Conference and Travel Spending

BY MICHAEL P. DALLESSANDRO

Throughout the state of New York, some volunteer fire departments have drawn criticism and negative press from the state comptroller’s office for questionable conference spending. When I decided to write this article, I knew there would be people who would question its need. Some fire departments around the country do not have funds available to attend state conference events, let alone national events. Understandably, these fire departments that hold turkey raffles and bingo simply to keep the trucks rolling would be appalled at departments squandering financial resources. Equally, large, well-funded departments that carefully manage their conference and travel finances would be just as angry when a few bad apples bring public scrutiny to us all. Nonetheless, certain scenarios, some word-of-mouth and some I have read in audits, confirm the need for an article on this topic.

I am not an accountant; any statements in this article are based on information I have gathered as a lifelong volunteer firefighter and through full-time employment in public school system management. Check the travel policies of your local municipality or authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) over your department and the regulations in your county or state before your next department-funded trip. I also have been a speaker for many state and national conference and training events; therefore, I have personal interest in their success.

TRAVEL IS NECESSARY

In some states there is a tendency to discourage travel to out-of-state conference and training events. As a young firefighter more than 20 years ago, I heard stories about conferences in the “good old days.” Attendees would spend evenings dining and drinking; sleep it off until noon; wander around the trade show for a few hours; and, as our department called it, “caucus at the pool” by 3:30 p.m. The stigma from yesteryear combined with the tighter financial scrutiny of today would cause some to advocate travel restrictions. In my opinion, travel restrictions are wrong and would hurt the fire service as a whole.

Today’s events at the state and national levels are rarely tradeshow based; the majority are high-tech training events packed with nationally known speakers and life-saving hands-on training programs. Even traditional trade shows are education-based, with many vendors hoping not to just sell their product but also to educate attendees on how it will help improve firefighter safety and community service.

Two key points will be made to support this article. First, attendance at any conference and training event must revolve around improving firefighter safety and community service. Second, conference and training travel is vital. The remaining questions that should be asked annually are who should attend, which events, and how much money should be spent?

ADOPT A CONFERENCE AND TRAVEL POLICY

If your organization does not have a travel policy that addresses issues such as which conferences are offered, who can attend, how often, and what attendees’ responsibilities are while attending, your organization is opening itself up to a lot of scrutiny. I know of many organizations that simply have the chief or board approve conference/training events on an as-needed basis. Unfortunately, that practice doesn’t help budgeting, establishing a uniform training program, or being fair to the members who may get approved or denied based on the room’s mood.

Along the same theme, not every member can go to every event every year. A conference and travel policy will help your department be consistent—knowing who goes where, how much it will cost, and what the benefit to the department will be. This does not mean you are denying your youngest or newest firefighters the training information afforded at these events. It can cost more than $1,000 per person to attend a large-scale training event with hotel, travel, registration, meals, and incidentals. In most cases, you can bring a national speaker to your department for a special in-house full-day training event for $2,000 to $3,000 and possibly invite your mutual-aid company as well. Train one or two young firefighters at a conference or 40 firefighters in-house for similar money?

ELIGIBILITY

The question of who can attend conference and training events is one that only your individual organization can decide. In most cases, chief officers, company presidents, and members of your board of directors and fire commissioners who are charged with the overall day-to-day department management and operations should attend your state-level programs and at least one national conference annually. Firefighters holding the rank of captain or lieutenant should focus on completing their state-level training and certification but should also attend national events that have a training focus mixed with a command and management workshop structure. Members who carry those ranks but who may specialize in public education/fire prevention, hazardous materials, and rescue should also attend events with those themes. Often, departments afford experienced members or ex-chiefs the title of safety officer. These individuals should attend events with a safety officer focus that may lead to national certification. Many departments have delegates who represent their home fire department at association meetings. Attendance at state- and national-level activities of these organizations should be encouraged and supported by your travel policy. Firefighters from your general membership who may not be afforded the opportunity to travel out of state should still be encouraged to attend training events such as those with national speakers who may be at events hosted by neighboring fire departments or a local county chiefs association.

LOCATION IMPACTS COST

One issue raised by people who question conference attendance and spending is the location. Most conferences in most businesses and industries are held in large metropolitan areas and resort towns. The term “good conference town” refers to the combination of infrastructure, things to do, and an active and aggressive convention and visitors bureau. Keep in mind you pay for this infrastructure and attractions; everything costs more in a major city or conference town. There are beautiful, affordable areas in our country, but they may not be able to handle large events. For an event to be successful, you need to have, in most cases, an airport reachable by major carriers; hotels and restaurants that can handle large crowds; a large venue (such as a convention center); transportation options; and safe, lighted walking and shopping areas. Major cities are always willing to handle these events with clusters of hotels, shopping, and dining within minutes of the main conference venue. Unfortunately, the hotel and meal costs of most major cities do not sit well with auditors.

Another aspect to consider is that the city doesn’t shut down just because a conference is in town; in most cases, hotel rates are what the market will bear. You may have conference attendees, business travelers, and vacationers all vying for hotels rooms in the same area. This definitely factors into the rates. People hold conferences in cities that have something to offer everybody. In many cases, especially in the households of volunteer firefighters, wives and children often tag along. Many firefighters have limited vacation time available from their jobs. Unlike full-time people who don’t lose vacation time when they attend business conferences, volunteer firefighters have to burn vacation time when they attend an event for the fire department.

