Fire departments struggling to secure funding for maintaining service levels can face frustration over elected officials' lack of support for budgetary requests.

When made outside of the operating budget, such requests often solicit an automatic “no” or “maybe next year.” This rejection in turn may leave departments understaffed and with outdated resources. More times than not, emergency and non-emergency services are expanding at a rate that eclipses the resources available to manage them effectively.

Through grass-roots strategic planning and participative management, the Shreveport (La.) Fire Department has adopted the use of a detailed and descriptive five-year rolling master plan that has transformed missed financial opportunities into incredible successes.

For years Shreveport's fire department went before city administrators to seek additional funding for projects not submitted in the annual operating budget. Requests often were made on the spur of the moment and usually followed critical events where equipment was identified as being needed “right now.” However, this Chicken Little approach became less and less effective in gaining support for fire department needs.

From 1997 to 1999 the department established goals for personnel increases, pay raises, and equipment and vehicle replacement. These goals were communicated to employees, the internal customers, but not much effort was invested in marketing the goals to external customers, specifically city administration and city council members. The department knew what its needs were, but those controlling the checkbook didn't.

The strategy of presenting the needs of the department only during the annual budget preparation proved to be a significant disadvantage when competing against other city departments. In 2002, the final blow came that led to the department's first master plan. Early that year, members of Shreveport's fire administration met with the city's chief financial officer to ask for funding to replace dated mobile data terminals in all emergency response vehicles. The CFO advised the delegation that they just missed out on $200,000 made available through an underestimation in a general obligation bond used for equipment purchases.

In the meeting, the CFO stated that at the time the funding came to light he was unaware the fire department had any additional needs outside of its regular operating budget. As the fire chief left the CFO's office, he emphatically stated, “That will never happen to the department again.” After retrieving a model document obtained a year earlier from the San Antonio (Texas) Fire Department, the strategic goals of the Shreveport Fire Department were professionally packaged into its 2003-07 Master Plan.

Strategic planning

Even though the first Shreveport Fire Department Master Plan wasn't published until 2003, the organization began the administrative process of strategic planning in 1997. At that time the department was experiencing a period of many opportunities, but it also was facing many difficulties. The planning effort provided a structured approach to addressing issues and solving problems that would ultimately enhance service levels for citizens and provide an atmosphere where employees could grow and thrive.

Members representing each rank and each division of labor within the department formed a strategic planning team that identified administrative and operational issues through regular meetings and workshops. They then outlined priorities and action plans for each issue. Through analysis of trends both nationally and internationally, the team evaluated and customized policies and programs to meet the needs of Shreveport.

Operational planning addressed those issues that had a direct impact on the mission of the department. The vast majority of operational issues were low to no-cost items that could be resolved by innovative financial management and policy revisions. Most administrative issues, however, could not be tackled without the support of city administration and a commitment of increased funding.

During the initial years of strategic planning, the City of Shreveport was economically supportive in funding some of the fire department's strategic goals. These requests came via meetings or an occasional presentation to the governing authority. Still, because of the lack of a formal document and detailed long-range operational and financial objectives, the department also was turned away a number of times.

Under the current economic forecast, elected and appointed city leaders are challenged more than ever to meet the financial requirements of future projects. The five-year master plan was developed to allow those city leaders to always have the needs and financial requirements of the fire department at their fingertips in a detailed document.

The master plan was designed to reflect the goals of the Shreveport Fire Department as defined by its programs and projects, accompanied by the financial implications of each. Whereas financial forecasting had previously been limited to the fire chief and his administrative staff, the master plan shared and marketed department needs to elected officials and city administration. This in turn created a much larger resource pool, outside of the fire department, of individuals and groups who were looking for revenue sources to fund programs in the plan.

Creating a master plan

The master plan focused on the strategic goals and program development that would enhance the levels of service to the citizens of Shreveport and the employees who deliver those services. Implementation of these plans would secure the future of fire and emergency services and programs to the level of quality and competence that was deserved and expected by the community.

When the department committed to assembling its first five-year rolling master plan, old strategic issues were revisited and re-evaluated for their current and future relevance, and innovative thoughts were explored for their value. The master plan was to consist of recommendations for improvements ranging from service and program enhancements to facility improvements.

Though the department was confident that all plans would someday come to fruition, it also recognized the financial challenges facing the city and considered them in the projections. As a rolling master plan, it would have the flexibility of taking advantage of unforeseen financial gains during a budget year and implementing parts of the plan or rolling them over to successive budget years. Support from the mayor and council would be critical to the plan's efficiency in this regard.

It's important to note that the department decided to have the plan over only a five-year rolling period, even though some argued that it should have been longer. The rationale behind having the plan cover only five years was that in addition to resource needs that surface during a fiscal year, there also is a tendency for these needs to vary depending on changes in service delivery, political climate and economic conditions. Any plan longer than five years could become outdated before it had been fully enacted.

All divisions and ranks of the fire department worked diligently in the strategic-planning process to develop the new master plan. Involvement and input were sought from members of Shreveport Firefighters Local 514, outside organizations such as the IAFC's Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association and the community at large, resulting in a collaborative and comprehensive road map of progressive objectives.

Groups within the department evaluated their specific area of expertise for current and future needs within the master plan's window. Maintenance, for example, was tasked with evaluating vehicle replacement; communications looked at the department's information technology needs, such as computers and alerting systems; and administration dealt with station relocation and staffing issues.

