Defending Your Department's Budget

Fire and EMS Departments across the United States are facing major budget cuts in 2009.  Layoffs, brown-outs, station closures, and equipment deficiencies are all issues various departments are coping with while trying to maintain regular department services that keep the public safe.  Budget cuts have forced many departments to provide sub-standard services while putting fight fighters’ and civilian lives at greater risk.

According to Times Herald, the Port Huron Fire Department located in Port Huron, MI is dealing with budget cuts that have forced the department to layoff many people in the last couple of years.  The department is still expected, however to perform at high levels that keep their staff and civilians safe.

Port Huron’s Fire Chief Bob Eick stated, “The department's budget shrank from $5.3 million in fiscal year 2005-06 to $5.1 million in 2008-09 because of the city's financial problems.”  Port Huron Fire has to date cut 11 firefighter positions and has a total of 44 employees including the Fire Chief himself.

Station closures are yet another hot topic in many cities and Fire Departments.  As budget cuts worsen some fire departments must cut more than just their personnel.  This has lead to brownouts and actual station closures leaving cities more vulnerable. 

Reported by AJC.com, The Atlanta Fire and Rescue recently laid-off 120 firefighters, declared a hiring freeze, and eliminated overtime that was keeping staffing levels safe.  Jim Daws, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 134, states, “To  adjust, [Atlanta] Fire Rescue shuttered four fire companies and two fire stations for the remainder of the fiscal year, staffed its trucks with just three firefighters instead of the minimum industry safety standard of four, and began 24-hour station closures during staffing shortages.”  These cuts still were not enough and Atlanta Fire and Rescue was forced to close seven Atlanta fire companies and five fire stations just recently.   

City Councils through the U.S. are responsible for making the budget cut decisions for their cities.  Councils are looking at slashing emergency service department’s budgets first because these department’s budgets seem to be the largest and require the most money.  What is not being considered by most councils is that these same departments need monies in their budget to properly function. 

The Bayonne Fire Department, located in Bayonne New Jersey is looking at alternatives to layoffs.  Their restructuring plan according to the Jersey Journal entails major “restructuring”.  This plan is being looked at by the city council and no final decisions have been made.  This means layoffs are still on the table.  One thing that is certain is that if the department does indeed follow through with their layoffs, the Bayonne Fire Department’s performance will be impacted negatively.

Looking on the Brightside of things within the city of Bayonne, Council President Vincent Lo Re is committed to trying to find the best solution for the city’s budget and the Fire Department stating, "We're looking at everything," states Lo Re. "That's what we must do."

This can be encouraging news to departments as solutions to the economic crisis the U.S. is facing are tackled.  Emergency Service Departments must know that if a case is made properly to their city council in a way members can understand, budgets can and have been saved. 

Deccan International’s application ADAM (Apparatus Deployment Analysis and Planning Module) is the only software on the market molded specifically for Fire and EMS departments that can help defend budgets.  ADAM, a state-of-the-art simulation tool, is strategic planning software for Fire Chiefs and Fire/EMS Managers. ADAM helps Fire/EMS leaders to assess and address the many challenges they face such as budget cuts, station relocation, station reduction plans, consolidation, new station siting and/or disaster planning. 

Chief Floyd Madison, current Fire Administrator for the state of New York and retired Fire Chief of Rochester Fire Department has always been impressed with Deccan International’s ADAM stating, “The Deccan product ADAM has significantly aided in defending our budget, reviewing station placement for the future, and viewing our current performance.  With Deccan tools, we have been able to present strong evidence of our department’s performance both to the public and elected officials.  No department should be without the Deccan Software applications.”

Administrators using ADAM can ask “What if?” questions regarding proposed deployment changes derived from department historical CAD data.  Users can simulate and view the impact of changes such as reductions in workloads, staffing, and stations in the field.  When budgets are tight, ADAM helps departments show how cuts will affect the department and the city as a whole.  ADAM displays deployment scenarios as color-coded maps and numerical percentages which can easily be ported into compelling presentations and reports.  Because ADAM is calibrated to match actual department performance, city officials can be assured that simulations presented are accurate.

Fire Chief Dave Hanneman of Chula Vista Fire Department is happy using Deccan applications for various issues that have arisen especially relating to reductions the department has faced.  Chief Hanneman reported, “Deccan’s ADAM gave our department the ability to visually demonstrate to council the negative implications of reductions.”  Using Deccan’s ADAM, Chula Vista Fire has fended off 2 levels of reductions including brownouts and station closures associated with budget cuts.  He has been able to show Chula Vista’s city council how far department performance would veer off course with 1710 standards.   Chief Hanneman is now working with Deccan’s ADAM to explore incorporating Advanced Life Support on 3 engines within the department and looking into how performance will improve with this change.

Because Deccan International’s ADAM has been helping many departments nationwide defend their budgets, Deccan and Fire Rescue International have teamed up to present a special economic seminar titled, “Weathering the Economic Storm.”  At this seminar, Chief Hanneman, along with others will share their experiences with the current economic state and share tips on how they have solved issues within their department.  Chief Hanneman will also specifically address how his department used Deccan products to show to his council the implications of budget cuts.   Weathering the Economic Storm seminar will be held during FRI on Tuesday, August 25, 2009 and Wednesday, August 26, 2009.  For more information you can visit FRI’s website.

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