baltimore, maryland may 31, 2014 – june 4, 2014 donald r. austin executive fire commissioner,...
TRANSCRIPT
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Baltimore, Maryland
May 31, 2014 – June 4, 2014
Donald R. Austin
Executive Fire Commissioner, Retired
Detroit Fire Department
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The Detroit Experience
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Detroit’s Historical Population
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Macro View of Detroit Issues
• Ex-mayor sentenced to 28 years• Deferred maintenance of City infrastructure• Significant population loss = tax base erosion• 80,000 vacant structures• 40,000 vacant and dangerous dwellings• Mayor and Council divided on budget
reductions
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Macro View of Detroit Issues (2)
• Council president abandoned office• 2nd Council member quit• High turnover in City executive leadership• Over 35 Unions in City government• Fiscal cliff inevitable• General Modus Operandi = Survival
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Revenue to Debt 1960~2010
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Fire Department Sit/StatMay 2011
• Operating under CBA, which expired 2001• Single-function firefighters• EMS second-class Department members• Seniority-based promotion• All uniformed members in same union• Average commissioner tenure 3.5 years• Mandatory retirement age 60
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Administrative Organization
Commissioner
Deputy Commissioner
2nd Deputy Commissioner
Mayoral Appointment
Commissioner Appointment
2nd Deputy Commissioner
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Operational DivisionsFirefighting
EMS
Fire Marshal
Communications
Training
Apparatus Research & Development
Community Relations
Medical
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Firefighting Division
Commissioner Appointment
Chief of Fire Operations
Senior Chief
Deputy Chief Deputy Chief
B1 B2 B4 B5 B6 B7 B8 B9
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Fire Department Sit/Stat (2) May 2011
• Complex and inflexible work rules• Courts and Arbitrators decision-making • Inadequate focus on Safety• Fire Stations average age 85 years old• No apparatus replacement program• Apparatus maintenance at Repair Shops• Inadequate organizational record keeping
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Fire Department Sit/Stat (3)May 2011
• Deferred maintenance on facilities, apparatus, and equipment
• Asset management system non-existent• Alcohol use on-duty• Non-existent investigative procedures• Poor accountability• Vendors not paid timely
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Fire Department Sit/Stat (4)May 2011
• Outdated technology CAD, MDCs, networks• No aerial ladder, pump, or hose testing• No NIMS Compliance • Poor use of ICS on incident ground• Browning out of seven fire companies daily• Exceeding budgeted overtime by $6M
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Goals and Objectives
• Augment administrative staff with identified skills in Labor, Budget, and Purchasing
• Data-driven decision-making• NIMS Compliance Project• NFPA testing compliance• Maritime Domain Awareness• Development of Mutual Aid Agreements
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Goals and Objectives (2)
• Establish a tractor company for demolition• Develop relationships with SE Michigan fire
service organizations• Update General Orders and Rules and Regulations• Develop Department library• Dual-function firefighter transition• Merit-based promotions• Transition apparatus repair to GSD• Apparatus and station replacement program
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Accomplishments• FF/CPA Deputy Commissioner• 2nd Deputy Commissioner Labor Attorney• 2nd Deputy Commissioner Budget• Personal Services Contracts• $78M awarded in FEMA grants• Non-traditional funding sources• New Public Safety Headquarters• Completion of Burn Documentary
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Accomplishments (2)
• WSU academic relationship• Contract with Tri-Data for Efficiency Study• 23 donated ambulances rec’d Dec 2013• 50 FF EMT-basic certified Dec 2014• Initiated discussion to embrace EMS• Initiated discussion for merit-based
promotion• Detroit Public Safety Foundation support
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New Detroit Ambulance
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DFD Today• Bankruptcy should be finalized by Sep 2014• Hiring 150 firefighter under FEMA funding• Fire union has not ratified City’s last offer• Moving forward with merit-based
promotion• All Division Chiefs are now appointed by
Commissioner
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Final Thoughts• DFD members, fire and EMS, are dedicated as
any firefighters in the US Fire Service• To a large extent we are all products of our
environment • Timing is everything in distressed environment• Change agents rarely bask in the sun during
their reign