Covington Fire Department
Strategic Plan
FY2013-FY2017
.
Preserving the Past, Improving the Present, Preparing for the Future.
Table of Contents
Message from the Fire Chief3
Mission Statement4
Vision Statement4
Core Values5
Organizational Background6
Strategic Plan Process8
Strategic Initiative 111
Strategic Initiative 213
Strategic Initiative 315
Strategic Initiative 417
Strategic Initiative 519
Strategic Initiative 621
A Message from the Fire Chief:
On behalf of the Covington Fire Department, it is my pleasure to present to you our strategic plan. The purpose of this plan is to focus on the strategic goals and initiatives development that will enhance the levels of service to the citizens of Covington. Implementation of these initiatives secures the future for fire and emergency medical services for our city to the level of quality and competence that is deserved and expected by our community. This plan will guide the department and city leadership and decision makers in moving forward and attaining the resources required to be a great city, protected by the very talented and dedicated members of the Covington Fire Department.
The strategic plan is comprised of six strategic initiatives that embody many environmental factors and influences. The strategic plan consists of recommendations for improvements within the department. The initiatives recommended include community outreach, revision of fire codes, additional personnel, a fire training facility, updated specialized training,a higher level of care for emergency medical services and reliable fire apparatus.Each initiative is the product of an environmental scan or S.W.O.T. analysis conducted which revealed gaps in providing services to our citizens, employees and stakeholders. Conclusively we have achieved a plan which accurately forecasts the needs of the department for the next five years.
Implementation of these strategic initiatives, all of which are grounded in the city’s strategic plan, would provide for a safer city. This plan is a living document with flexibility in taking advantage of good economic periods in moving forward and rolling over elements of these initiatives to later years during financially challenging periods. The plan is intended to be used by decision makers for future budgeting and capital improvements. This plan is an important step toward becoming a best in class department and a safer community.
Respectfully,
John J. McNeil
Fire Chief
City of Covington Fire Department
Mission Statement
To provide quality and efficient Fire and Emergency services to residents and customers in the community.
The mission statement serves as our roadmap for the department. We exist as an organization to serve the citizens of Covington. Ultimately, our customers decide the services we deliver. Our personnel have an obligation to provide those services in the safest, most professional and efficient manner. The mission statement is a general description of why the department exists. A good mission statement is clear, concise, and easily remembered by all. The mission statement is reviewed periodically to ensure it remains relevant to the community.
As with most fire departments, base mission is clearly the protection of life and property. It is significant that the department chooses to specifically identify quality and efficient services, which encompass public education, fire prevention and emergency response services in its mission statement. While emergency response may be the most obvious service provided by the department, we have chosen to emphasize our alignment with the City’s current mission statement with an underlying focus on the residents and customers within our community who are key priorities for the department.
Vision Statement
To be recognized as a leader in being a progressive Fire and Emergency Service, dedicated to excellence in serving our community.
While the mission statement describes why the department exists, the vision statement describes how the department wishes to be viewed within the community. A good vision statement will serve as a focal point or guide for continuous self-improvement.
The vision identifies three qualifying aspects describing how we desire to be viewed within our community. The first is “being recognized as a leader.” The department is active in many aspects that promote change within the fire service industry. The second aspect is “being progressive.” The department strives to gain and utilize knowledge on current operational techniques and tools that will make our department more efficient and effective. This progressive pursuit allow for enhanced fire and emergency services for the community through the identification of key quality metrics for use in the development of programs. This allows the department to provide services thqt are second to no other. The third aspect is our “dedication to excellence.” The department continually strives for excellence through meeting and exceeding the requirements of governing bodies that establish performance standards within the fire service.
Core Values
Our organizational core values determine our image. The image of the department is determined by each member’s commitment to, and practice of, our core values. Our members’ collective professionalism determines the image and integrity of our department. Membership within the Covington Fire Department means that each member must recognize the need to abide by the core values of the organization.
Values are powerful determinants of personality and culture, but the depth of their contribution to individual and organizational behavior can be, at time, underestimated. Strong relationships between values and performance make the understanding of values essential for organizational success. The following core values were established through a value survey conducted with all members of the department.
INTEGRITYis theadherence to high principles and professional standards. We do what we say we will do, the right thing, not the easy thing.
PROFESSIONALISMis following the highest standards of ethical conduct. It is a commitment to quality and pride in your work.
COMMITMENTto the community we serve. In all things, we do what we say we are going todo.
HONESTYis fairness, straightforwardness, sincerity, and truthfulness.
TRUSTis the cornerstone of all relationships and we will continuously strive to build and earn trust both within the department and the community we serve.
