Public Safety Voices | Fire Chief Alan Ernst

Budgeting to meet the needs of the community.

“The biggest challenge we face in the Central Valley is our budget. It’s a constant struggle to maintain the resources we need to serve our community.

“One step we’re taking to address this is fire regionalization. Two other agencies are now contracting with the Modesto Fire Department for fire services, so we’ll realize some savings and see some revenue from that.”

Recruiting is not a problem here.

“We do well with recruitment. Interest in the fire service is strong in California. We provide potential firefighters many educational opportunities, and the job itself has a lot of natural publicity that comes with it.

“Modesto also offers an explorer program for students ages 16-20 that’s affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America, and several of our employees have graduated from that program.”

It’s all about the moments.

“There’s no one rewarding moment in my career. For me, it’s all about the opportunities when you get to see that your actions affected someone’s life in a positive way. As the chief, I am honored to engage with the public and support our firefighters and the difference they make.”

The fire service is in my blood.

“I’m a fourth-generation firefighter. My great grandfather was a firefighter in Oregon, my grandfather served in Monterey, Calif., and my dad served in Sacramento. And, my son is now in the fire science program Sierra College.”

We hope the community recognizes the toll the job takes on us.

“This is a very demanding job. One concern of ours is that the community doesn’t recognize the toll it takes on us — the toll it takes on our mental health … Suicides outpaced line-of-duty deaths in the fire service last year. We see horrific scenes, and when you’re talking about a 30-year career, it just keeps building up.

“We’re paying a lot of attention to the mental health of our department. To that end, we’ve added a behavioral health specialist to our staff and instituted a health and wellness program to ensure everyone gets the help they need, whether it’s with home or work.”

Cancer rates are much higher for the fire service.

“We also started a cancer reduction program. There are many dangers that are visible, but it’s the dangers we don’t see that are really affecting us. The chemicals associated with the fires we go to are really dangerous, even at a house fire.

“As a result, the cancer rates are much higher for the fire service. We’re taking steps to reduce exposure, including emergency decontamination, cleaning equipment and clothing in an extractor, showering immediately after a call, etc.”

Getting kids involved.

“We also started a hands-only CPR program in which we taught every middle school kid in the city how to recognize the need for and initiate CPR. We’re now going to the high schools also.”

-Chief Alan Ernst, Modesto Fire Department, California

By Jenny Donovan|2019-08-19T15:22:33-04:00August 20th, 2019|Public Safety Voices|Comments Off

Public Safety HR News Roundup – Week of September 17, 2018

Headlines from around the web regarding hiring, assessment and other human resource issues in public safety.

Maine firefighters head south to help responders to Mass. explosions

Bangor Daily News | A crew from the York Village Fire Department may have been the most welcome people in Lawrence and North Andover, Massachusetts, Thursday night, as they worked to feed upward of 500 firefighters, police officers, ambulance workers and other first responders battling multiple fires in a three-town area.

Hero Thrill Show returns to raise funds for fallen heroes’ kids

metro.us | On Sept. 12, 75 members of the elite Police Highway Patrol Motorcycle Drill Team displayed their finery during a pep rally to raise awareness of the upcoming Hero Thrill Show, to be held on Sept. 22 in South Philadelphia. Sixty-four years running, the Hero Thrill Show helps raise funds to educate the children of fallen heroes.

Dissolution of NY Fire District Sparks Outcry

Firehouse | Town of Oneonta Fire District commissioners voted Thursday night 3 to 2 for dissolution, turning the job of negotiating a fire protection contract over to the Oneonta Town Board, which objects to the step.

Former Bears star Matt Forte goes on ride-along with Chicago police

ABC 7 News | Former Chicago Bears star running back Matt Forte says he has a whole new respect for police officers after going for a ride-along on the South Side in Chicago’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood. “The narrative, even to the young kids is that, all police officers are bad, and that’s not the case, so we gotta find some common ground,” Forte said.

