Strategic Plan of the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company

Transcription

1 APPENDIX C: Strategic Plan of the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company Strategic Plan of the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company Compiled by the Strategic Planning Committee: David Watkins, Dennis Kimmel, Tim Llewellyn, Ray McDonald and Dan Cochran

2 1 Table of Contents Introduction 2 Factors Affecting the Future 3 Vision 3 Mission Statement 3 The Creation of a Strategic Plan 4 Key Organizational Unit 4 Organizational Values 5 Staffing Recruitment and Retention 6 Infrastructure and Capital Assets 7 Operational Elements 8

3 2 Introduction Today s modern fire service is undergoing constant change. It is important that the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company has a vision that guides it toward the future. This can only be achieved through deliberate planning and constantly updating to follow the flow of change. The famous quotation those who fail to plan; plan to fail appropriately describes this need. The fire service is operating in a dynamic environment. Adapting to the future will reward those courageous enough to embrace challenges and opportunity

4 3 Factors Affecting the Future Customer Service expectations are expanding beyond the previous basic levels provided by the fire service. Maintaining flexibility to the changing environment of emergency services. Demand for higher levels of professionalism within the fire service. Increases in training requirements. Decreased staffing due to lack of active volunteerism. Continued rapid community growth. Increasing number of incidents. Replacing and upgrading aging equipment and technology. Vision The Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company is committed as a professional emergency services organization to continually improve the quality of services delivered to the residents and businesses of Cranberry Township. Mission Statement We, the members of the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company, will provide to the citizens of Cranberry Township competent and professional fire, rescue, and emergency services while ensuring the safety, education, and well being of our members.

5 4 The Creation of a Strategic Plan The Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company (CTVFC) has adopted a proactive approach to the needs of Cranberry Township and its residents. In 2003 the Board of Directors and the Brigade Officers of the Fire Company tasked a new Ad Hoc committee to formulate a strategic plan to guide the organization into the future. This plan is a revision of and update to the original plan and will again be proactively shared with the membership of the Fire Company, the Director of Public Safety, the Township Manager, and the Township Board of Directors. The CTVFC Strategic Plan is organized into several broad categories that will focus over the span of the next five years and serve as an aid for further planning into the future, thus making the CTVFC innovators in the volunteer fire service. The plan categories will consist of the following: Staffing Recruitment and Retention Infrastructure and Capital Assets Operational Elements Key Organizational Units Key organizational units for the CTVFC in providing services to our community include: Emergency Operations: Fire Suppression, Hazardous Materials Response, Technical Rescue and Emergency Management Pre-planning and Research Staffing Fiscal Responsibility Fleet Management Logistics Communications Professional Development Fire Prevention/Education Community Relations

6 5 Organizational Values As members of the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company we take pride in our commitment to professional service by maintaining our skills, knowledge, and abilities. All members of the company are committed to conducting ourselves in an ethical manner, conforming to a moral standard of right versus wrong by treating each other and the people we serve humanely, professionally, and honestly. We ascribe to the following values: Safety for our Members and Community Members of the CTVFC are committed to personal and community safety during all operations. Service Excellence Members of the CTVFC will do everything within their control to insure the best possible service to all of customers. Training Competency Members of the CTVFC are committed to regular continuing education and training to meet or exceed national standards. Accountability Members of the CTVFC are accountable to each other and the community we serve. Integrity Members of the CTVFC are honest in our relations with our customers and each other thereby creating and maintaining a bond of trust Flexibility Members of the CTVFC adapt to the constantly changing needs of our community, the organization, and the environment. Teamwork Members of the CTVFC seek out and value the input and opinions of members at all levels of the organization. Diversity Members of the CTFVC are dedicated to reflecting and respecting diversity throughout the organization. Communication Members of the CTVFC are committed to providing effective and responsive means of communication throughout the organization and community.

7 6 Staffing Recruitment and Retention Objectives: Recruit quality, enthusiastic community members as firefighters and support personnel. Keep all new members involved and feeling welcome. Retain existing members and determine why members leave. Aggressively maintain our volunteer commitment to the community. Efficiently utilize the members we have. Promote professionalism and pride within the organization. Action Plan: Active, aggressive marketing of the fire company by developing a comprehensive marketing plan. Maximize the use of the web page for attracting new members. Utilize a mentoring program to guide new members through training and operational procedures. Aggressively pursue probationary fire fighter training and a structured junior members program. Continue to cite the tax advantages of maintaining and all volunteer department. Better educate the community about the CTVFC. Promote the fire company as a career training opportunity. Establish exit interviews/questionnaires for departing members. Focus Group Members: Fire Safety and Education Committee Recruitment and Retention Committee Membership Committee Public Relations Committee Board of Directors, Brigade Officers, Company Members Township Administration Computer Committee