GETTING THERE AND STAYING THERE

Hotel costs can cause a bit of a rub with auditors and the general public. The government has established acceptable rates for government travelers for most major cities, and some auditors feel that these rates should apply to volunteer firefighters attending conferences. There are only two flaws in that thinking. First, it is very difficult to find a hotel within a reasonable distance at a General Services Administration (GSA) rate during conference weeks. Also, the GSA rates are based on government employees who are paid to stay overnight on government business. A volunteer firefighter attending a conference should never have to take money out of his pocket to pay more than a GSA room rate. You have to make your best effort to get a good hotel rate; however, you do not have to stay 10 miles away from the conference site. If you save money by staying far away but have to pay car rental, parking, gas, or cab fees every day to get to the conference venue, how much did your department really save by your not staying in one of the conference-area hotels? You have an obligation to the people who fund your attendance at a conference or training event to arrive the day before the conference and depart at the close of the conference. This means no extended stays on the department or taxpayer’s dime.

Travel to and from the conference city is another area for which you must be responsible. Since your department has adopted or will be adopting a travel policy, you probably will know in advance to what events your department will be sending people. Booking air travel well in advance can save considerable dollars. If your family will be traveling with you, book their reservations with your credit card. Some departments have allowed all reservations to be made on one department card and then the individual members reimbursed the department for their families, but this is inappropriate.

There will be some members for whatever reason (schedule, fear of flying) who will insist on driving to and from a conference or training event. In this case, mileage may be paid. A clear policy should be set that only mileage to and from the conference will be paid. If you head to Atlanta from Buffalo with a stop in Las Vegas to visit your aunt, your department should not be charged the additional mileage. It is also appropriate, if your board so desires, to limit the personal auto reimbursement for an attendee to an amount equal to the cost of the round-trip plane tickets and airport shuttle fees purchased for other members traveling by air if the mileage cost is deemed unreasonable.

TO SHARE OR NOT TO SHARE

Many departments, municipalities, and auditors encourage firefighters to share rooms to keep travel costs low. Although this saves money and can work for some men and women who are friends, this option may not work for everybody. Some members do not want to share a room, and they should never be forced to or disqualified from attending simply because they won’t double. Although we are close in the fire service, this is not a family vacation where we pile mom, dad, and four kids in a room with two double beds and a smuggled air mattress. Firefighters are great friends, but bathroom and bedtime are private, personal, and vulnerable times. Nobody has the right to know that the chairman of the board of fire commissioners talks in his sleep, sleepwalks, or has a well-hidden medical condition. If a member requests his own room for personal reasons, so be it.

LET’S EAT

In most cases, you tend to eat more while traveling because your day begins early, you walk around a great deal, you participate in hands-on training, and you have group dinners with colleagues in the evening. Feeding firefighters usually leaves two choices. First, you can request that receipts be submitted for all meals, snacks, and nonalcoholic beverages for reimbursement following the conference. The second choice is using a department credit card for daily meals or providing a meal allowance to each attendee in advance. This option must be used carefully, as it can bring unwanted scrutiny from auditors. Most government entities establish a daily food allowance based on standards for their full-time employees who travel on business; it can range between $35 and $65 per day. This is hardly enough to feed an active firefighter in a major conference city.

Most government employees who travel are drawing their full salary and are not using vacation time to travel on business. Travel for volunteer firefighters will provide some level of social or wind-down time. Regardless, you must understand that this is not the time to take advantage of the organization and the citizens who pay your way.

Although most people are responsible, we have all heard stories of high-end meals with endless bar tabs. If your regular supper at home or at the firehouse ranges from steaks to burgers to chili dogs, avoid hitting the taxpayers for five prime ribs and shrimp cocktails during your five nights of traveling.

I also urge caution with the purchasing and consumption of alcohol. I do not advocate spending taxpayer funds on alcohol. When your department holds fund-raisers or “fill the boot” drives, the general public is well aware that alcohol may be purchased with the money. However, “fill the boot” does not mean filling it with liquor at your hotel and drinking it. You must remember that you are representing your department and the fire service as a whole even when out of town. You may also be an influence on younger members who may emulate your bad conference habits. If you use alcohol after hours socially, be responsible and smart.

Healthy discussion will help your organization establish updated travel policies. Keeping a level head when spending on travel events will keep your organization out of trouble and ensure that future members’ travel will not be in jeopardy.

Reasonable Expenses

• Full-term conference registration fees, association dues, and hands-on training fees
• Round-trip air or ground travel by the most direct route
• Airport parking
• Airport shuttle
• Hotel daily parking
• Conference ramp or parking
• Tolls
• Three meals, soft drinks, and snacks; drinks during breaks as well
• Standard tips—valet, maid, wait staff, shuttle or cab driver, bell staff
• Taxi for conference-related travel only
• Required conference/training materials— textbook, tool
• Hotel—arrive day before and depart day after official conference closing
• Rental car—obtain prior board approval
• Conference speaker DVD or book—should become department property when done viewing or reading

Note: Keep receipts for everything!

MICHAEL P. DALLESSANDRO is a life member of the Erie County (NY) volunteer fire service, currently serving on the Grand Island Fire Company Inc. board of directors. He has written for Fire Engineering and is a conference speaker for the New York State Chief’s Association, the Virginia Fire Chief’s Association, and FDIC. He created the RESPONDSMART safe apparatus driver workshop and the Volunteer Fire Service Full-Day Leadership Academy.