PTC cops send hurricane relief to North Carolina

The Citizen | The Peachtree City (PTC) Police Department and members of the community lent a hand to those impacted by Hurricane Florence by collecting 21.5 tons of needed goods that were shipped to North Carolina on Sept. 19.

Federal court orders Dallas County to change its bail system

CorrectionsOne | In a major victory for civil rights groups, a federal judge has banned Dallas County from using a predetermined schedule to set bail without considering other amounts or alternatives that would allow the suspects’ release from jail. Though U.S. District Judge David Godbey’s order is temporary, his ruling Thursday indicated that the groups that sued the county earlier this year “are substantially likely to prevail on the merits” of their arguments.

Could Riverside County cities leave the Sheriff’s Department over a rate dispute?

The Press-Enterprise | Seventeen of the 28 cities located in Riverside County have a contract with the Riverside Sheriff’s Department. All are happy with the services they receive, but none are happy with the cost. But county officials say if anything, it’s the county that’s been getting a raw deal. County government, they say, isn’t getting enough to cover the cost of sheriff’s services to cities.

Text-to-911 Program Showing Early Benefits, Palm Beach County Says

Emergency Management | Since the program’s launch on June 25, 299 text messages had been sent to dispatchers across the county as of Aug. 21, although Koenig noted that figure includes test messages that were used in training. The sheriff’s office said that as of Aug. 21, it had received 23 emergency calls that originated as texts since the program’s launch.

HERO HIGHLIGHT

Police officer runs free boxing class for lower income and at-risk kids

WFLA | One police officer is watching out for the kids he serves, most of them Hispanic and Spanish speakers, by getting them off the streets and into the ring. He has the community saying Vamos Tampa Bay. He’s training kids to fight. In the ring and in life.

In his dying moments, Sheriff’s Deputy Kunze saved at least two lives

The Wichita Eagle | After a convict on a crime spree shot Deputy Robert Kunze above his protective vest and before the mortally wounded deputy collapsed, the lawman managed to kill his attacker. If Kunze had not kept fighting in his dying moments, Sheriff Jeff Easter says, at least two other people could have been murdered.

By Jenny Donovan|2018-09-22T13:56:59-04:00September 21st, 2018|From Across the Web, News, Police-Community Relations|Comments Off

Public Safety HR News Roundup – Week of August 27, 2018

Headlines from around the web regarding hiring, assessment and other human resource issues in public safety.

Kentucky looks at new reforms to cut jail, prison population

The Sentinel Echo | Some solutions are expected to come from 2017 Senate Bill 120, sponsored by Rep. Whitney Westerfield, R-Crofton. The legislation, now law, is expected to reduce the inmates in Kentucky jails and prisons through alternative sentencing–including reentry programs–and so-called prison industry enhancement programs.

In last four fatal fires, firefighters didn’t call the closest reinforcements

Journal Star | The calls instead went to other departments staffed by trained volunteers, either personally selected by a fire officer on scene or according to a predetermined order on file with the agencies and dispatchers, contradicting the most basic tenets of firefighting.

Calling 911 in rural California? Danger might be close, but the law can be hours away

The Sacramento Bee | A McClatchy investigation found that large stretches of rural California — where county sheriffs are the predominant law enforcement agencies and towns often run only a few blocks — do not have enough sworn deputies to provide adequate public safety for the communities they serve.

Podcast | Influence vs. control: Why COs need to know the difference

CorrectionsOne | In this episode of Tier Talk, Anthony Gangi discusses the difference between influence and control, particularly when it comes to prison gangs.

Montgomery County has a shortage of 911 dispatchers. They’re racing to find more — and fast

The Philadelphia Inquirer | … And as the calls pour in, the county — like so many other counties and states nationwide — has grappled with a dire shortage of 911 call-takers and dispatchers, jobs with long hours, high stress and a salary that nets less than $45,000 in Montgomery County.

New Day in the Firehouse

Governing Magazine | The workload of fire departments has grown substantially, even as their core mission — putting out fires — has dwindled. “Communities tend to lean on the fire service in times of crisis,” says Charlottesville Fire Chief Andrew Baxter. “People are looking to the fire service for leadership and partnership for all aspects of emergency response.”

