Command structure essential in fire service
Terry Reisinger
Firefighter/EMT
Landisburg (PA) Fire & Rescue
Those who make the decisions in Orange County, Florida (News in Brief, January 1996), obviously are not students of business. Had they been, the men and women of the Orange County Fire Department (OCFD) might still be on the job. Eliminating the command structure of a fire department in favor of a “flat” organization goes against the most basic management principles. Flat, responsive organizations are the buzzwords in today`s business world, and for good reason. This type of structure allows firms to adjust quickly to a rapidly changing environment. Companies active in telecommunications, computer and software production, and other high-tech industries favor this structure for its adaptability, hence the layoffs at IBM and AT&T.
So what`s the problem? For starters, flat organizations are tailor-made for firms in a highly competitive, rapidly changing business environment where being able to quickly redirect strategy is vital to survival. Unless I`m way out of touch, the fire service is none of these.
Sure, new technology is giving us more and better options when it comes to protecting our communities, but our primary mission is the same. Just as the military is acquiring new, high-tech weapon systems, wars are still fought with men who are led from the top. The fire service is no different. Although new technology is changing the way we operate on the scene, fires are still fought with men who are led from the top by chiefs, captains, and lieutenants. Bureaucracies often carry with them negative connotations of red tape and political hassles. Contrary to these assumptions, study after study shows that a bureaucracy is the best way to run an organization in a stable, noncompetitive environment. A bureaucracy has a tall, pyramid-shaped organizational structure in which workers are led from above by supervisors and managers (i.e., chiefs, captains, lieutenants, etc.). The management layers and chain of command enable accountability and positive distribution of information. The last time I checked, both of the latter are essential to safe fireground operations.
By eliminating the command structure of the OCFD, the politicians may have balanced the budget, but was it at the community`s expense? To the survivors of the OCFD downsizing, I wish you the best of luck in your new “department.” To those who initiated the layoffs, let`s pray your misguided initiative doesn`t cost someone a life.