After all divisions and groups had assembled their lists, a special meeting of the strategic-planning team was called to see presentations from each. After the last presentation, the team was encouraged to scrutinize each request and ask specific questions of the presenters. By assigning a numerical value to each item, the team voted on the proposals to arrange a priority list. Those items found to have the most relevance to the department's mission received the highest score and were placed in the master plan.

Those programs that didn't receive enough support to be placed in the plan were categorized as delayed or unable. Delayed items were to be discussed at a later meeting or as they became more of a priority. Items listed as unable — the idea was just not achievable now or in the foreseeable future — were to be brought up at future meetings only if circumstances changed to make the program feasible.

Plan components

Some of the major program titles in Shreveport's first master plan include:

• Firefighter staffing and compensation,
• Enhanced fire administration,
• Fire station relocation/renovations,
• Vehicle replacement,
• Additional in-service medic unit,
• Information technology,
• EMS public education,
• Fire training academy expansion, and
• Financial strategy

The logistics of physically assembling the master plan was left to the fire administration. A word-processing template, designed to create a uniform appearance for all of the programs in the plan, included the following format for each entry:

• Project title,
• Background and significance to mission,
• Program description,
• Implementation strategy, and
• Financial summary table.

At the conclusion of each program in the master plan is a complete financial table with a detailed empirical summary of what funds would be needed for each project. The table spanned the five years of the plan and listed the cost associated with each request. If funding had been secured for all or a portion of the project, it was listed in a shaded box. Additionally, the costs were subdivided into one-time, such as the purchase of a fire engine, or recurring, which could represent personnel costs to staff a new in-service unit.

Funding for projects could come from a variety of common and alternative revenue sources. The majority came from general obligation bonds, although other sources included grants, taxes, organizational restructuring, other public safety agencies and the operating budget. The inclusion of a financial table for each and every project became one of the greatest assets of the master plan. It provided those in government with the raw numbers they needed to make decisions on whether to move forward on a project without having to contact the fire department about related expenses. Most politicians and bureaucrats simply liked that the department had laid out all of the details of each program, interconnected their relevance to one another and the department's mission, and were forthcoming and honest with the associated costs.

The master plan is updated annually, although new programs and project ideas are regularly brought to the fire administration's attention throughout the year. Before being placed into the plan, new project submissions must go through the rigorous strategic planning team process. Once a project is completed, it is moved to the accomplishments section at the front of the plan. This cumulative list allows members and city administration to quickly reference and review the program's success. Continuing projects are re-evaluated for relevance, updating or even removal from the plan in light of strategic changes within or outside of the organization.

Touting success

There's nothing more important to the continued success of a master plan than letting your people know about its success. Along with the input provided by strategic-planning team members while assembling the plan, the plan needs to be presented to the entire membership to ensure that all-important ownership and acceptance from the rank and file. In Shreveport, the fire chief accomplished this by arranging a series of district meetings. Every shift — every station and division — were included. Questions and scrutiny of the plan were not only welcomed but encouraged.

The first year of the Shreveport plan drew plenty of questions, skepticism and even criticism, with some labeling it a waste of time. However, as programs began to come to fruition and the tangible results became evident, more and more members began to take interest and participate in the master-plan process. The fire department soon learned the valuable lesson of sharing even small successes of the plan with the membership. Because there was a conscious effort to have an all-inclusive plan, today the membership proudly endorses, takes responsibility and shares wholeheartedly in its success.

It's equally important to let those government officials and others outside of the organization responsible for the plan's success know that their efforts were appreciated. A letter from the fire chief, union president and strategic-planning team director expressing gratitude is always a good idea and conveys true appreciation for what the official has done. Additionally, when new equipment arrives, contact the media and allow the official to share in any publicity. After all, most are elected politicians and unlikely to pass up an opportunity to tout their successes to their constituents and peers.

Making a difference

The master plan represents objectives that lay out a road map of resources for completing the department's mission now and in the future. The collateral and residual effects are measurable in providing a more effective and efficient service for the citizens. For Shreveport, that means maintaining its ISO Class 1 fire rating.

More than any other factor, the Shreveport Fire Department's master plan can be hailed as a success because it has made a difference in the greatest element of its mission: saving lives and reducing property loss. Additionally, the department has made great strides in improving the environmental working conditions of its members through capital projects. All fire stations are now equipped with washer/dryer units and hands-free sinks to reduce the risk of cross-contamination; treadmills were purchased in pursuit of improving health and wellness; old furniture has been replaced; old fire stations renovated; new fire stations are being built; and new fire engines, rescue trucks and medic units are being purchased.

In large part, Shreveport's success can be attributed to impatience. Tired of reacting to external variables, the fire department chose to create its own approach to lead the organization into the future through the pages of a strategic master plan.

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Kelvin J. Cochran is the fire chief and a 24-year veteran of the Shreveport (La.) Fire Department. He currently serves as vice chairman of the IAFC Metropolitan Fire Chiefs and chairman of the IAFC Program Planning Committee. He has a bachelor's degree in organization management and is pursuing a master of arts in industrial/organizational psychology.

Brian A. Crawford is an assistant chief and 20-year veteran of the Shreveport Fire Department, currently serving as the assistant to the fire chief. A member of the IAFC Human Relations Committee, Crawford is a National Fire Academy resident instructor in the management science's division and is currently a fourth-year participant in the Executive Fire Officer Program. He holds a master of arts in industrial/organizational psychology, a bachelor of science in organizational management, and an associate degree in paramedic.

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