How to train and equip SROs to be a school’s first line of defense

PoliceOne | Unfortunately, it’s not the program’s success as a component of an overall community policing model, but rather the alarming rise in the lethality and frequency of school shootings that has been a major driving factor for requests for SROs in our schools. These requests come not only from law enforcement agencies with established SRO programs, but from elected officials, school officials and the public who may not be aware of the many facets of an SRO program.

Why correctional facilities need a social media policy

CorrectionsOne | You represent your agency every time you don your uniform, and your social media presence does the same thing. If a citizen sees a derogatory image on a CO’s Facebook page, he or she wonders, “Is the whole agency like that?” COs who think there is privacy when posting content online are sadly mistaken.

HERO HIGHLIGHT

Not all Heroes Wear Capes … Or Walk on Two Legs

First Coast News | Therapy dogs help 911 dispatchers at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office process their emotions after dealing with a deadly mass shooting on Sunday.

By Jenny Donovan|2018-08-31T15:05:02-04:00August 31st, 2018|From Across the Web, News|Comments Off

Public Safety Voices | Fire Chief Brian Fennessy

The volume of emergency medical service calls is increasing every year – to all our detriment.

“The increased volume of emergency medical service calls, especially in large metro departments, is a big topic of conversation everywhere. It continues to increase exponentially every year – so much so that the current trend is unsustainable. People who aren’t experiencing life-threatening emergencies are calling 911, which leaves our resources unavailable to respond to genuine emergencies. So we’re looking at our EMS response system and modifying how we respond to these calls.”

I can train just about anyone to be a firefighter, but I can’t train them to be a good person.

“Traditionally the fire service has not done a good job of preparing its future leaders; we’ve relied primarily on luck. The cost that comes from not developing your leaders can have huge ramifications.

“Many of our engine and truck companies are responding to calls for service nearly continuously each day. The ability to treat people with dignity when you’re tired and you’ve already run 30-plus calls can be a challenge for some, but it’s a critical part of the job. During the hiring process we do all we can to determine whether candidates share our organizational values and principles: I can train just about anyone to be a firefighter, but I can’t train them to be a good person. Someone who doesn’t have the right qualities can cause a lot of harm to the department and the public.

“We’re putting time into developing leaders at every level of the department (12 years ago we initiated a leader development program), and the results are clear. There are some amazing stories coming up about firefighters going above and beyond. For example, one of my engine companies recently responded to an elderly female who fell and cracked her head open on the hardwood floor in her home. After the crew had treated her and transported her to the hospital, they went back to the house, made entry, and cleaned up the area in her house where she had fallen (there was a lot of blood) so she wouldn’t have to return home to deal with cleaning that up all by herself.

Times of San Diego

“Another example came on a medical call – cardiac arrest. The engine crew responded quickly and took good care of the husband, as well as every family member there. The wife called me later that week to share how our crew had treated her husband and family with great care and dignity. I asked how her husband was recovering. She told me he had passed away. Even though she had just lost her husband of many years, she called to thank us for the care we gave him and her family. That says a lot about the quality and character of our firefighters.

“Statistics demonstrate that most people will never call 911 in their lives. However, when they do, they may be experiencing the worst day of their life. We have to remember that – to treat people well. The citizen and their family will remember that day forever. Those are the kinds of things that are most important.”

There’s no greater threat in San Diego than a wildfire.

“Wildfires are always a big concern here; there’s no greater threat to life and property in San Diego. It’s year-round, and climate change has only made it worse.

“Last year, more than 11,000 structures were destroyed in the state of California, and hundreds of thousands of acres were blackened. The average annual rainfall in the city is approximately 11 inches. We’ve received a fraction of that this year, meaning that we expect to experience critical fire conditions once again this year. And once the Santa Ana winds start blowing, we’re going to experience some fires that are uncontrollable.”

We show up ready.

