1.4 Reorganize Training and Education

 

  • Fire Department training and education functions are currently spread across the Division of Training and three sections of the EMS Division.
     
  • Structural and management fragmentation hinders integration of the Department"s fire suppression and emergency medical services responsibilities, complicates management accountability, creates the potential for unevenly applied training and education quality standards, and increases costs.
     
  • The Fire Department should transfer the EMS Academy Section and the EMS In-service Training Section to a renamed Division of Fire and Medical Training.
     
  • The Fire Department should restructure the new Division of Fire and Medical Training to integrate training and education responsibilities, and to reduce the number of direct reports to the new Director of Fire and Medical Training. This reduction in direct reports should be achieved through rationalization of management positions which have overlapping areas of responsibility.
     
  • The Fire Department should direct the Director of Fire and Medical Training to (a) work with the new Strategic Policy, Planning and Analysis Unit to ensure that appropriate performance measures are developed for all training courses, and (b) monitor all training managers" performance against those measures.
     
  • Implementation of a more streamlined Division of Fire and Medical Training would result in a more integrated and strategic approach to training and education, clearer management accountabilities, and evenly applied training quality standards. Lower costs could be achieved through better coordination of training and education resources.
     
  • A more rational management structure would result in an estimated annual net saving of $152,632 in personnel costs.

Current Structural Arrangements for Training and Education

Training and education functions are currently located throughout the Fire Department:

· The Division of Training, which comprises 17.00 FTE budgeted positions1 under the Director of Training (inclusive of administrative support), plus an average of ten light duty staff, is responsible for (a) the Classification H-2 Fire Fighter and Classification H-3 Fire Fighter Paramedic Recruitment Program, (b) the Cadet Program, (c) in-service fire suppression training, (d) the Officer Candidate Program, and (e) the Treasure Island Regional Training Center.

· The EMS Academy Section of the EMS Division, which comprises 3.50 FTE budgeted positions (inclusive of 0.50 FTE administrative support2), is responsible for (a) providing in-service Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training for Classification H-2 Fire Fighter recruits, (b) providing in-service paramedic training for Classification H-3 Fire Fighter Paramedic recruits, and (c) training paramedic preceptors in order to provide trainee paramedics with mentors in the field.

· The EMS In-service Training Section of the EMS Division, which comprises 5.50 FTE budgeted positions (inclusive of 0.50 FTE support staff), is devoted to in-service training, remedial training, health and safety training, first responder training for Classification H-2 Fire Fighters who have not received EMT training, and continuing emergency medical services education for paramedics and fire fighters who have received EMT training. This includes retraining for staff who have been out of the workforce for more than six months, and advanced clinical training for Classification H-33 Rescue Captains. The EMS In-service Training Section also maintains training files for emergency medical services personnel, and notifies paramedics of their license expiration dates.

In total, the EMS Division utilizes 9.30 FTE staff, plus as-needed part-time instructors3, to provide paramedic and emergency medical technician training.

During the transition period immediately after the merger of emergency medical services into the Fire Department, the new EMS Division was responsible for implementing an emergency medical services training and education program. However, four years after the merger, it is no longer appropriate for an integrated fire and emergency medical services organization to separate its fire suppression and emergency medical services training and education functions. The fragmented responsibility for training and education hinders the integration of training and education in fire suppression and emergency medical services at a time when the Fire Department is seeking to cross-train more staff and re-deploy more EMT-trained fire fighters onto ambulances and more paramedics onto engines through implementation of the Split Paramedic Response Model. Structural fragmentation creates a barrier to shared goals and communication among fire suppression and emergency medical services staff. For example, as discussed in Section 1.6, Modify Recruitment Strategies, recruitment administered by the Division of Training is currently limited to Classification H-2 Fire Fighters, even though approximately 70 percent of the workload is now emergency medical services.

Having the responsibility for training and education spread across two divisions means that administrative controls and communications about training and education must go through two chains of command. This has the potential to (a) complicate management accountability, (b) permit uneven training and education quality standards, and (c) reduce opportunities for strategic alignment.

Fragmentation increases the cost of training and education by (a) increasing the numbers of managers involved, at an estimated cost of $152,632 (calculated below), (b) reducing coordination opportunities which might utilize training and education resources better, and (c) potentially skewing resource allocation decisions through uncoordinated competition for training and education resources.