RESPECTeach other and those we serve.
Organizational Background
The Covington Fire Department was first organized in 1909 and consisted of two reel companies and one hook and ladder company. Upon the organization of the department in 1909 the citizens of Covington depended on volunteers to protect their lives and property. Since 1969 the Covington Fire Department has made a gradual change from an all volunteer department to a full paid department. Today the department operates with two fire stations providing fire suppression, emergency medical services, fire prevention and education, vehicle extrication and limited hazardous materials and technical rescue response to the citizens of the city of Covington. The following is an organizational chart which illustrates the structure of the department designed to meet the needs of the citizens of Covington, the mission of the department and the fulfillment of the strategic plan.
Organizational Chart
Strategic Plan Process
Strategic planning is the process by which an organization plans how it will position itself to meet current and future challenges and identifies the actions necessary to achieve those goals. The planning process starts with a discussion of the expectations, concerns and priorities expressed by the community. The Department then evaluates and/or updates its current mission, vision and values and evaluates its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT Analysis). From this information, the most critical issues are identified and initiatives are established. All this information is then brought together to provide direction for the implementation of operating objectives that will move the department towards its strategic initiatives. The overall process is monitored, evaluated, and updated annually as needed.
The department is strongly committed to periodic and yearly on-going strategic planning efforts. Its first strategic plan was developed in 2003. Since then, the department has continued to monitor, update and operate with the guidance of the current strategic plan. The effectiveness of the department’s strategic plan is dependent upon continuous review and updates and existing as a “living” document thereby remaining relevant to the challenges of the department. The department, under the guidance of the Fire Chief, continuously scans and identifies current events, watching for new threats and/or challenges so that it can respond accordingly. Adjustments to our strategic direction and plan are made through analysis of current and future needs. The adjustments may address needs that are short-term; others require long=term attention.
An assessment of the geographical, political, social, demographic environment in which the department operates is essential to the planning process because no organization operates in a vacuum. A situational analysis is the process of gathering and analyzing information necessary to make decisions about the future direction of the department. Under the direction of the Fire Chief, the department, at varying responsibility levels has conducted this exercise periodically at the monthly officers meeting and once at the beginning of each year. The goal is to obtain a good cross section of opinion and experience that provides useful information for both strategic and operational planning.
The City of Covington conducted a strategic planning process that entailed input from both internal and external stakeholders at various levels throughout the organization. A SWOT analysis was conducted that led to the development of strategies and strategic action items to address the needs of the city in meeting the expectations of the citizens served. The result of the strategic planning process is the 2013 – 2017 strategic plan which is now underway. In the city’s strategic plan there are four primary strategies, which include Preparing the Community of Tomorrow, Working Towards a Safer Community, Promoting Small Town Life, and Offering Access to the World. The Covington Fire Department’s strategic plan ties into the city’s strategy of “working towards a safer community”. Additionally, the fire department conducted an environmental scan or SWOT analysis with input from all levels of the department. This analysis identified needs that fall in line with the city’s strategic plan and the strategy towards building a safer community. Initiatives were identified for the department’s strategic plan along with objectives to be completed during the five year period.
Our commitment is to anticipate, understand and meet or exceed the expectations of our internal and external customers. Through continuous “environmental scanning, we analyze trends, programs and services for all customers assuring their loyalty and satisfaction with the services received.
During the SWOT analysis it was determined that the department enjoys a talented staff eager to serve the citizens of Covington as well as a stable fiscal structure in the city. Some weaknesses identified included lack of updated technical rescue training, the lack of a training facility, the lack of community outreach, insufficient personnel and personnel trained as emergency medical technicians, a need for an improved public image and replacement of some fire apparatus. Opportunities identified included grant applications and the potential for cost recovery for some services provided such as plans review and business inspections. The threat to the department identified during the SWOT analysis is the prolonged economic recession that continues to require economic restraint.
The department’s FY13-FY17 strategic plan identifies what is necessary (input) to achieve the desired results of the six strategic initiatives (output) in ultimately reaching the desired outcome of a safer community. The strategic plan is a living document subject to on-going change based on the environment and expectations of the citizens.