“The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department has some of the best trained firefighters in the country. We work hard and spend a lot of time and resources on training. We’re also fortunate to have the best equipment available and the latest technology at our fingertips.

“We do this so that when we do arrive, our citizens have some of the most highly trained firefighters in the country taking care of them. We take a lot of pride in that. We’re going to show up, solve your problem, do it quickly – and treat you with great care and dignity.”

–Chief Brian Fennessy, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department

By Jenny Donovan|2018-04-23T19:17:13-04:00April 10th, 2018|Public Safety Voices|Comments Off

Public Safety Voices | Fire Chief Erik Litzenberg

The city’s services and resources were overburdened by a relatively small number of people. We needed to come up with a better way to meet their needs.

“The most rewarding part of my career came very early on when I was a paramedic: Putting my hands on people we were called to assist, and making them better – or feel better – as a result of what I was doing. I believe that’s why we all get in it – to make a difference.

(Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal)

“And now, as chief, I find it incredibly rewarding to be able to identify problems in the community and find solutions that work. For example, last year we launched the Mobile Integrated Health Office (MIHO) in response to a disconnect in care in our city.

“We have a number of people who are not necessarily getting the care they need, and were disproportionately using up the city’s resources (ambulance, ER, etc.) as a result. We’re nearing 20,000 calls this year [2017] – we need to be able to answer them all.

“Having spent the better part of a decade as a paramedic, I saw firsthand that we didn’t always have the tools to help them – at least we didn’t have the right tools in the right places. Now, with the MIHO, we’re able to track people with more complicated and complex needs; we’re able to design a more personal plan to address the needs of those who are higher users of the city’s resources.

“It’s so nice to be able to provide people with the care they actually need, and it frees up our services and resources to help the larger community through our 911 system. We’re starting to collect really great data on how it’s helping. In fact, the data is overwhelming. We’re changing lives.”

Our Mobile Integrated Health Office is changing lives.

“We were regularly being called to help a single mother with a child (early teens) who has a seizure disorder. The mother has some behavioral issues as well – issues with substance abuse. She had been caring for her child alone for many, many years – even carrying him up and down the stairs twice daily. This was far beyond her capabilities, so there were slip issues, and a number of falls. Furthermore, the child was not always receiving his medications because she didn’t understand how to administer them.

“MIHO did a home assessment; the team immersed themselves in their lives and connected the dots for this family. She needed some physical help – railings on the stairs and a lift assist. The child started getting the medications he needed, and the MIHO team educated people at his school about his conditions and needs as well, enabling them to help, too. It was life-changing for this family to receive help from someone who understood the system.

“Another person who stands out in my mind is a guy who had engaged the city and county systems – 911, ER, and jail – over 200 times in one year. In our integrated care approach, we were able to get his needs met and, as a result, reduced that number to one time in six months.

“Not long ago, a man came walking up to me in a suit and tie. He told me that our program has cleaned him up to the point that he had a job interview that day. It was the same guy. He’s now living a normal, functional life.”

We all share a genuine interest in the citizens we serve and their well-being.

“We take a great deal of pride in our work, and we really do care about all the things we take an oath over – to protect our communities, show compassion and care for the people we serve, and to serve honorably. We share a genuine interest in the citizens and their well-being, and yes, we’re as approachable as it seems.”

–Chief Erik Litzenberg, Santa Fe Fire Department

By Jenny Donovan|2018-04-23T19:22:29-04:00February 14th, 2018|Public Safety Voices|Comments Off

Public Safety Voices: Fire Chief Tom Jenkins

The Millennial workforce presents new challenges.

“Our primary challenge is how to deal with the youngest generation we employ: the Millennials. We’re used to hiring people who want to be career firefighters, and for the first time ever, our new hires are often not interested in a long-term career. So, how do we keep them motivated and retain them?

“We start by acknowledging that it’s not business as usual. This is just not the same group working here today; they’re not going to conform to what we believe are the best parts of the job. For example, it’s hard to get Millennials to work overtime – they enjoy their time off. We used to work 24 on, 48 off; now we work 48 on, 96 off.

