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Grant Writing
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General Management
Discussions PURPOSE: The purpose of this general management discussion unit is to help students assimilate into this VFD Management Course curriculum. OBJECTIVE: Upon completion of this module, the student will: 1. wish to continue on with their participation to learn more, 2. identify 8 or more ways that a VFD/EMS service is different than most other non-profit community organizations, 3. identify "Monkey Business" as the conflict and struggle that occurs between line officers, administrative officers and members in a VFD/EMS or combined department. Procedure and General Information Content: The management of a volunteer fire department, combined department, and EMS units is a very specialized environment. They are similar to any tax-exempt 501-c(3) organization, however there are differences, even without those special conditions that exist for combined departments and those with paid EMS services. Some of the distinctions include: 1. The Indians elect the "Chiefs", 2. The Indians and Chiefs don't schedule when the war party rolls out, 3. Local, state, and federal government agencies and elected officials (Great White Fathers) play a key roll in the "wampum" that the Indians receive, 4. The Indians & Chiefs have to go to common individuals and businesses in their area to get extra "wampum" on a regular basis, 5. The Indians Volunteer, 6. The Indians and Chiefs are accountable to local, state, and federal reporting requirements. 7. The Indians and Chiefs are accountable to local, state, and federal training requirements, 8. The Indians and Chiefs are involved with insurance companies due to the services that the Indians & Chiefs provide, while they also need the services of the insurance companies. One also has to remember that volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel are a unique brand of individual, even the more so than those persons who choose fire fighting and EMS as a career. Therefore, they need to be managed differently than other types of "volunteers", notably because of egos, fragile egos, threatened egos and this is certainly true of those FF/EMS, who choose or wish to become either line officers or administrative officers. This is why in many departments there are the "Monkey Business" clashes and conflicts between administrative and line officers, along with the formation of cliques within the department. To effectively manage these egos, one must first get a firm control of their own. This takes much introspection, self control, integrity, honesty, internal reminders why you have chosen to become an officer, internal reminders as to why you became a volunteer firefighter and a constant reminder that for a volunteer firefighter, the term "public servant", isn't a job title, it is a job description. The next step is to gain the information, knowledge and skills necessary to be an effective volunteer fire department managing officer. If you are an existing officer, you will need to look at what you're doing to see how you might do it better, how might you assist other officers to enhance their performances, see if there is a list of procedures and description of requirements for each officer (beyond some simple by-law description), determine if such a policy and procedures manual needs to be assembled, is there a reporting checklist of what needs to be submitted (quarterly & annual reports) to various others (company, local, state, federal, grant fund requirements, etc.), determine who handles all of the income tax filings, who is responsible for grants, fundraising, and data collection, and the list goes on. You need to establish your own checklist of what needs to be done by you, by whom, by when, and certainly for any of the records management and reporting requirements. Even if you are a subordinate officer to another, you may need to make them aware what is imposed upon them. Albeit the president and chief may be the final authorities where "the finger" gets pointed, all officers and board of director members potentially could assume liabilities for certain things and under certain conditions. If you are a new officer, or you are considering running for an office, all of the above applies to you as well. You need to get as informed as possible per what will be required of you. As you do this, you will also equip yourself with the information you need and demonstrate the leadership and competence necessary to fulfill the requirements of the office you are asking your fellow members to elect you. Whether an existing officer, new officer, or aspiring officer; always remember that with the authority comes the accountability. Authority without responsibilities has about the same entropic and disastrous effects as someone having the responsibilities, but not the authority to meet them. "Monkey Business" Example: Engine Company Alpha has administrative officers of president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, trustee, and line officers of chief, assistant chief, captain, lieutenant, and engineer. Company Alpha does have their by-laws, but no policy and procedures manual which describes the duties, authorities and responsibilities that each officer has and shares with others. Officers say/feel they know what they're doing and nothing needs to be documented..."things are done as they always have been". Company Alpha: 1.
doesn't get much in grants, QUESTION: Who's fault is all of this? ANSWER: Each and every officer. QUESTION2: Are some more responsible than others? ANSWER2: Of course, but who are they? (Hint: More Than One) SOLUTION: We will let you determine the best plans and courses of remedial action necessary as you continue your progress through this VFD Management Course. Also, throughout we will be using the following companies as examples: Engine Company Beta For fictional officers and members (a composite of many different folks and types we have all seen - both good and bad), who will be used in the various examples and exercises, we will have: Chief Disaster, Chief Compassion, Chief Complaint, Chief Competent, Asst. Chief Aspiring, Asst. Chief Doital, Captain Courageous, Captain Kid, Captain Clutz, Lieutenant Learning, Lieutenant Likeable, Lieutenant Lousy, Lieutenant Laughable, President Hitler, President Harmless, President Hopeless, President Surefoot, V.P. Placeholder, V.P. Gopher, V.P. Brownnose, V.P. Runzit, Secretary Senseless, Secretary Selfish, Secretary Clueless, Secretary General, Treasurer Trash, Treasurer Beancounter, Treasurer Thrifty, and assorted others and members. Last modified: August 06, 2008
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