To promote greater integration of training and education, we recommend that the Fire Chief restructure the Fire Department"s training and education functions in the following steps:

(1) Transfer the EMS Academy Section and the EMS In-service Training Section to a renamed Division of Fire and Medical Training during FY 2001-2002, so that the current EMS Section Chiefs become direct reports to the Director of Training (thereby increasing the number of direct reports to the Director of Training by two, from seven to nine).

(2) Recruit widely (both within the Department and externally) for the new Director of Fire and Medical Training position in order to appoint someone who has both fire suppression and emergency medical services training experience. To meet EMSA requirements, the successful candidate would need to hold a current paramedic, nursing, or medical license.

(3) Restructure the renamed Division of Fire and Medical Training during FY 2001-2002 to create a new divisional structure, which (a) integrates fire suppression and emergency medical services training and education responsibilities, and (b) reduces the number of direct reports to the Director of Fire and Medical Training by FY 2002-2003. This reduction in direct reports should be achieved by restructuring the following management positions which have overlapping areas of responsibility:

(a) Eliminate the following three positions: (a) the Classification H-39 Fire Captain position responsible for the H-3 Academy, (b) the Classification H-39 Fire Captain position responsible for fire fighter recruit training, and (c) the Classification H-43 EMS Academy Section Chief position responsible for Classification H-3 Fire Fighter Paramedic cross-training and EMT training for fire fighter recruits. Replace with one Manager of Cross-Training position, and one Manager of Recruit and EMT Training position. Both new positions could be either Classification H-39 Fire Captain or Classification H-43 EMS Section Chief, depending on the successful applicants. To meet EMSA requirements, the successful applicants would need to hold a current paramedic, nursing, or medical license. The rationale for this recommendation is that:

· The pool of students requiring cross-training is the same in both cases: (a) Classification H-2 Fire Fighters and Classification H-1 Fire Rescue Paramedics cross-training to become Classification H-3 Fire Fighter Paramedics, and (b) Classification H-3 Fire Fighter Paramedic lateral hires.

· The pool of students requiring recruit training and EMT training is the same in both cases: new Classification H-2 Fire Fighter recruits.

· One manager should be accountable for the performance of the integrated cross-training program. The person selected for the position would ideally be experienced in both fire suppression and emergency medical services.

· One manager should be accountable for the performance of the integrated recruit and EMT training program. The person selected for the position would ideally be experienced in both fire suppression and emergency medical services.

(b) Eliminate the following two positions: (a) the Classification H-39 Fire Captain responsible for in-service training, and (b) the Classification H-43 EMS In-service Training Section Chief position. Replace with one Manager of In-service Training position which could be either Classification H-39 Fire Captain, or Classification H-43 EMS Section Chief, depending on the successful applicant. To meet EMSA requirements, the successful applicant would need to hold a current paramedic, nursing, or medical license. The rationale for this recommendation is that:

· Most employees requiring emergency medical services in-service training also require fire suppression in-service training.

· One manager should be accountable for the performance of the integrated in-service training program. The person selected for the position would ideally be experienced in both fire suppression and emergency medical services.

(c) If there are no appropriately qualified cross-trained staff within the Fire Department to successfully fill the three new Classification H-39 Fire Captain or Classification H-43 EMS Section Chief positions, the Fire Department should advertise for appropriately qualified outside applicants.

(4) Direct the Director of Fire and Medical Training to (a) work with the new Strategic Policy, Planning and Analysis Unit to ensure that appropriate performance measures are developed for all training courses delivered by the Division of Fire and Medical Training, and (b) monitor all training managers" performance against those performance measures.