“This generation is also focused on wanting to make a difference, to have an impact – to see and do different things. If things get stagnant or they get bored, then they’re unhappy and want to go elsewhere. So, to combat that, we created diversity in our assignments, e.g., running airport fire stations, special rescue and hazardous materials teams.

“At some point it begins to inch toward a crisis. We can’t compete with the private sector on pay. We offer a great pension, but they live in the now. They’re not thinking about the future.”

At best, fighting fires is only five percent of our job.

“The one thing people don’t respect enough is the wide scope of our business. Over 3,000 people die every year in a fire; it’s still a very real and tangible threat. But a lot of people think all we do is fight fire. At best, that’s five percent of our job.

“We’re the only 24/7 health care industry that still makes house calls. Car wreck, train wreck, chemical spill, chest pains, or a house on fire – we’re the first on the scene. We work to balance all the new and emerging things we do. It’s tough to advocate for so many different things, and be master of all.”

–Fire Chief Tom Jenkins, Rogers, Arkansas, Fire Department

By Jenny Donovan|2018-04-23T19:25:41-04:00January 17th, 2018|Public Safety Voices, Recruitment|Comments Off

Entry-Level Firefighter Test (Discounts Available!)

Has your agency previously administered any of the tests from IPMA-HR’s Entry-Level Firefighter (FF-EL) series?

If you answered ‘yes’ to this question, then we need your help!

IPMA-HR is gathering the test scores received by current firefighters who took the FF-EL test to better understand how the tests are currently performing.

What We’ll Need from You:

Firefighter’s FF-EL 100-, 200-, and/or 300-series test scores between 1994 and 2016.
Fire Academy score (if applicable)
Completion of a 9-question web-based performance evaluation

What You’ll Receive from Us:

$100 off your agency’s next test order
Direct evidence supporting the validity of the exam and its use in your agency
Hire better. High quality tests help you select high-quality candidates, saving your agency the costly expense of turnover.
And it’s free! A test development and validation project of this scale done internally could cost your agency in excess of $100,000. Participation in our test development projects is free.

Please contact Julia Hind-Smith at jsmith@ipma-hr.org if you would like to learn more and/or participate in this project.

(Please Note: All information gathered for this study will remain strictly confidential. The data gathered will be combined with data from other departments and only be reported in the form of group statistics.)

By Julia Hind-Smith|2017-04-07T14:33:52-04:00March 24th, 2017|Announcements, Assessment|Comments Off

2nd Edition Firefighter Study Guide Now Available

We are excited to announce the 2nd edition of our Firefighter Candidate Study Guide!

The 2nd edition now offer a full 100 item practice test as well as:

25 item answers explained
Frequently Asked Questions about the Fire Tests
Content area review
Analysis of question types and answer approaches
Test day tips

This study guide can be used to study for all 6 of our Entry Level Firefighter Exams; including the FF-EL 100, 200, and 300 series.

You can have candidates buy individual guides or as with all other candidate study guides, we offer reduced prices for agency purchases.

By Andrey Pankov|2015-12-07T13:06:32-04:00December 7th, 2015|Announcements, New Product|Comments Off

Legal Update: Spawn of Ricci

The Court will be asked to straighten out the aftermath of Ricci v. Destefano. It has not yet decided whether to grant certification in Briscoe v. New Haven, No. 11-1024, petition for cert 2/15/2012. The case that has revived the fight over tests administered in 2003.

Michael Briscoe, an African American firefighter, brought the suit that the city said it was trying to avoid when it canceled promotion lists that would have benefitted Ricci et al. District court, while somewhat sympathetic to Briscoe‘s suit, said that the Supreme Court had spoken regarding promulgation of the lists and Briscoe should have intervened in Ricci to ensure that his situation were taken into account. Among other things, Briscoe argued that the city could have weighted the written test results differently and had less adverse impact. (more…)

By Richard Tonowski|2012-04-09T10:32:06-04:00April 10th, 2012|Legal|Comments Off