Fire department administration follows six principles of command: unity of command, chain of command, interlinked levels of authority, span of control, division of labor, and delegation of authority. The management cycle includes six components: planning, organizing, staffing, directing, controlling, and evaluating. There are four main types of fire departments: volunteer, combination, public safety, and career. Career fire departments focus on customer service, functioning as a team, and being effective during incidents.

1. Introduction to Fire Protection 3rd Edition

2. Chapter 7 Fire Department Administration

3. Objectives Describe the six principles of command List and describe the six components of the management cycle Identify the four methods of communication Describe fire department chain of command Fill out a typical fire department organizational chart

4. Objectives (con’t.) Identify different fire department types Identify the different ranks and their general responsibilities Explain the terms customer service, one department concept, team building, and incident effectiveness

5. Introduction Fire administration leads and supports fire personnel in performing their functions The fire chief balances the needs of the community and the department with the resources available The fire department chief and staff follow management and command structure principles on a daily basis and in emergency situations

6. Principles of Command Unity of command One person, one boss Chain of command (see Figure 7-1) Interlinked levels of authority and responsibility Flows from top to bottom Clear lines of authority

7. Principles of Command (con’t.) Span of control Effective supervision of subordinates Usually span of 3 - 7 with 5 the optimum Depends on complexity of operation Division of labor Major division is staff and line One person or group cannot do it all Those most qualified do the job (specialists)

8. Principles of Command (con’t.) Delegation of authority Manager gives subordinates right and responsibility to take action of a specific mission Mission is broken down into segments that are assignable by fire chief Often used at emergency scenes Cannot delegate responsibility for decision making

9. Principles of Command (con’t.) Exception principle Keep supervisor advised No surprises Unusual circumstances Personnel issues Major expense Major incidents

10. The Management Cycle Organized thought process to achieve desired goals of the organization (see Figure 7-2) Planning Organizing Staffing Directing Controlling Evaluating

11. The Management Cycle (con’t.) Goals Conceptual, nonspecific, unmeasurable Often included in a mission statement Objectives Statements oriented toward the stated goals with resources available Attainable, measurable, understandable

12. The Management Cycle (con’t.) Planning Determine objectives Evaluate resources needed Establish policies and procedures

13. The Management Cycle (con’t.) Organizing Incorporates resources in structured relationship Staffing Assigns personnel resources Staffs both line and staff functions

14. The Management Cycle (con’t.) Directing Guides and directs subordinates Establishes rules, SOPs, job descriptions, and assigned duties Controlling Keeps project on track Uses budget as a control tool

15. The Management Cycle (con’t.) Evaluating Determines whether goals and objectives are being met Carried out both internally and externally Uses budget and accepted standards as a tool Ongoing process

16. Fire Departments 30,000 Departments 1.2 Million Firefighters 200,000 Career 1 Million Volunteers

17. Fire Department Types Includes the following: Volunteer Combination Public safety Career Industrial fire brigades Contract fire protection service

18. Volunteer Fire Department 90% of all departments Called paid call or on call First fire departments Still protects a large percentage of the population (42%) 94% protect fewer than 25,000 50% protect fewer than 2,500 Commonly paid position is driver/operator

19. Combination Fire Department Part paid and part volunteer Often have paid officers and driver/operators supplemented with volunteers State and federal mandates reducing number of this type of department due to training requirements

20. Public Safety Fire Department Police and fire combined One chief Answer both types of calls

21. Career Fire Departments Prevalent in large cities Contain all or mostly paid professionals May have a Reserve/Cadet training program Require testing to join

22. Career Fire Departments (con’t.) Modern focus of departments Customer service Internal and external Team building Incident effectiveness Ability to function quickly and effectively when called upon to act

23. Career Fire Departments (con’t.) Rank Structure Chief Assistant/Deputy Division/Battalion Company Officer Driver/operator Firefighter Note : Number of levels and number of personnel in each level varies by department size

24. Industrial Fire Brigades Organized to provide protection in a specific location May be workers with fire suppression training May be firefighters hired by company

25. Contract Fire Protection Service Provides fire department services (usually to a community) Works on a contract basis for government or fire services Works on a subscription basis for private sector Nonsubscribers are billed for suppression costs

26. Communications Face-to-face Best method Allows instant feedback Radio Quick when personnel are spread out May be garbled or not received No privacy

27. Communications (con’t.) Written Used when time is not a critical factor Maintains a record Electronic Fax and modem Fast delivery Provides written record Cell phones have many attributes of both

28. Fire administration is involved at all levels in accomplishing the mission of a department Administration personnel perform according to widely accepted concepts and standards Depending on departmental size and needs, the organization of the administration may vary widely Without the support of staff, the line would not be able to function effectively and efficiently Summary