8 7 Infrastructure and Capital Assets The Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company is responsible for the care and maintenance of community owned, tax funded facilities and equipment. With that responsibility it is necessary to adequately plan for their operation, care, and replacement as required. Objectives: Facilities Maintain the current buildings and facilities. Develop a comprehensive plan for fire station locations over the next 20 years based on ISO recommended standards. Investigate the cost/benefit to expand the Park Station (given its central geographic location and additional surrounding land) to develop larger meeting and training space and additional administrative offices. Explore the option to add sleeping quarters to stations to allow on call crews the option of staying over night allowing for quicker response times. Review the public safety training facility plan and ensure timely completion of those facilities. Objectives: Apparatus and Equipment Develop more specific plans for future apparatus acquisitions in consideration of ISO recommendations Keep current with state-of-the-art equipment and apparatus. Maintain existing tools and vehicles through regular preventive maintenance programs. Replace tools, personal protective equipment and self-contained breathing apparatus as they become obsolete or unserviceable and in compliance with NFPA standards. Action Plan: Establish regular preventive maintenance and upgrade schedules for all physical properties related to fire company function and operation. Establish regular preventive maintenance schedule for all vehicles and equipment related to emergency services. Establish and adhere to a routine replacement schedule for all vehicles and equipment as they reach the end of their serviceable life. Develop specifications for more efficient equipment that requires minimal personnel to operate. Maintain an operational level of funding to support the needs and requirements of the CTVFC. Aggressively pursue available grant funding.

9 8 Focus Group Members: Board of Directors Brigade Officers Township Administration Relief Association Operational Elements Operational elements refer to the local and regional functions of the CTVFC to properly, efficiently, and safely serve the community. These functions include the following: Mutual Aid Mutual aid is a necessity especially in view of today s decline in volunteerism in the fire service. In order to provide adequate personnel to mitigate an event it may be necessary to have multiple companies respond to have adequate staffing. Training Proper and adequate training has become even more important because of the rapidly changing environment of the fire service. Customer Service Customer service and media/public relations have become a very important factor in today s society. Physical Fitness Lack of physical fitness continues to be a major cause of firefighter injuries and death. Pre-Planning - Cranberry Township continues to be one of the fastest growing communities in Pennsylvania. The importance of pre-planning and regularly sharing of this information with all members, as well as mutual aid companies, is of paramount importance to operating efficiently and safely. Leadership Development Properly trained leaders tie all of the operational elements together and progressive leadership is the key to success. Objective: Maintain, improve and solidify relations with surrounding community emergency services. Establish regular joint training with mutual aid companies. Develop training that is time effective and efficient. Achieve and maintain training levels to state and national certification. Maximize use of the Public Safety Training Facility. Educate our customers about who we are and what we do. Educate our members about the importance of physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle in order to minimize injuries and illness.

10 Continue aggressive pre-planning Share pre-plans with our mutual aid companies. Encourage leadership skill development for brigade and company officers. Explore additional brigade officer positions to provide for adequate span of command/control. Action Plan: 9 Initiate regular joint training programs with mutual aid companies (quarterly or semiannually). Share pre-plans with mutual aid companies on a regular basis. Conduct quarterly pre-planning updates for members during regular training nights to familiarize members with structures within the township. Prepare members, through structured training, to take and successfully complete state and national certification exams. Establish minimum training/certification requirements for all positions and/or activities within the organization. Utilize the Public Safety Training Facility at all trainings and allow mutual aid companies to use the facilities if they desire. Expand the public relations committee to produce monthly press releases in cooperation with the township public information office citing monthly happenings, statistics and members accomplishments. Develop a public speakers program to present fire safety, recruitment, and general fire service programs to service clubs, churches, etc. Implement a mandatory annual health physical to include routine diagnostic testing in addition to eye testing for drivers. Establish a health officer to coordinate and monitor health related programs and maintain confidentiality of health records. Contract a physical trainer to establish and develop a health and exercise program tailored to each individual to prevent injury and illness. Incorporate physical fitness into the regular training program. Maintain and expand the current exercise equipment. Conduct a comprehensive review of all by-laws, standard operating procedures and administrative policies in order to eliminate confusion and streamline the process by which we govern ourselves and ensure we are following current and appropriate rules. Focus Groups Members: Brigade Officers Board of Directors Relief Association Training Committee Pre-planning Committee, Public Relations Committee Township Administration