The City of Los Angeles

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The City of Los Angeles

• Second Largest City in the USA
• 470 Square Miles
• Third Busiest Port
• Fifth Busiest International Airport
• 4 Million People
• 40,000 City Employees
• LAPD 9,500 Employees
• LAFD 3,500 Employees 106 Fire Stations

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The Fire Service 2013 and beyond
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The times they are a changin

• Organized over a century ago to guard against
  property loss

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The 1970s

• Baby Boomer Generation
• Structure Fires dwindle dramatically
• National economy improves
• The beginning of EMS

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70s-80s-90s

• Sprinklers
• Stringent building codes
• Fire prevention
• Fire retardant materials
• Smoke Detectors
• Fires continued to decrease

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70s-80s-90s

• Lightweight construction
• Faster fuel loads
• Less fire-ground experience

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Cultural Shift

• Baby Boomer
• Military Construction
• Unquestioning
• Dedicated-Loyal
• Little formal education

• Generation X-Y
• Less willing to sacrifice family and personal
  interests
• Very educated

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September 11, 2001
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The Economy
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The Economy

• Public Safety50-70 of city budgets
• Fire Departments 20 of city budgets
• 94 are salaries (LAFD)
• 96 work in the field
• Most cities Crime is up
• Fires are down

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What drives Change?

• Demands by customers
• Competition/Privatization
• Economy
• Political will
• Social issues

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Change is the Fire Service
There is nothing more difficult to take in hand,
more perilous to conduct, more uncertain in its
success, than to take the lead in the
introduction of a new order of things
Machiavelli, 1537
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The call for change

• ADA- age discrimination
• New Haz Mat
• Environmental
• ICS
• SCBA
• Technology

• Risk Management
• Alternative Fuel vehicles
• GEO positioning
• Managed Health care

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The call for change

• Reduced funding
• Change in response matrix (70 EMS)
• Public expectation
• Maintain service
• Less personnel

• Keep response times
• Consolidation
• Right size
• Maintain standards

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Change is the Fire ServiceSo whats the problem?

• We take great pride in our past and we have
  entitlement.
• Most of us have no say in the change.
• Were rarely told the Who, What, How and Why.
• We have to implement the change.

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WHY do people resist change?

• They are stubborn and ignorant?
• They have legitimate concerns the leader may not
  have considered?

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Resistance to Change

• Think of any significant changes that have been
  made since youve been a member of the Fire
  Department
• What was your first reaction?
• What is your feeling now, years later?

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We Fail to Communicate Effectively!
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INDIVIDUAL Sources of Resistance

• See no need to change
• Fear losing something of value
• Taken out of their comfort zone
• Fear they lack skills
• Negative past experience

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What are they Seeing?
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Leader Strategies to Overcome Resistance

• Demonstrate the Need for the Change
• It must be tied to the mission, somehow.
• It its budget driven, that must be acknowledged
  honestly.
• It should, in most cases, undergo an extensive
  review after implemented

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Leader Strategies to Overcome Resistance

• Demonstrate the Need for the Change
• Allow people to participate
• There should never be operational changes that
  are a surprise to the field

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Leader Strategies to Overcome Resistance

• Demonstrate the Need for the Change
• Allow people to participate
• Arrange additional training

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Leader Strategies to Overcome Resistance

• Demonstrate the Need for the Change
• Allow people to participate
• Arrange additional training
• Actively Support the Change

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Leader Strategies to Overcome Resistance

• Demonstrate the Need for the Change
• Allow people to participate
• Arrange additional training
• Actively Support the Change
• Make Changes Incrementally

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Leader Strategies to Overcome Resistance

• Demonstrate the Need for the Change
• Allow people to participate
• Arrange additional training
• Actively Support the Change
• Make Changes Incrementally
• Have to courage to re-adjust

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So, what do we do now?

• Determine how best to keep what we hold true
  and dear
• Politics are a dangerous but necessary game

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Professionalism

• We are public servants
• Appearance is who we are perceived as
• Office
• Vehicle
• Uniform
• Equipment
• Credibility, Support, and reputation come with a
  sharp appearance and professional demeanor

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Commanding Officers Decision Template

• The Needs of the public 1st
• The Organization 2nd
• The Individuals 3rd

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Does it make the Commanding Officer popular?

• Uniforms
• Driving Regulations
• Safety Equipment
• Behavior/Jokes
• There a LOT of rules, but have we really
  trained them on how to make the best decision?
  And do we always model the appropriate behavior?

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Behavioral Risk Management

• Making the right decision all of the time.
• Where is your Loyalty?

