OVERCOMING FEAR OF COMPUTERS
MANAGEMENT
FIRE CHIEFS today are facing tough choices concerning the acquisition of computers. Some allow city managers, data processing/finance departments, programmers, and other outside specialists to make the choices for them—with little or no fire department input. But others find it is to their department’s benefit to become “computer smart” and find the best system for their needs.
Granted, various fire departments have different levels of computerization. Many still operate without any type of computerized information system. But in this computer age, more and more departments are finding that high technology is not only desirable, it is necessary to maintain the high level of service the community expects.
Fire service managers welcome new advances in firefighting technology with open arms, but when it comes to automating their departments, many tend to shy away from new technology. Studies have shown that many top-level and middle-level managers admit having overwhelming anxiety and fear about computerization. This fear has led them to resist the introduction of computers into their organizations. Subsequently, they’re denying their organizations the most important decision-making devices available.
FEAR AND INDECISION FACTORS
Changing technology. Just when prospective purchasers believe they have a grasp on computer technology, it changes. By the time you install and learn to use the latest hardware or software, it is usually outdated.
This rapid rate of change puts pressure on the fire department administrator to choose a computer system faster than ever before. Coupled with tight financial restraints and the misconception by community governments that all a fire department really needs to perform its tasks is a ready supply of water, we begin to understand the problem. Fire department executives must not only decide what to buy but also when to buy it.
Changing image. A commom complaint among fire chiefs is that they often feel inadequate and unprepared to make computer selection decisions. Another concern is that the fire service environment is often not conducive to the ready acceptance of new technology. Historically, firefighters have relied on their ability to evaluate a situation, formulate a plan of action, and implement that plan —rapidly and with authority. Reliance on computers to perform functions effectively tends to diminish that self-image as a self-reliant individual who takes charge of the situation. This can result in a suppressed or conscious resistance to change.
Changing times. Fire chiefs must not only be familiar with the technology available today, but they must also be proactive in planning for developments down the road. They must ask themselves, “What will our cities and towns be like in 10 years? In 20 years? In 50 years?” Many fire department managers tend to shy away from forecasting, thinking it a waste of time and of dubious value. However, the fire department’s future technological needs can only be estimated in terms of its continuing mission, goals, objectives, and resources as well as the anticipated needs of the community it serves.
Today’s forward-thinking fire chief must maintain a sharp conceptual view’ that continually relates to past, present, and future. Such fire service managers must have the ability to “create a vision” and “project an image.” This conceptual perspective must be based on acquired knowledge of the fire service, total experience, and learning new firefighting and administrative technology.
Too many choices, too much competition. In order to sell a hardware system or software package (or both), some vendors make false promises concerning the product and what it can deliver. They are motivated by fierce competition and customer ignorance. It is up to you to define your problem or need carefully, identify available resources, and decide how best to apply those resources to obtain your desired results. Don’t be swayed by a sharp vendor trying to make a quick sell. Go with the reliable, most reputable vendors.
Hoping for a better deal. There will never be a period of certainty when the correct decision becomes obvious. What is certain is that fire chiefs cannot wait until the last stage of product development or enhancement before buying it, because the last stage is obsolescence.
There are some benefits of postponing a purchase. You can learn from the experiences of other fire departments, obtain more advanced and sophisticated equipment, or hope that the prices will drop. You should weigh how soon you really need the system up and running against potential cost considerations.
Transcending an innate distrust of computer technology begins with changing how fire service managers think of themselves and their responsibilities.
DON’T PASS THE BUCK
While it is not absolutely necessary for the fire chief and his senior officers to become computer experts, every fire chief should become familiar with the basic software/hardware packages available. The fire chief should not plead computer ignorance and abdicate decision-making responsibility to someone outside the fire department. The skills and experiences of fire department officers and administrators contribute to successful decision making. The fire chief need only understand the potential, not the mechanics, of computer hardware and software. The same cost/ benefit analysis used for other investments should be applied to costly information systems. The fire chief and ultimately the mayor and council should expect to see solid performance measures before investing and must demand cost justification and measurable benefits in understandable terms.
Establish a liaison to work with and differentiate between the various vendors. This person does not necessarily have to be an outside consultant but can be a member of the fire department who is intelligent, knowledgeable, and interested in automation and its future implications for the department. The liaison can find out what is available and how it is utilized and also make the vendors aware of the fire service’s needs. Department chiefs, along with their information systems coordinators and project managers, should be as enthusiastic about identifying the needs of the fire department (by using system life-cycle methodology, for example) as they are about purchasing new fire apparatus.
Fire service management welcomes firefighting technology but tends to shy away when it comes to automating the department’s operations.
Areas that would profit by automation are usually highly visible (computer-aided dispatch) or pointed out by personnel at all levels (in-apparatus computer terminals with graphics to include building floor plans and on-line haz-mat information, for example). It is more difficult to determine how today’s fire department needs will evolve into tomorrow’s needs and what technology will be available to meet those needs. But the effort will be well worth it when the technology is in place and people adapt to it and use it to the advantage of both the department and the community.
