1. Chapter 7 Administration of the Fire Department1-

2. Introduction
The fire chief must balance the needs of the community and the department with the resources available
Personnel must be properly led and supported in performing their functions
Administrative staff perform their duties to ensure that the personnel of the department are trained, equipped, and supplied with the necessary support services 1-

3. Six Principles and Chain of Command
Learning Objectives 1, 4, and 5
Six Principles and Chain of Command
Fire Department Organizational Chart
PRINCIPLES OF COMMAND
Are general guidelines
Department should serve the needs of its jurisdiction
Used in both emergency and non-emergency organizations
Divided into six areas

4. Six Principles and Chain of Command
Learning Objectives 1, 4, and 5
Six Principles and Chain of Command
Fire Department Organizational Chart
UNITY OF COMMAND
Each person has one boss
Everyone has a clear understanding of who is the supervisor
NIMS is based on unity of command structure
Violation of unity of command leads to confusion

5. Six Principles and Chain of Command
Learning Objectives 1, 4, and 5
Six Principles and Chain of Command
Fire Department Organizational Chart
CHAIN OF COMMAND
Formal path of communication though the organization
Communication flows from top up and bottom down
Cannot be violated unless extreme circumstances

6. Six Principles and Chain of Command
Learning Objectives 1, 4, and 5
Six Principles and Chain of Command
Fire Department Organizational Chart
SPAN OF CONTROL
Can effectively only supervise a certain number of personnel
Effective span is considered three to seven
Decisions dispersed through chain of command
Prevents information overload

7. Six Principles and Chain of Command
Learning Objectives 1, 4, and 5
Six Principles and Chain of Command
Fire Department Organizational Chart
DIVISION OF LABOR
Work divided into specific areas
Apply most appropriate resources
Determine responsibility for completion
Base on area, skill, and complexity
Avoids duplication of effort

8. Six Principles and Chain of Command
Learning Objectives 1, 4, and 5
Six Principles and Chain of Command
Fire Department Organizational Chart
DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY
Manager must delegate authority to subordinates
Supervisor must ensure proper training received
Responsibility is still manager’s
Person assuming responsibility must ensure the function is going to be performed

9. Six Principles and Chain of Command
Learning Objectives 1, 4, and 5
Six Principles and Chain of Command
Fire Department Organizational Chart
EXCEPTION PRINCIPLE
Person delegating authority wants to be informed of situations of major importance
Certain situations arise that the supervisor needs to know about
Personnel matters, major incidents, or incidents involving major expense to the department

10. Six Components of the Management Cycle
Learning Objective 2
Six Components of the Management Cycle
MANAGEMENT CYCLE
Problem-solving process to accomplish goals and objectives
Objectives must be specific,
measurable, attainable,
Realistic, and timely

11. Six Components of the Management Cycle
Learning Objective 2
Six Components of the Management Cycle
PLANNING
Determining objectives and how to achieve them
Requires the use of policies
Course or method of action
Procedures
Particular way of accomplishing something

12. Six Components of the Management Cycle
Learning Objective 2
Six Components of the Management Cycle
ORGANIZING
Done after planning
Managers bring together essential resources
Framework is chain of command and table of organization
Manager determines if positions can be filled

13. Six Components of the Management Cycle
Learning Objective 2
Six Components of the Management Cycle
STAFFING
The assignment of resources to the needs
Determine adequate staffing
Large departments may have rapid intervention teams
Effective fire prevention requires enough personnel assigned to that function

14. Six Components of the Management Cycle
Learning Objective 2
Six Components of the Management Cycle
DIRECTING
Guiding and supervising efforts
Accomplished through:
Rules
Standard operating procedures
Job descriptions
Assigned duties

15. Six Components of the Management Cycle
Learning Objective 2
Six Components of the Management Cycle
CONTROLLING
Determining if organization is working toward goals
Discrepancies require corrective actions
Largest control is the annual budget
Financial officer will keep fire chief up to date on yearly budget

16. Six Components of the Management Cycle
Learning Objective 2
Six Components of the Management Cycle
EVALUATING
Determining whether goals and objectives are being met
Must be measurable and attainable
Evaluation is both internal and external
Must be carried out objectively
Is an ongoing process

17. Four Methods of Communication
Learning Objective 3
Four Methods of Communication
FOUR BASIC METHODS
Face to face
Most likely to be understood
Radio/telephone
Written
Electronic

18. Identify Different Fire Department Types
Learning Objective 6
Identify Different Fire Department Types
FIRE DEPARTMENT TYPES
Type depends on needs and resources
Vary in size
Increase in size, and increase in complexity
More than 30,000 fire departments across the United States involving 1.2 million firefighters

19. Identify Different Fire Department Types
Learning Objective 6
Identify Different Fire Department Types
VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS
First departments in the U.S.
Preliminary first step in fire service
Common paid position in a volunteer
department is a driver
Not predetermined how many personnel
will arrive at the scene

20. Identify Different Fire Department Types
Learning Objective 6
Identify Different Fire Department Types
COMBINATION FIRE DEPARTMENT
Large part of staff is paid
Volunteers cover station when crew is on assignment
Concept provides a force of reserves
Reserves gain training
Department gains personnel

21. Identify Different Fire Department Types
Learning Objective 6
Identify Different Fire Department Types
PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT
Police and fire departments are under same department head
Personnel are cross
trained
Increased
productivity

22. Identify Different Fire Department Types
Learning Objective 6
Identify Different Fire Department Types
CAREER FIRE DEPARTMENTS
All personnel are paid a salary
Too large to be performed by volunteers
Jurisdiction has control over personnel
Requires expert management
Policies and goals

23. Identify Different Fire Department Types
Learning Objective 6
Identify Different Fire Department Types
INDUSTRIAL FIRE BRIGADES
Manufacturing, refinery, or other location
Personnel hired by the company
CONTRACT FIRE PROTECTION SERVICE
Private-sector companies
Service by contract or subscription

24. Ranks and Their General Responsibilities
Learning Objective 7
Ranks and Their General Responsibilities
LAYERS OF MANAGEMENT
Deputy chief
Battalion or district chief
Company officer

25. Learning Objective 8
Customer Service, One Department Concept, Team Building, and Incident Effectiveness
FIRE CHIEF ATTRIBUTES
Educated in public or fire administration
Advanced education, master’s degree preferred
Ability to communicate
Needs to be a diplomat
Interpret wishes of governing body

26. ONE DEPARTMENT CONCEPT
Learning Objective 8
Customer Service, One Department Concept, Team Building, and Incident Effectiveness
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Public is the customer
Customer’s needs must be met
ONE DEPARTMENT CONCEPT
Standardization
Same procedures throughout the jurisdiction

27. INCIDENT EFFECTIVENESS
Learning Objective 8
Customer Service, One Department Concept, Team Building, and Incident Effectiveness
TEAM BUILDING
Willing to work together
Each shift able to support the other
INCIDENT EFFECTIVENESS
Ability to function quickly and efficiently

28. Summary
We have looked at the importance of administration at all levels in accomplishing the mission of the fire department
Administration is made up of people performing according to widely accepted concepts and standards
Depending on the size of the department and its needs, the organization of the administration can vary widely
The most important point is that without the support of administrative staff, the line would not function 1-