus on big-picture policy issues. Elected officials collectively decide policy issues. Staff members are responsible for implementing that policy direction.
Recommendation 1.5: Evaluate, potentially update, and reaffirm the mission statement.
The exercise of evaluating, updating, and reaffirming is necessary to assure that when resources are limited, they are appropriately deployed to satisfy the priorities of the Southington Fire Department. It is imperative that all levels of the organization, from the newest firefighter to the town’s elected officials, understand the mission and priorities of the organization so that decisions at all levels are made with the same focus and priorities.
Recommendation 1.6: Develop a vision statement for the Southington Fire Department.
A vision statement establishes the ideal image that the organization wishes to achieve. The vision statement should answer the questions “Where are we headed?” and “If we achieved all strategic goals, what would we look like 10 years from now?”
Recommendation 1.7: Develop organizational values for the Southington Fire Department.
An organizational values statement includes the core principles that guide the organization and its culture. In a values-led organization, the values guide decision-making and establish a standard against which actions can be assessed. The values statement should answer the questions “What values should
guide the operations of our organization?” and “What conduct should our personnel uphold?” The Organizational Values Statements should clearly identify the values that guide the operations of Southington Fire Department and are upheld by the Department’s members.
Recommendation 1.8: Increase Administrative Staffing.
The Southington Fire Department staffs four full time administration positions. These positions include the Fire Chief, Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal, an executive assistant, and an administrative assistant. This represents 4.5% of the Department’s total combined staffing of 88 positions (38 full-time positions and 50 volunteer). It is ESCI’s experience that effective administrative staffing totals for municipal fire department operations typically range from 12 to 15% of agency totals. After reviewing the functions and responsibilities assigned to the workgroup, ESCI concluded that the number of full-time equivalents (FTEs) assigned resides in the extreme lower range of the normally experienced administrative levels to support the responsibilities of the Southington Fire Department’s administration appropriately.
ESCI suggests that the Southington Fire Department would be well-served to staff a second Assistant Chief Position. The addition of this position could allow for an Administrative and an Operational Assistant Chief, thus better supporting the Fire Chief, improving the workload distribution, and making the positions of Fire Chief and Assistant Fire Chief more sustainable for the long term, thereby aiding in succession planning.
Recommendation 1.9. Correct the “JoinSFD.org” webpage.
ESCI noted that there is a link on the Fire Department’s webpage titled “JoinSFD.org”. When this link is clicked, there are options to select links for more information about becoming a volunteer firefighter, career firefighter, or CERT Member. At the time of this evaluation, the links to career firefighter and CERT Member information returned error messages. ESCI further noted that there were separate links on the website that went directly to the volunteer firefighter career firefighter and CERT member information without going through the JoinSFD.org. This could be confusing for members of the public who are interested in joining the fire department.
Recommendation 1.10: Continue to develop the Southington Fire Department social media presence.
An active social media presence will allow the Southington Fire Department to provide information to, and receive information from, its customers.
Recommendation 1.11: Evaluate the use of a survey tool to collect performance feedback of those citizens who have used the services of Southington Fire Department.
The gathering of information directly from these individuals will allow Department and Town leadership to key in on specific performance issues that allow for intervention in a timelier manner, as well as highlight those performance issues that customers indicate as being of high value.
Recommendation 1.12: Establish a Fire Department Safety Committee.
The Fire Department Safety Committee should be in alignment with Chapter 4 of NFPA 1500: Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety, Health, and Wellness Program. The establishment and empowerment of a safety committee can be one of the best tools to increase the safety of firefighters.
The Fire Department Safety Committee should meet monthly and include in its mission the raising of awareness and modifying of member behaviors that will result in a safe work environment. Additionally, the committee should review all accidents, injuries, near-miss incidents, and workplace safety suggestions. The committee should analyze the information before them and report their findings to the Fire Chief.
In contrast to being reactionary through the development of additional rules, it is recommended that the committee should work to implement member safety education programs and encourage members’ safety self-awareness. The committee should maintain regular and open meeting times and locations, and minutes of the meetings should be recorded and posted for all firefighters to review. ESCI underscores the importance of maintaining a functioning Safety Committee.
Recommendation 1.13: Modify the chain of command to include full tactical equality for all career and volunteer firefighters.
Successful combination fire departments implement full integration of career and volunteer firefighters at a tactical level. Tactical equality recognizes that all positions, from firefighter through senior fire officer, require formal training and education to meet the expected performance level.
Officer promotions should be based on certification, tenure, experience, and proficiencies in technical skills as well as soft skills, such as interpersonal communication. Tactical equality is achievable when a fire department provides performance-based, certifiable training and the opportunity for the volunteer and career firefighters to train at the same time. This establishes a respect for the rank and the achievement to obtain the position and less emphasis on whether it is filled by a volunteer or career member. Position and rank are not affected by time of day or the day of the week.
Recommendation 1.14: The Southington Fire Department should consider staffing a dedicated IT position.
Information Technology (IT) is a challenge within the Southington Fire Department. The fire department is currently supported by an IT position that is shared with the Police Department. Because of the demands placed on this position by the Police Department, the fire department often does not have the level of support that it needs in a timely manner. In recent years, the fire department has become increasingly more reliant on computers, laptops, and tablets for both routine and emergency operations and would benefit from a full-time dedicated IT position.
