A11
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: August 26, 1996
Dept. File No.\manage.wpd
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: General Manager, Fire and Rescue Services
SUBJECT: Better City Government Initiative - Review of Vancouver Fire
and Rescue Services Senior Management Structure
RECOMMENDATIONS
A. THAT Council approve the distribution of a Request for
Proposals (R.F.P.) to interested consultants to carry out a
review/reorganization of Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services
senior management structure.
B THAT Council approve funding of $70,000 for a
review/reorganization of Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services
senior management and administrative structure, funding to be
provided from the Strategic Initiatives Fund.
COUNCIL POLICY
A Council resolution on September 1, 1992, directed the Fire Chief to
achieve a number of specific organizational objectives including the
implementation of a vigorous program of staff development and succession
planning.
Council has approved a number of resolutions authorizing the Better City
Government Program. Fire and Rescue Services was approved by Council as
one of the 15 priority areas for review and redesign.
In an Administrative Report to Council dated April 25, 1996, Council
endorsed a recommendation by the City Manager that the General Manager,
Fire and Rescue Services, report back with terms of reference for an
overall review of the administrative structure of the Department and the
allocation of staff resources to meet the needs previously identified by
the Department and reiterated in the TriData study.
PURPOSE
This report outlines the scope for an overall review of the
administrative structure of Fire and Rescue Services, and requests
approval to issue an R.F.P. to interested consulting firms. In addition,
this report recommends that funding of $70,000 be provided from the
Better City Government Strategic Initiatives Fund.
BACKGROUND
In 1993, Fire and Rescue Services completed its first Strategic Plan.
One of the primary goals of that Plan was to provide a basis for the
reallocation of resources to areas of greatest strategic need, and to
provide a direction for the redesign of the overall department
structure, including the assignment of senior staff. At that time, the
existing senior management positions of the department were realigned on
an ad hoc basis to meet the immediate implementation needs of the
Strategic Plan.
Recently, the Department has also completed an operational review of
staffing, equipment, deployment and fire hall locations carried out by a
consultant, TriData. The TriData report will result in significant
changes to our operations.
The Deputy Fire Chief has given notice of his intention to retire by
November 1996. It is therefore an opportune time to review, and if
necessary, reorganize the senior management structure of Fire and Rescue
Services. This review of the administrative structure is a key
supporting strategy to other Better City Government initiatives
currently ongoing in Fire and Rescue Services.
DISCUSSION
Historically, Fire Departments were created to fulfill a single
function, to suppress destructive fires. To that end, staff have been
recruited with the physical and mechanical skills required for fire
suppression operations. The organization was based on hierarchical
authority and a 'paramilitary' model was used in all functions.
Throughout North America the role and focus of the providers of
emergency services has been changing rapidly. Vancouver Fire and Rescue
Services now offers a wide range of public safety services requiring a
complex, multifaceted delivery system. Management tasks require new
skills to deal with sophisticated technologies, educated and
specialized employees, increased legislative requirements, budget
constraints, increasing political and social scrutiny, and community
expectations. Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services is under considerable
pressure to meet the evolving requirements of its internal and external
environment. While the traditional hierarchical structure is effective
for management of emergency operations, it is clear that there are
significant shortcomings in using this structure in non-emergency
services.
SCOPE OF CONSULTING WORK
The primary focus of the study is to provide an objective and
comprehensive review and evaluation of the current organization/senior
management structure and chain-of-command of Vancouver Fire and Rescue
Services. The review may include, but not be limited to, the following
general characteristics of the organization: structure, authority,
responsibility, staff development, internal and external linkages,
accountability, span of control, delegation, development of team
relationships with other City departments and development of strong
internal teams, regional relationships, and innovation. Based on that
evaluation, options and recommendations are expected which may be used
to either validate or realign the current management structure to meet
the increasingly complex and technical demands on the organization. The
project must be credible and tailored to the current organizational
culture so as to gain the confidence and commitment of all stakeholders.
In conducting this study, the successful consultant will interview some
members of the Corporate Management Team, a cross-section of Fire and
Rescue personnel, Union representatives, individuals involved in the
delivery of emergency services in the region, members of the general
public (Citizens Advisory Committee), and other stakeholders.
Integration with the Department s Strategic Plan and the recent
Deployment Study (TriData) is also required.
A description of the attributes of successful senior officers or
managers in each position in a large metropolitan fire department will
form a portion of the final project report. In addition, best management
practices of other leading North American Fire Departments and other
comparable public or private organizations should also be evaluated for
appropriateness in Vancouver.
The study will focus on the 17 excluded senior management positions in
Fire and Rescue Services which are the following: Fire Chief, Deputy
Fire Chief, Assistant Chief (Communications), 2 Assistant Chiefs (Fire
Prevention), 4 Assistant Chiefs (Operations), Assistant Chief (Support
Services), Assistant Chief (Training), Assistant Chief (Contract
Services), 2 Special Assistant Chiefs (Projects). The review will also
cover the following senior civilian positions: Manager of Planning and
Research, Manager of Finance and Administration and Manager of
Information Services.
SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The overriding goals of this review are to enhance organizational
effectiveness (i.e., provide value to our 'customers' consistent with
their real requirements at a reasonable cost), enhance customer focus
and support our mission and strategic priorities.
PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS
It is expected that as a result of this study staff may be reallocated.
However, until the review has been completed, it is unknown what the
effect of recommendations on staff levels will be. If it can be
demonstrated that increases or decreases can be justified, a future
report to Council will be forthcoming.
IMPLEMENTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS PLAN
Input from major stakeholders will be solicited throughout the review. A
report will be submitted to Council at the conclusion of the review in
December 1996, or January 1997.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The estimated cost of the management review is $70,000, and it is
requested that the funds be provided from the 1996 Strategic Initiatives
Fund.
* * *