As the fire service moves into a new cen-tury, it can expect a demand to improve performance. This harsh forecast applies to all fire departments regardless of size, type, or funding source. In this decade, battling to maintain a suitable budget will be like fighting a major fire without an adequate water supply-difficult, but not impossible. Certainly in either scenario, firefighters will be required to “do more with less” and possibly endure undeserved criticism.
In any community, there is the potential for serious conflict between those who establish public policy (set taxes and create fees) and those who manage public programs (procedures and practices). One solid offensive strategy to avoid the “politically correct, across the board” funding ax is to create a realistic productivity plan before coming “under fire” by elected officials. A fire chief who takes the initiative to gather support during the budget development phase and is active throughout the passage process will increase the odds of a favorable budgetary outcome.
Management and labor must also work together to find programs that will benefit the populace and the emergency responders because the survival of both is interrelated. In reality, the “life and spirit” of an emergency service agency depends on the community’s responsiveness to economic changes. The growth of a community depends on having an emergency response system made up of competent members who are capable of handling all kinds of natural (fire, flood, hurricane, earthquake) and “man-made” (arson, terrorism, riot, transportation accident) situations.
In the past, many public safety organizations had been considered the community’s “sacred cows” because of the perceived uniqueness of their “protection” mission. Consequently, productivity was rarely challenged in the fire service because of the diverse duties of fire suppression, code enforcement, prehospital medical care, hazardous materials mitigation, and technical rescue responsibilities.
However, in today’s economy, most municipalities are tightening their appropriations and exploring “creative” financial options. Many city managers are finding that the easiest ways to decrease expenses are to reduce the staff, minimize training opportunities, and attempt to contract for needed services. This “cost-cutting” approach may work in nonemergency areas such as procurement, reproductions, legal advice, and road repairs, but very often it is detrimental to life safety considerations and property protection.
PRODUCTIVITY
The word “productivity” has evolved from the Latin words pro (forward) and ducere (to lead). Traditionalists in the fire service who oppose establishing measurable programs will use the formal business definition of productivity that directly compares inputs (resources) with outputs (the final product or service), to divert attention. They will claim that essential emergency services such as police, fire, and medical care are exempt from productivity studies because inputs (funding for personnel, apparatus, equipment) can be calculated, whereas the output (number of emergency incidents prevented) is far too abstract.
Code Enforcement
This type of foolish thinking created the climate for two major fires in my city because the number of code inspectors was critically reduced. In both cases, the fire code was not strictly enforced. One example of nonenforcement allowed an unscrupulous owner of a tire disposal company to illegally store tires under an elevated section of a busy highway. One evening in March 1996, a trash fire started and ignited 75,000 old tires. The eight-alarm fire could not be contained until 1,700 feet of structural steel on the underside of the roadway were damaged. Traffic engineers were forced to close the buckled transportation route for nearly two weeks and diverted more than 150,000 vehicles each day. This case drew a lot of criticism from the motoring public, the media, and center-city businesses who could not understand how “mounts” of illegally stored tires under Interstate 95 could go unchecked. The final repair and recovery cost was $12.5 million taxpayer dollars. Yet, the importance of uncompromising code enforcement and a clear inspection process did not register. The lessons were not learned!
In November 1999, an accidental fire in a target hazard boarding home killed three occupants and hospitalized four. Code enforcement was not effective because of a failure to follow up. The owner of the property had submitted a written application to change the status from multifamily housing to a private residence to avoid replacing an “old-fashioned” heat detection system. Even though the owner of the property had been fined previously for code violation, no inspector ever physically visited the site to verify that the type of occupancy had changed.
Similar economic and human tragedies can be found in other regions of the country. Disasters resulting from poor inspection procedures can affect the general public and emergency responders.
- In 1977, the large, windowless, and renovated Beverly Hills Supper Club suffered a serious fire in which 165 patrons died. Investigators cited the lack of code enforcement as a major factor in this large loss of life.
- Recently, in another large structure, a 10-story high-rise apartment building complex for the elderly in New York City, three firefighters were killed; a sprinkler system valve was shut off.
- In a vacant, windowless warehouse in Worcester, Massachusetts, six firefighters were killed in a fire. The structure was not properly secured, and it was thought that vagrants might be within. They weren’t.
- In Keokuk, Iowa, three children and three firefighters were killed in a 129-year-old property that had been renovated for use as a rental property. This property was exempt from a safety inspection under Iowa state law because of the community’s small size. The structure had no smoke detectors.
Sadly, these high-profile incidents have fatal similarities. They bear common structural designs and vividly demonstrate that continual inspections by the authority having jurisdiction are necessary for the community’s safety and prosperity.
Prevention Part of Productivity Plan
Formal fire department productivity outputs may not be able to be proven scientifically because prevention efforts (code enforcement, public education) often avert a major fire or minimize a serious chemical spill, but the worth of a productivity program is in its ability to focus on recognizable risks and take corrective actions. When creating a productivity plan, list measurable goals, and document specific steps to eliminate hazards. Set priorities, and reach consensus on an acceptable level of risk. Discussions-internally with fire department members and externally with leaders in the public and private sectors-must be ongoing, Coalition building is advantageous because rarely will a single organization have sufficient resources to translate “risk reduction” visions into concrete actions.
