BY KENNETH O. BURRIS, JR.
On October 1, 2000, the new organizational structure of the United States Fire Administration (USFA) became official. The following will bring you up to speed on the status of the USFA’s reorganization and transformation.
WHY THE REORGANIZATION CAME ABOUT
On January 29, 1998, 13 faculty members of the National Fire Academy (NFA) submitted a White Paper to the NFA Board of Visitors that reflected many of the fire community’s long-held concerns about the relative status of the USFA and NFA within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The White Paper was critical of the NFA, the USFA, and FEMA, stating that resources were not adequate to enable the organization mandated to be the federal focus of the solutions to the national fire problems.
On October 1, 1998, a Blue Ribbon Panel, consisting of representatives of 13 fire service organizations, submitted options for delivery of future USFA and NFA services and programs to FEMA Director James L. Witt.
On March 1, 1999, Chief Rich Marinucci assumed the position of senior advisor to Director Witt to assist in implementing the Blue Ribbon Panel recommendations.
On September 27, 1999, I assumed the position of chief operating officer of the USFA.
In November 1999, an Action Plan Report listing recommendations to guide the USFA toward its goal of becoming a world-class organization was released. The major facets of the plan addressed the core mission, leadership, communication, staff development, advocacy, partnership, and marketing.
On September 28, 2000, FEMA Director Witt approved the proposed reorganization of the USFA. The reorganization-incorporating an approach called an “organigraphic”-was effective on October 1, 2000.
The primary features of the organizational structure include concepts like hubs and webs and get away from showing individuals and positions. The structure provides an overview of an organization’s territory. Part of the picture looks like circles built around the core of management and leadership and expanding out to National Emergency Training Center (NETC) Management and Operations on to the National Fire Data Center, the NFA, national fire programs, and the customer. The webs and hubs within these circles illustrate the interrelationships between the functions, the teams carrying out the work and management. The graphic shown demonstrates how the USFA is going to conduct business in the new organizational configuration and what the initial staffing for the new organizational structure looks like.
This type of structure reinforces the use of cross-functional team members for mission accomplishment. Cross-functional team members eliminate the stovepipe effect that oftentimes arises when a single staff member is responsible for programmatic effort. The current organizational structure encourages the use of team members outside the USFA organization to enhance goal attainment. As an example, the Arson team currently has representatives from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) as members.
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Along with the change in organizational structure, the USFA has adopted a new mission statement and “bold goals” that are clearly responsive to the intent of the original and recommissioned America Burning and the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act. The USFA Annual Performance Plan has been amended to reflect the new focus the USFA is bringing to its programs and activities.
HOW WILL THE REORGANIZATION CHANGE THE USFA?
The reorganization has changed the vision of the USFA and is resulting in its transformation into an organization that
- Is timely in addressing emergent and emerging issues and the formulation of deliverable products to address those issues.
- Is going to be recognized as a leading source and partner for the delivery and distribution of state-of-the-art course materials.
- Is serving as a catalyst for a renewed and focused effort on fire prevention and education.
- Is a strong and viable partner in the arena of fire research and technology.
- Is undeniably an advocate on the federal level in the formulation of national policy in supporting a strong fire service.
- Moves into a position of national prominence as was envisioned by the crafters of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974.
Our clear motivation is to “assist others to identify their risk and help them help themselves.”
Our objectives are clear. As an entity of FEMA, the mission of the USFA is to reduce life and economic losses caused by fire and related emergencies through leadership, advocacy, coordination, and support. We serve the nation independently, in coordination with federal agencies, and in partnership with fire protection and emergency service communities. With a commitment to excellence, we provide public education, training, technology, and data initiatives.
Our new Five-Year Operational Objectives are to reduce the loss of life from fire-related hazards by 15 percent by doing the following:
- Reducing by 25 percent the loss of life of the age group 14 years and below.
- Reducing by 25 percent the loss of life of the age group 65 years and above.
- Reducing by 25 percent the loss of firefighters’ lives.
- Providing 2,500 communities with a comprehensive multihazard risk reduction plan led by or including the local fire service.
- Responding appropriately in a timely manner to emergent issues.
MY PERSONAL VIEWS CONCERNING THE REORGANIZATION
I am excited about the vision for the USFA-to move into a position of national prominence that the crafters of the National Fire Prevention and Control Act envisioned 25 years ago. We will be creating an organization that draws its strength from its interconnectivity of purpose and mission, one that derives its resilience from the inability to distinguish a part from a whole. This new organization will value everyone’s contribution equally and will seek not to institutionalize the appearance of superiority within the ranks.
I encourage staff to “think outside the box” and to evaluate existing programs to determine their benefit against the new “bold goals.” The USFA is going to be conducting business differently. The mere fact that the USFA has been funding a program for years doesn’t necessarily mean that that program will continue. If the program goals can’t be measured against the new USFA Five-Year Operational Objectives, the USFA Annual Performance Plan, and the Agency Strategic Plan, the program will be reevaluated for continuation.
Communication barriers have been removed, and the USFA is making a serious attempt to get in touch with its internal and external customers. The last Stakeholders meeting served as an example of this effort. Stakeholders included representatives of the fire service as well as allied professions interested in working together to make an impact. They included the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the National Safe Kids Campaign, the Society of Fire Protection Engineers, and others.
I am aware of the special-interest-group concerns within the fire protection community, and I urge those with special interests to look at the big picture and work together to reduce the loss of life from fire-related hazards. I ask leaders and members of fire- related organizations to look at the exciting changes taking place at the USFA and to develop the partnerships necessary to make the fire community safe and strong.
The USFA is making a serious attempt at creating relationships with fire service organizations and their members that have the high potential of creating some serious synergy, if everyone works together. I view the reorganization of the USFA as the greatest opportunity in its 25-year history.
KENNETH O. BURRIS, JR., is the chief operating officer of the U.S. Fire Administration. He retired as fire chief from the City of Marietta, Georgia. He has an MPA from Kennesaw State University and a bachelor’s degree in fire protection and safety engineering technology from the University of Cincinnati. He formerly served as treasurer of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