The elimination of (a) the Classification H-39 Fire Captain position responsible for the H-3 Academy, (b) the Classification H-39 Fire Captain position responsible for fire fighter recruit training, (c) the Classification H-43 EMS Academy Section Chief position, (d) the Classification H-39 Fire Captain responsible for in-service training, and (e) the Classification H-43 EMS In-service Training Section Chief position would result in total annual salary savings of $518,139 and total annual mandatory fringe benefit savings of $140,241, for a total annual savings of $658,380. Offset against the elimination of these five management positions would be the creation of three new management positions: (a) a Classification H-39 or H-43 Manager of Cross-training position, (b) a Classification H-39 or H-43 Manager of Recruit and Emergency Medical Technician Training, and (c) a Classification H-39 or H-43 Manager of In-service Training. At the slightly higher compensation rate of Classification H-43, EMS Section Chief, these three new management positions would have a total annual salary cost of $310,932 and a total mandatory fringe benefit cost of $84,155, for a total annual cost of $395,087. In addition, the teaching and education services formerly provided by the EMS Academy Section Chief and the EMS In-service Training Section Chief would need to be provided by 1.0 Classification H-33 Rescue Captain at an annual salary cost of $86,339, plus a mandatory fringe benefit cost of $24,322, for a total annual cost of $110,661. Therefore, the annual net salary and mandatory fringe benefit savings would be $152,632.

The current organization of the Fire Department"s training functions is illustrated in Exhibit 1.4.1 below, and the proposed restructuring of the Fire Department"s training functions is illustrated in Exhibit 1.4.2 below.

Current Organization of Fire Department Training Functions
EMS Division and Division of Training

Current Organization of Fire Department Training Functions EMS Division and Division of Training

Proposed Organization of Fire Department Training Functions:
Division of Fire and Medical Training

Current Organization of Fire Department Training Function: Division of Fire and Medical Training

Conclusions

Fire Department training and education functions are currently spread across the Division of Training and three sections of the EMS Division.

Structural and management fragmentation hinders integration of the Department"s fire suppression and emergency medical services responsibilities, complicates management accountability, creates the potential for unevenly applied training and education quality standards, and increases costs.

The Fire Department should transfer the EMS Academy Section and the EMS In-service Training Section to a renamed Division of Fire and Medical Training.

The Fire Department should restructure the new Division of Fire and Medical Training to integrate training and education responsibilities, and to reduce the number of direct reports to the new Director of Fire and Medical Training. This reduction in direct reports should be achieved through rationalization of management positions which have overlapping areas of responsibility.

The Fire Department should direct the Director of Fire and Medical Training to (a) work with the new Strategic Policy, Planning and Analysis Unit to ensure that appropriate performance measures are developed for all training courses, and (b) monitor all training managers" performance against those measures.

Implementation of a more streamlined Division of Fire and Medical Training would result in a more integrated and strategic approach to training and education, clearer management accountabilities, and evenly applied training quality standards. Lower costs should be achieved through better coordination of training and education resources.

Recommendations

The Fire Chief should:

1.4.1 Transfer the EMS Academy Section and the EMS In-service Training Section to a renamed Division of Fire and Medical Training during FY 2001-2002.

1.4.2 Recruit widely for the new Director of Fire and Medical Training position, advertising for someone with both fire suppression and emergency medical services training experience.

1.4.3 Restructure the Division of Fire and Medical Training during FY 2001-2002 to integrate training and education functions for fire suppression and emergency medical services, and to reduce the number of direct reports to the Director of Fire and Medical Training by FY 2002-2003.

1.4.4 Direct the Director of Fire and Medical Training to (a) work with the new Strategic Policy, Planning and Analysis Unit to ensure that appropriate performance measures are developed for all training courses delivered by the Division of Fire and Medical Training, and (b) monitor all training managers" performance against those performance measures.

Costs and Benefits

The transfer of the EMS Academy Section and the EMS In-service Training Section to the Division of Training would be cost neutral in FY 2001-2002.

Restructuring training and education functions would result in annual net personnel cost savings of $152,632.

Implementation of a more streamlined Division of Fire and Medical Training would result in a more integrated and strategic approach to training and education, clearer management accountabilities, and the even application of training and education quality standards. Lower costs should result from better coordination of training and education resources.

1 Of these 17.00 FTE positions, 13.00 FTE are uniform and 4.00 FTE are civilian.

2 According to the EMS Academy Section Chief, the 1.00 FTE 1426 Senior Clerk Typist position which is supposed to provide administrative support to both her position and to the EMS In-service Training Section Chief has never been filled.

3 Part-time instructors are drawn from a pool of Fire Department uniformed employees. While Classification H-33 Rescue Captains teach on duty, all other Fire Department employees who tutor for specific skills can do so on hourly overtime. Since State law requires one tutor for every six paramedic students, and because such tutoring occurs seven days a week, Fire Department employees can be brought in on overtime if the EMS Academy is short of instructors on any given day.