A fire department’s productivity program must cover everyone in the organization, not just isolated administrative or training units. After the message has been made clear that improving productivity will not be a “this year” project, the fire department’s leadership team has two options. First and, unfortunately, the more common approach is to augment activities to shorten standby time. This can destroy morale if not handled properly. Experience has shown that career and volunteer firefighters readily accept programs specifically geared to combating emergencies because their image is not compromised. However, projects that infringe on other municipal agencies are usually rejected.
Another option is to implement organized outreach programs to share expertise in training and wellness endeavors. Most support joint purchasing to reduce costs. Simulated multiagency drills have been popular to increase coordination, communication, and competency at hazardous-materials and mass-casualty incidents. Recently, a large forcible entry/high-angle disaster drill involving police SWAT teams and firefighters/EMTs was held in an abandoned high-rise casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
The possibilities for a worthwhile productivity plan are virtually limitless, but they must be carefully planned and frequently monitored. Some fire service leaders may choose to start a program to improve operational effectiveness by analyzing the effects of staffing levels on common firefighting and medical assignments.
Every department operating in an offensive mode at a structure fire must have an in-depth knowledge of how fatigue, fitness, and endurance affect breathing rates and air cylinder replacement. To date, more than 750 members have participated in the Philadelphia Fire Department’s “Skill Proficiency” testing, created by Deputy Chief Gary Appleby, to produce basic measurements on air consumption. This 11-station course teaches firefighters how to work efficiently on a single air bottle under stressful conditions.
Objective data collected from this innovative program have revealed significant findings for incident commanders and rapid intervention crews. Documents confirm that a full 30-minute air bottle will last less than 13 minutes (full tank to the sounding of the low air warning whistle) while firefighters perform physically demanding tasks such as hose stretching, ladder placement, and loss control maneuvers. In addition, during this testing, the average Philadelphia firefighter went from hearing the low-air warning whistle to completely depleting all breathable air in less than three minutes. This important life-saving information affects everyone from firefighter to fire chief. This critical research has been incorporated into the fire department’s Officer Development Program to give practical meaning to directives for crews to stay together; to leave rapidly on hearing the low-air warning signal while in an immediately dangerous to life and health situation; to remain in visual or verbal communication with supervisors; to maintain and check SCBA/PASS equipment prior to any emergency response; and, most importantly, to always keep in mind that logistical support to keep air cylinders replenished is needed at a structure fire.
Another option to increase productivity could be to create an “After the Fire” pamphlet to improve customer service and add greater meaning to our profession. Simply developing a departmental handout and personally escorting an occupant around his damaged property can demonstrate sensitivity and reduce the citizen’s trauma. Community members will remember these acts of compassion.
Other program ideas might include the following.
- Fire investigators may work with crime watch groups to explain the patterns and rationale of juvenile and adult firesetters.
- A fire inspection program could enlist the help of suppression and medical units to observe and document conditions in their local district that could cause a catastrophic event.
- Mandate firefighters to frequently visit commercial businesses to explain the intent of a local code and point out “overlooked” fire/safety hazards that can easily be corrected. Measure quality by keeping accurate records on the properties inspected and those having fires or industrial accidents.
- Implement a public education program at each fire station. Members could begin by speaking on the cost, protection, and ease of installing carbon monoxide and smoke detectors at community gatherings.
- Emergency medical technicians could teach the ABCs (airway, breathing, and circulation) of first aid and CPR. These educational programs can be evaluated by surveys sent to victims of fires and medical emergencies. Questionnaires could focus on specific actions citizens took to escape or minimize an incident and how they acquired that knowledge.
These types of productivity activities will help firefighters make the transition from “reactive” emergency responder to informed public safety specialist. The department will receive greater community support, and members’ morale will improve.
Productivity in the emergency services can take many forms. It can be as simple as timing operational evolutions or as sophisticated as statistically projecting the actual number of incidents prevented by an inspection process or lives saved by a rapid response with the correct tools and training. Today’s fire service leaders have many options, but the overall strategy must include specific steps before, during, and after an incident to provide the community with an effective long-term emergency response system at a reasonable short-term financial cost.
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Photo 1:Heat and fire can spread quickly in long hallways. All sprinkler valves must be inspected and tested to ensure that the system will function properly. (Photos by author.)
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Photo 2:Hallways with a metal grid ceiling, obstructions, and small rooms can easily confuse and disorient a firefighter under smoke and fire conditions.
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Photo 3:This section of roadway was damaged by a fire that began underneath the roadway in illegally stored tires. There were about 75,000 old tires. About 1,700 feet of structural steel on the roadway’s underside were damaged.
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Photo 4:Buildings present many types of dangers for firefighters. Interconnected buildings can create “maze-like” interior conditions. Safety lines must have an exterior anchor point.
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Photo 5:Windowless buildings present challenges at the command post and at access points for rapid intervention crews. Strict personnel accountability procedures must be followed when in sealed structures. Vacant buildings must be completely sealed to prevent catastrophic events.
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Photo 6:Preplanning must consider hazards such as lightweight construction components. A thorough understanding of the strength and characteristics of various construction designs is critical to safe and effective operations.
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Photo 7:Preplans should include photographs of large buildings during the construction/renovation phase.
WILLIAM SHOULDIS is a deputy chief and a 27-year veteran of the Philadelphia (PA) Fire Department. He is an adjunct instructor at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland, in resident and field programs involving fireground operations, health and safety, and fire prevention. He has a bachelor’s degree in fire science administration and a master’s degree in public safety and is an editorial advisory board member of Fire Engineering.