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Behavioral Risk Management

• Why do we still have issues?
• Disobedience (serious to trivial)
• Lack of understanding (Training)
• Humor/Firefighter Culture
• Inconsistent application

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Lack of Understanding

• Have you truly been trained?
• Black White Issues
• Grey areas?

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Behavior TemplateAre you going to do it, or
allow it?

• Is it specifically outlined in our policy?
• Could it affect your ability to respond?
• Could it have a negative affect on the work
  environment? (is it work related?)
• If the public knew about this could it bring
  discredit?
• Still unsure? Call your boss! Ask em!
• Is it Job-related, professionally based, mission
  consistent, and in the best interest of the
  public?

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We have to compensate, operationally

• Less personnel requires operational changes
  innovative methods
• We must continue to strive for effectiveness
  safety

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• In April of 2004, fire service leaders from
  across the United States gathered in Tampa,
  Florida.
• At this summit meeting these leaders began to
  design a new fire service culture.
• This new culture is built on the
• 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives
• so that
• Everyone Goes Home.

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Initiative 1

• Define and advocate the need for a cultural
  change within the fire service relating to
  safety incorporating leadership, management,
  supervision, accountability and personal
  responsibility.

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What Initiative 1 Means

• Cultural change has to begin with informal
  leaders, managers, supervisors. From top to
  bottom the culture of the fire service must
  change. You can change your behavior TODAY.

• Be part of the NEW Fire Service Safety Culture
• Examine your attitudes behaviors regarding
  safety
• Realize that change is not a threat to the
  organization
• Embrace Health Wellness programs practice
  them
• Lead by your own example make the differencebe
  an agent of change

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Initiative 2

• Enhance the personal and organizational
  accountability for health and safety throughout
  the fire service.

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What Initiative 2 Means

• Each fire service organization must promote
  safe practices each individual must have the
  tools to be safe and adhere to safe practices at
  ALL TIMES.

• Follow SOPs at all times
• Train / Learn / Teach everyday
• Utilize the Incident Command System
• Adhere to Vehicle Inspection Schedules
• Schedule and stick to equipment checks
• Strap in and Stay In
• Dont take the environment for granted

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Initiative 3

• Focus greater attention on the integration of
  risk management with incident management at all
  levels, including strategic, tactical, and
  planning responsibilities.

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What Initiative 3 Means

• Learn the concept of Risk Management Ensure
  everyone understands the difference between an
  acceptable risk and an unacceptable risk.
• Develop and implement a system to pre-identify
  unacceptable risks.

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Initiative 4

• All firefighters must be empowered to stop
  unsafe practices.

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What Initiative 4 Means

• Firefighters must be allowed to identify and
  report unsafe practices. They must be able to
  stop activities that present imminent harm to
  themselves or others, without fear of penalty or
  reprisal.

• Be aware of safe practices and look for unsafe
  ones
• Take the initiative to develop and implement
  procedures to enable and empower firefighters to
  stop unsafe conditions in training, on the fire
  ground and during routine operations
• Never question the integrity of those who speak
  out for safe fire ground operations

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Initiative 5

• Develop and implement national standards for
  training, qualifications,
• and certification (including regular
• re-certification) that are equally applicable
  to all firefighters based on the duties they are
  expected to perform.

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What Initiative 5 Means

• Fire service departments are recognizing
  national certification standards as a way to
  measure the competency of their members. National
  standards encourage departments to operate at
  higher levels of effectiveness.

• Seek state and national certifications at all
  levels of your fire department employment
• Support efforts toward mandatory
  re-certification or refresher training
  refreshing teaches new methods and improves
  skills which are used infrequently

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Initiative 6

• Develop and implement national medical and
  physical fitness standards that are equally
  applicable to all firefighters, based on the
  duties they are expected to perform.

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What Initiative 6 Means

• In this profession, health and wellness are
  non-negotiable. Departments should establish and
  enforce SOPs which support wellness. Individuals
  must embrace wellness as a strategy for
  successful fire service careers or seek
  employment elsewhere.

• Adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle, including making
  healthful food choices and regular exercise
• Dont smoke / Dont do drugs
• Follow all health and wellness SOPs
• Be a Good Example
• Understand the impact your death would have on
  your family, co-workers and community

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Initiative 7

• Create a national research agenda and data
  collection system that relates to the initiatives.

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What Initiative 7 Means

• We wont know if we are living the
  initiatives if we do not collect data. Data
  analysis is the key to making any course
  corrections regarding the Life Safety
  Initiatives. It will also provide important
  corollary data.

• Encourage your department to participate in
  national data recovery systems such as NFIRS
• Support data gathering at the local level
• Be vocal with local politicians about where your
  tax money is spenturge them to support our
  national agenda for firefighter safety

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Initiative 8

• Utilize available technology wherever it can
  help produce higher levels of health and safety

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What Initiative 8 Means

• It is irresponsible not to use technology
  when it can improve safety outcomes.
  Technological solutions should be a leverage and
  a tool for improving fire ground safety.

