Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer — Lesson 9 Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer, 4 th Edition Chapter 9 — Administrative Functions

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–1 Learning Objectives 1.Select facts about the main objectives of the customer service concept. 2.Identify various information-gathering methods. 3.Identify steps to be taken in interpreting information. (Continued)

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–2 Learning Objectives 4.Apply the customer service concept to a citizen inquiry. 5.Select facts about written policies and procedures. 6.Recall information about the policy and procedures revision and monitoring process. (Continued)

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–3 Learning Objectives (Continued) 7.Given a scenario, recommend changes to an existing policy or implement a new departmental policy. 8.Identify various budget systems and types. 9.Identify revenue sources.

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–4 Learning Objectives 10.Select facts about the steps of budget development. 11.Prepare a budget request for a specific fire service need.

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–5 Customer Service Customer service objectives: –Identify customer base, generate relationships, and develop plans –Form relationships with stakeholders and provide high level of customer service –Provide employees with necessary information about customers (Continued)

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–6 Customer Service Fire officers must: –Define customer base. –Identify customer needs, wants, desires. –Monitor delivery of services in relationship to needs. (Continued)

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–7 Customer Service Customer base — Three types of customers: –Internal customers –External customers –Stakeholders (Continued)

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–8 Customer Service Each type of customer has own needs, wants, and desires.

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–9 Information-Gathering Information can be gathered in two ways: –Passively –Aggressively Methods can include: –Periodic meetings –Surveys –Informal interviews

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–10 Steps in Interpreting Information Analyze and separate needs and wants/desires Compare needs Prioritize needs Develop programs/plans Allocate funds Merge similar needs

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–11 Written Policies and Procedures Are essential for operation of fire and emergency services organizations Place expectations in writing Include methods to ensure compliance Should be organized to evaluate need for revisions or new policies and procedures Should be explained to all affected parties

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–12 Policies Are a guide to decision-making Define boundaries and standards Are created when formal guidelines are needed May be unwritten (Continued)

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–13 Policies Must be understood and applied fairly Must undergo analysis May be government laws or ordinances Must be communicated to make administration’s intent clear

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–14 Procedures Are a detailed plan of action Detail steps to follow in conducting policy

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–15 Revision Process Should be established to ensure policies and procedures are flexible Is included in policy or procedures manual Includes many possible reasons for revision Can be based on the steps of the decision- making process

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–16 Monitoring Process Is necessary because policies and procedures are most effective if they are dynamic documents Gives responsibility for monitoring policies and procedures to chief officers

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–17 Budget Systems Line-item budgeting (Continued)

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–18 Budget Systems Formats to which a jurisdiction’s budget process conforms; known as: –Zero-based budgeting –Matrix budgeting –Program budgeting –Performance budgeting –Planning programming budgeting system

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–19 Budget Types Are descriptions of how costs or revenues are divided between capital and operational purposes Capital budget –Includes projected major purchases –Gives final decision on what is purchased to the governing body (Continued)

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–20 Budget Types Capital budget (continued) –May come from a set percentage annual revenues used to operate jurisdiction Operating budget –Is used to pay for recurring expenses –May pay for items needed to function on a daily basis

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–21 Tax Revenues Tend to provide stable and predictable source of revenue Are not completely immune to changes in economy (Continued)

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–22 Tax Revenues Descriptions include: –Property taxes –Sales taxes –Personal income taxes –Special purpose tax levy –Fees

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–23 Trust Funds Are accounts whose assets are managed by trustee or board of trustees Are governed by applicable federal and state/provincial laws Are usually intended for one-time purchases and not for recurring expenses (Continued)

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–24 Trust Funds Are either general or specific: –Perpetual (general) –Long-term (general) –Short-term (specific) Include employee pension funds

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–25 Enterprise Funds Are established to finance and account for purposes that are entirely or predominantly self-supporting by user fees May be established when a jurisdiction decides periodic determinations are appropriate Include auxiliary enterprises

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–26 Restricted Funds Are deposited into accounts created to receive money from a single source Can only be withdrawn by the organization and used for very specific purposes

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–27 Sinking Funds Receive a specified amount of revenue Are part of the budget of most state/provincial and municipal governments and provide funds for the operation of fire and emergency services organizations

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–28 Bond Sales A bond is a promise to repay principal along with interest on a specified date Some bonds do not pay interest, but all require a repayment of principal Bonds are divided into different categories Some bonds are tax-exempt

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–29 Grants/Gifts Are private or corporate donations or subventions Can be donated by service clubs and other civic organizations Are available from government and nongovernment organizations May be based on specific needs or given as block grants

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–30 Foundations Can provide considerable funding Are limited in scope Focus on specific projects or ideas Many state governments publish an annual listing of foundations operating within their jurisdictions

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–31 Fundraisers Are most often used by volunteer or combination organizations Are usually local events

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–32 Steps of Budget Development Step 1: Planning –Administration maintains records –Process begins in earnest 3-5 months before then end of the current fiscal year –From the beginning, jurisdiction should have a clear idea of estimated revenues (Continued)

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–33 Steps of Budget Development Step 2: Preparing –Company officers required to submit estimates –Company officers should keep fixed-cost and discretionary spending in mind. –Company officers should remember request guidelines. (Continued)

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–34 Steps of Budget Development Step 2: Preparing (continued) –Justification –Internal review –External review (Continued)

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–35 Steps of Budget Development Step 3: Implementing –Leadership must use administrative/managerial skills to implement budget –Chief officers meet with personnel to review and explain budget (Continued)

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–36 Steps of Budget Development Step 4: Monitoring –Budget must be monitored to determine effectiveness and prevent a budgetary crisis. –Most jurisdictions print and distribute monthly account statements. (Continued)

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–37 Steps of Budget Development Step 5: Evaluating –Part of the monitoring process –Can be as simple as determining the proper amount/quality of materials are available –May require cost/benefit analysis –Results can be used as justification. (Continued)

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–38 Steps of Budget Development Step 6: Revising –May be caused by a number of circumstances –Records should be maintained on all changes and revisions in the budget

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–39 Summary (Continued) Company officers must be familiar with customer service concept, creation/implementation of policies and procedures, and budget development processes

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–40 Summary Company officers must understand needs of internal and external customers, as well as stakeholders, and be able to maintain their support

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–41 Discussion Questions 1.How could the fire and emergency services organization ensure that their relationship with each of the customer groups is positive? 2.What is the role of the company officer in the budgetary process? (Continued)

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer 9–42 Discussion Questions 3.How could poor customer service affect the budget of a fire and emergency services organization?