Fire Department Strategic Plan
Input:Necessary Efforts and Funding for Enhancing Fire DepartmentServices
Output:Greater Community Outreach
Greater Compliance with Life Safety and Fire Codes
Greater Opportunity for Fire Training
Higher Level of Care in Emergency Medical Response
Reliable Fire Apparatus / Safety Equipment
An Effective Emergency Response
Outcome:A Safer Community
Strategic Initiative 1:Provide Greater Community Outreach
Environmental Scan / Background
In recent years the department had limited interaction with the public beyond emergency response and some public education events. During our environmental scan, it was determined that our community outreach and public image was in need of greater expansion and development. In FY12 this gap began to close as the department created a Fire Safety Educator position to conduct and coordinate fire education and community outreach programs. Additionally in FY12, the department completed and opened its permanent fire safety house. The fire safety house is located in an economically deprived area of the city and provides opportunity for greater fire safety education. The department now places a greater emphasis on community outreach. This greater outreach provides opportunity to interact with the citizens we serve and gain a greater understanding of their needs and expectations of their fire department. Current community outreach programs extend to those most vulnerable to fire and emergencies. These programs include fire safety education for school age children, safety education for the seniors, a smoke alarm program, CPR classes and a presence at all major city events throughout the year.
Program Description
The department is in the process of developing additional programs that create opportunity for greater interaction with high school aged students that are often overlooked in community outreach programs. This greater focus on community outreach with teens further closes the gap that exists regarding teens and fire safety. These additional programs will build on the base of fire education received in the earlier years of life. Additionally, these programs have the potential of providing the next generation of firefighters or at a minimum advocates for fire safety as they mature into adulthood.
Implementation
This strategic initiative, which isintended to provide greater community outreach to the community of teens in high school includes the development of an Fire Explorer Post and a fire science program at the NewtonCountyCollege and CareerAcademy.
ObjectivesResponsibilityCostCompletion Date:
1.AImplementation of the Fire Explorer ProgramAdvisor / Committee$2,0003rd Quarter 2013
1.BImplementation of Fire Science Program at CareerAcademyFire Chief$03rd Quarter 2013
Strategic Measures
The intended results and benefits of this strategic initiative are to increase the Covington Fire Department’s presence in the community and raise the awareness of fire safety and the fire service amongst teens.
The following Strategic Measures are identified to gauge the success of this initiative.
Membership in the Fire Explorer Program
Participants in the Fire Science Program
Strategic Initiative 2:Enhance Fire Prevention Efforts
Environmental Scan / Background
Fire prevention is an essential element in the fire service and in meeting the department’s mission of saving life and property and preventing harm. Fire prevention efforts had been conducted primarily through the Fire Marshal’s office staff, which consists of two members. As a result of this approach, attaining an inspection of all the businesses within the city of Covington as well as attaining 100% compliance to fire and life safety codes had not been possible. As a result of our environmental scan efforts to address this gap began in FY12.The department made the decision to utilize the on-duty field personnel to assist the Fire Marshal’s office with the inspection of the business community. To facilitate this new program the department purchased electronic pads to conduct and record the fire inspections and input the data into the records management system. Field personnel have been trained on the electronic pads and software as well as proper performance of fire inspections. Additionally, a housing task force consisting of fire, police, public works, code enforcement and EMS was created entitled Covington Resources Undertaking Safer Housing (CRUSH). The purpose of the task force is to address blighted and unsafe dwellings in the city. Utilizing a common software, each entity can alert code enforcement of the existence of abandoned and unsafe structures. Once code enforcement is alerted they inspect the property and begin the abatement process.
Program Description
To further close the gap in fire prevention efforts, the department will update fire and life safety codes through city ordinance. Additionally, a new fee schedule will be created as it pertains to plans review, inspection fees and special permits in order to assist in sustaining these fire prevention efforts.
Implementation
ObjectivesResponsibilityCostCompletion Date:
2.A Implementation of Fire Code updateFire Marshal$04th Quarter 2013
2.BUpdate of Fee ScheduleFire Marshal$01st Quarter 2014
Strategic Measures
The intended results and benefits of this strategic initiative is to further close the gap as it pertains to fire prevention efforts through updated city ordinances and a revised fee schedule to sustain the efforts of this strategic initiative.
The following Strategic Measures are identified to gauge the success of this initiative.
Achievement of Fire Code update / revisions
Achievement of Fee Schedule update
Strategic Initiative 3:Develop a Comprehensive Training Program
Environmental Scan / Background
Currently the department does not have a training facility to conduct hands-on training, driver training, pump testing or live fire instruction. Fire and technical operations training is primarily hands-on training requiring special facilities that include a live fire burn building, training tower, fire apparatus driving course, drafting pit, petroleum fire training and technical operations props for confined space rescue, structural collapse rescue, low angle rescue and high angle rescue training. The department does have a training facility for classroom instruction as part of the building housing Fire Station 2.In an effort to address this gap in training facilities the department has partnered with Newton County Fire Services in undertaking the construction of a joint training facility.