Redesign of fire protection systems for communities

Organizational structure and physical structures are the two main components of fire departments in any community. The following is a proposal for a newly designed fire department in a suburban area. Occupational safety, integration with community infrastructure, and strategic alliances with other public service sectors will all be included in the department design proposal.

Organizational structure in fire departments is in dire need of change. In some departments, that change is happening from the top down, as departments respond to the needs of young recruits and rookies who may be unfamiliar or uncomfortable with the “paramilitary” culture that has permeated the service (Shaw, 2011). However, it is not just a matter of matching organizational culture to suit the norms of the next generation. Restructuring fire departments is best practice for safety. According to Brauer (2016), organizational structure problems have been directly linked to increased ratios of fatalities: “the number of firefighters killed in the line of duty has remained relatively unchanged for the past three decades, despite a decrease in the number of fires occurring, a decrease in the number of civilians trapped in fires, and improvements in technology related to firefighter personal protective equipment,” (p. 1). The paramilitary structure does have some benefits including an expectation of discipline and role clarity. However, this proposed fire department will be structured in a way that combines the best of new management theory with the best that the paramilitary model has to offer.

As Carter (2015) points out, job definition is extremely important in fire departments: “we break our fire department down into such functions as engine and truck companies, fire prevention and public education planning, service and staff functions.” Given this, the structure of the proposed fire department will reflect the different roles the department plays in the community. Fire chiefs will remain in key positions of leadership. However, it is recommended strongly that two new positions be created: one in human resources, and one in information technology. All technical positions will be clearly defined by identifying needs. Needs assessments will help the department determine whether we need more building inspectors and fire code consultants, or whether we need more training technicians. Information technology specialists will help our department retain strong communications connections with law enforcement, hospitals, emergency medical technicians, and other first responders. Also, the information technology will help our own first responders more efficiently respond to fire and other disaster calls, deploying exactly the service personnel and equipment necessary. In a suburban fire department such as this, links with other departments will be crucial. When determining the organization’s needs, we need to consult with other leaders in the community.

Training technicians and training specialists need to be available at all time, both for training new personnel and also for addressing the upskilling needs of the department. In conjunction with emerging best practice guidelines, the training specialists will also interface with equipment specialists who are hired specifically to ensure that equipment is maintained well and replaced when necessary. An equipment specialist will also be responsible for working with the accounting department to liberate resources for new procurements. As safety is the number one priority, it is important that the equipment specialist be knowledgeable about new protective equipment and communicates that knowledge about products to the training professionals. Working as a team, the members of the training teams and the procurement teams can ensure that the department uses all equipment properly and has access to the latest fire protection technology and tools.

The department also needs to have on hand a community infrastructure specialist with a background in urban planning and public safety. Working with city officials, the person will have access to all information related to the location of water mains, public sprinkler systems, and other essential infrastructure. It is also assumed this person will help lobby for electronic copies of public infrastructure blueprints, to facilitate the work of the department. The same person will leverage an urban planning background to ensure that all new buildings are built to reflect new fire safety codes. Working subordinate to this person will be a team of building inspectors whose job it is to prevent problems before they arise. Working in tandem with real estate developers and city planners, this branch of our human resources department will actually work in a separate physical structure from our first responders in uniform.

The primary sub-structures of the fire department include the primary apparatus bay, the support bay where vehicles are maintained, equipment storage areas, administrative and office sections, and residential and support services areas (Mion, 2017). The ideal layout of the department reflects best practices and standards for both safety and efficiency. For example, the primary apparatus bay needs to be situated in an area where there are zero impediments to movement either within or outside the station. No vehicles can block the driveway, which is ideally open at both ends. Inside the station, the primary apparatus bay needs to be immediately accessible from all areas of the residential quarters. Unless our station has been inherited, we may not have a classic fireman’s pole. In lieu of this, we can either construct a pole or offer some other way for personnel to immediately don protective gear and enter the vehicles for dispatch. The fire protection gear needs to be placed at the ready at all times, with names clearly displayed above each work suit when they are personalized. Given the importance of ergonomics in fire safety gear and protective equipment, personalization is to be expected for some equipment. The fire safety equipment needs to be located in close proximity to the vehicles. As Mion (2017) also points out, “bays also include vehicle exhaust removal systems, compressed air and power drop lines, and hot and cold water connections,” (p. 1). Backup power generators are of course critical, and need to be strategically stored.

Storage areas are located adjacent to the primary apparatus bay, allowing for rapid replacement of equipment that is in need of repair. Adjacent to the storage area and to the primary apparatus bay is also the secondary bay, where technicians can repair vehicles or damaged gear. Next, the administrative areas are located in a separate wing of the department station. Administrative areas include several offices dedicated to logistical supports, information technology managers and technicians, and communications officers who liaison with the community. Using LAN and closed systems, the department enjoys secure fiber-optic communications connectivity, which also allows personnel to receive information from their contacts in other departments. All personnel have state of the art portable electronic devices used for communications and GPS, as well as for health and environmental monitoring. The devices are to be worn at all times when on a call.

Finally, residential areas allow staff to prepare meals, nap, and rest between shifts. Quality of life factors are crucial for maintaining a motivated staff ready to respond to disasters physically and psychologically. As we do away with the paramilitary organizational structure and rely more on collaboration and teamwork, it is essential that the team enjoy good air quality and access to healthy food throughout their shift. When the organizational structure and physical structures of our new fire department are aligned, we are poised to serve our community in every capacity.