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The Planning Office meets with the Deputy Chiefs to review key performance indicators (KPI) for each of the department’s programs during the start of the annual planning process in the fourth quarter of each year. Discussions center on whether the current KPIs are still meeting the needs of the department, the bureau’s performance over the course of the previous year, and setting the benchmarks for the forthcoming year. Future developments and altering conditions within the service area are considered at this time, as are the effects of the various community risk reduction programs. These changes are then shared with the administrative staff at an annual Planning Kickoff Meeting in late December.
The Planning Office then holds three separate rounds of meetings regarding goals. The first step is for the Planning Office to meet with each Deputy Chief. These meetings review year-to-date goal progress, outputs, and outcomes. The purpose is to determine if the objectives and tasks employed by the bureaus had the expected outcomes and if those outcomes were desirable.
The next step is a formal meeting with the executive staff where the annual goals for the forthcoming year are chosen. This begins with a review of the strategic plan. The previous year’s goals and results are then discussed. This information is used to determine which areas of the strategic plan will be addressed in the forthcoming year. At this point, the Mayor’s initiatives, the Chief of Fire’s vision, and the plans put forth in the self-assessment manual are considered. The final product is the list of goals the department has chosen to pursue in the following year.
The final step involves the Planning Office meeting with each Deputy Chief again. This meeting focuses on writing the department’s goals and objectives in a SMART format. Objectives are created that include the desired outcomes, who will be responsible for their completion, and a timeframe. The finished product is presented to the Chief of Fire who holds the final right of approval.
From here, the monthly reporting process begins. Each month, the Planning Office meets with the Deputy Chiefs to evaluate each bureau’s progress on their annual goals. This provides an opportunity for the chiefs to share any obstacles they are facing and allows the Planning Office to disseminate any pertinent information between bureaus. Each bureau also reports its KPI metrics to the Planning Office on a monthly basis.
The Planning Office then uses these meetings and reports to build slide show presentations for the executive staff meetings. The first executive staff meeting of the month concentrates on goals, while the second’s focus is on KPIs. Each Deputy Chief speaks to the information being presented regarding their bureau. This open format allows for increased situational awareness and collaborative thinking to address any issues the department is facing. It also allows for the identification of trends and the direct sharing of information between bureaus. When needed, action plans are created to address performance deficiencies with input from the group.
At the end of each quarter, the Planning Office shares a candid report directly with the Chief of Fire pertaining to the department’s performance regarding goals and KPIs. Quarterly reports are also shared through the executive staff meetings. In June, each KPI is revisited. This is done to ensure both the metric and its benchmark are still relevant. At year’s end, the annual planning process begins again with a formal review of each bureau’s performance. This review includes the production of baseline performance charts for each station.
The community risk assessment is updated annually. A full community risk assessment is scheduled for every five-years. Upon its completion, the department will produce a corresponding standards of cover. The CPSE self-assessment manual is reviewed and updated annually as well.