• Attend conferences to keep abreast of new
  technologies and take this knowledge back to your
  department
• Encourage your department to employ Command and
  Rescue vehicles on scene which are equipped with
  technological advance systems that can be
  integrated into the command system
• Become the technology geek of your department

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Initiative 9

• Thoroughly investigate all firefighter
  fatalities, injuries, and near misses.

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What Initiative 9 Means

• Even if your organization is uncomfortable
  with sharing information about a fatality,
  injury, or near-miss incident, it is a moral
  obligation to do so. Knowing what happened can
  prevent it from happening again.

• Implement investigations without delaylearning
  can begin immediately
• Be familiar with NIOSH, FEMA, USFA, CDC, NFPA
  reports. They can be studied to increase safety
• Encourage the collection of near-miss data.
  Near-miss incidents provide excellent learning /
  training tools

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Initiative 10

• Grant programs should support the
  implementation of safe practices and / or mandate
  safe practices as an eligibility requirement.

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What Initiative 10 Means

• There is grant money available for you to
  begin implementing the initiatives. Grants should
  however, be tied to increasing safety measures.
  No safe practices / no grant.

• If you ask for a grant to improve health and
  wellness for example, recommendations should be
  made and implemented as a condition of future
  grants.
• Take time to learn how to write grants
  professionally beginning with the
  identification of granting sources.

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Initiative 11

• National standards for emergency response
  policies and procedures should be developed and
  championed.

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What Initiative 11 Means

• National Standards for emergency response
  policies and procedures should be developed. At
  the local level, departments may have to increase
  response times to arrive alive.

• Help to adopt safe driving rules and enforce
  them.
• Secure loose objects in cabs and on vehicles.
• Respond to emergencies using emergency response
  SOPs no red lights and sirens to routine calls.
• Make sure all vehicles meet current safety
  standards.
• MOST IMPORTANT MANDATE SEAT BELT USE!

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Initiative 12

• National protocols for response to violent
  incidents (including terrorism) should be
  developed and championed.

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What Initiative 12 Means

• Fire and EMS workers deserve to have policies
  which will reduce their exposure to all threats
  of violence.

• Promote policies to stage violent incident
  responses, removing the pressure to react
  immediately. SOPs should include GO and No-GO
  criteria.
• Learn all you can about responding to terrorist
  incidents, regardless of your departments size
  or proximity to predicted targets.

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Initiative 13

• Firefighters and their families must have
  access to counseling and psychological support

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What Initiative 13 Means

• Firefighting is a high-risk occupation
  which, from time to time, can put the employee
  and his or her family under extreme stress. They
  deserve access to mental health care.

• If you are feeling stress (depression / anxiety
  or physical symptoms) seek help from physicians,
  EAP counselors, and religious or other sources.
• Dont tough it out this could lead to bad
  results for you and your family.
• Stress-awareness should be part of firefighter
  training at all levels.
• Help a buddy you see struggling with
  stress-related problems.

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Initiative 14

• Public education must receive more resources and
  be championed as a critical fire and life safety
  program

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What Initiative 14 Means

• Public Education is a responsibility of all
  fire service personnel. It should not be reserved
  for one week in October. Increased civilian
  awareness will decrease firefighter risks.

• Make communicating the fire prevention message to
  the community a priority.
• Utilize USFA resources and materialsthey are
  free and excellent.
• Become an ambassador for community safety in your
  church, children's schools, volunteer groups,
  etc.
• Become an advocate for code adoption
  enforcement .

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Initiative 15

• Advocacy must be strengthened for the enforcement
  of codes and the installation of home fire
  sprinklers

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What Initiative 15 Means

• The widespread use of residential sprinklers
  will improve outcomes for civilians and decrease
  firefighter injuries and LODDs.

• Ensure all firefighters understand how sprinkler
  systems operate and the value they bring to
  reducing Line of Duty Deaths.
• Actively advocate for residential sprinkler laws
  and widespread adoption.
• If you build a home, consider the installation of
  a sprinkler systemlead by example.

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Initiative 16

• Safety must be a primary consideration in the
  design of apparatus and equipment.

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What Initiative 16 Means

• Encourage your department to make safety
  the highest priority in equipment and apparatus
  purchases as high as design and price.

• Form an apparatus committee and help set your
  departments policies on equipment and apparatus
  purchases.
• Read professional journals and attend conferences
  where new innovations in apparatus and equipment
  are demonstrated.
• Learn NFPA standard 1901 regarding apparatus
  safety standards.