Understanding Fire Corps and Developing your program

1. Understanding Fire Corps and Developing your program

2. What is Fire Corps? • Fire Corps is an Exciting New Initiative • Enhances the capacity of Resource Constrained Fire Departments by using citizens in non-operational roles • Provides a medium for citizens to find departments looking for help • Provides Resources for Departments to start or improve on programs

3. What is Fire Corps? (cont’d) • Minimum it is a marketing and networking tool • A free listing on the WWW for your department • A way to receive information about other ideas • Maximum it is a full community outreach program • Working with local colleges • Working with senior centers • Working with civic groups • It can be as large or small as you want it to be V08.10.05

4. What is Fire Corps NOT? • It is not a recruitment tool for volunteer fire fighters • It is not a tool to avoid hiring positions • It is not operational roles • It does not replace a current paid or volunteer position V08.10.05

5. Background • Launched in December 2004 at the White House • One of five Citizen Corps Partner Programs (www.citizencorps.gov) • A partnership between: • International Association of Fire Chiefs • International Association of Fire Fighters • National Volunteer Fire Council V08.10.05

6. Background (cont’d) • Managed through the Fire Corps office in Washington DC • Strategic Direction from National Advisory Committee Comprised of 15 Fire & Emergency Services Organizations V08.10.05

7. Why take part? • Provides a link to the community • Relieves front line providers from many administrative tasks • Enhances the ability to provide additional services • Provides a networking tool to other departments with similar programs • Encourages citizens to become better prepared for their own emergencies V08.10.05

8. Who’s eligible? • The Requirements to register a program are minimal • Be a fire or emergency services department or directly affiliated to one • Have in place or be implementing a Fire Corps Citizen Advocate Program • Keep your information up to date V08.10.05

9. Ok I’m interested, now what? • If you have a volunteer or auxiliary program • Register as soon as possible • Review the program development tips • Put against your existing programs • Implement • If you don’t • Work through developing a program • Implement • Register your program with Fire Corps V08.10.05

10. Developing Your Program • Define your: • Needs • Roles • Liability • Budget • Define how to manage citizens • Define how to recruit citizens • Define how to reward citizens V08.10.05

11. Getting Started • Do an Assessment • Of your wants • Pie in the sky • Of your needs • Where do you need the most help • Of what your department will support • “outsiders” can threaten • Of what your community will support • What is the make up of your customers V08.10.05

12. Define the citizen role • Take input from assessment and define roles • Look at possible existing roles • Do NOT plan to implement all roles at once • Balance wants and needs against the support of the members and community V08.10.05

13. Possible Roles • Citizens can help in many ways including but not limited to: • Account Clerk • Administrative Assistant • Archivist • Budget Analyst • Critical Incident Stress Management • Fire Department Historian • Fundraiser Coordinator • GIS Administrative Support V08.10.05

14. More Possible Roles • Grant Writer • IT Specialist • Newsletter Editor • Office Assistant • Photographer/Videographer • Public Relations Coordinator • Special Events Coordinator • Fire Prevention Coordinator • Fire Safe Clearance Inspector (Wildland Interface) • Home Fire Safety Education • School Fire Safety Education V08.10.05

15. Even More Possible Roles • Food Unit (Canteen) Services • Radio Operator (FD and Amateur) • Department Librarian • E-Learning Specialist • Language Instructors, Tutors and Interpretive Services • Records Management • Training Materials Publisher • Explorers • Stocking Ambulances • Bookkeeping • Pre-Plan Research V08.10.05

16. Selecting Citizens • Applications • Should include an interview with potential applicants • Checks • Reference • Fingerprinting • Drug • The people selected will represent YOU! • Once selected, welcome them! V08.10.05

17. Declining an applicant • Predefined selection criteria • Some are across the board • No Felony's • No DUI’s • Residency Requirements • Some are job specific • Requirement to have a drivers license • Define and make aware during application process – avoids a lot of issues later • Maybe other opportunities in community V08.10.05

18. Liability • Differs from state to state • No national or Citizen Corps answer • VFD’s in all states, the answer is out there • Look at other programs in your community • Parks, Police may have answer • Can’t afford liability insurance? • Wavers an option • Don’t forget about worker's comp V08.10.05

19. Budgeting • Fire Corps is low cost • No Free Lunch • In volunteer or combination departments • Incrementally low cost – volunteers already • In career departments • May require a staff member to oversee • Small steps, lower impact, prove concept V08.10.05

20. Budgeting (cont’d) • The scope of opportunities offered will drive cost • Costs to consider include: • Personnel (the time and/or salary and benefits for program coordinator(s) • Screening • Specialized on the job training • Work space requirements • Supplies • Equipment • Insurance • Uniforms • Recognition V08.10.05

21. Funding • Fire Corps is eligible under HSGP • Directly under Citizen Corps Funding • Citizen Preparedness in all grant guidance • Pub Ed under AFG • Local Businesses • Benevolent Organizations • Fundraising by non-profit associations V08.10.05

22. Plan to manage • Define who will provide oversight • Extremely critical position • Can be uniform or civilian • Can be an existing admin member • Chain of Command should be defined • Citizen Advocates need the same supervision, support, and feedback as paid or sworn members V08.10.05

23. Policies and Procedures • These need to be set up at the outset • Sets expectations • Allows for everyone to be treated equitably • Prevents future problems • Provide to new Fire Corps members • Fire Corps Specific Policies • Departmental Policies they need to know V08.10.05

24. Policies (cont’d) • Specific policies to consider include: • Confidentiality • Time requirements • Training requirements • Use of equipment • Uniforms • Termination V08.10.05

25. Placement • Consider two things: • Your needs • The Fire Corps members wants • Just because they do it for a living they may not want to do it for you • Placement should be negotiated between the member and the coordinator V08.10.05

26. Training • No set training plan for Fire Corps • Hundreds of programs, hundreds of ways • Depends on what your tasking is • Training could be merely providing guidance • Could be in-depth • Don’t forget to orientate! • Don’t forget continuing training • CERT • CPR • First Aid V08.10.05

27. Orientation • Every member should be orientated to the department • A common tool is a handbook of information • The following is some items you might want to consider including in your handbook: • A welcome from the chief, president or other command staff representative • The history of the department • Organizational chart • Requirements of membership • Goals and purpose of the Fire Corps program • Policies and procedures governing the Fire Corps program • By-laws and policies and procedures of the Department (if applicable) V08.10.05

28. Orientation (cont’d) • Glossary of language and abbreviations used by the department • Emergency procedures and other contact information • Timesheets and other required forms • Termination policy • Evaluation procedures • In addition, the Fire Corps member should: • meet his or her supervisor • be shown the location(s) where he or she should report • meet the members and/or employees he or she will be working with • be shown where to store personal belongings • be shown where to park V08.10.05

29. Integrating Citizens • One of the most crucial tasks • THEY MUST BE MADE PART OF THE TEAM! • Remember we are family and they are a part • If they are treated as outsiders they will leave • Don’t forget to work with your existing staff/members • Acceptance needs to be at all levels V08.10.05

30. Integration Considerations • Changing your by-laws to allow them to be a class of “member” • Use of department facilities (workout room) • Credit union membership • Formal and informal celebrations (birthdays, etc.) • Providing a uniform or clothing identifying as a member (a t-shirt goes a long way) • Distributing department newsletters and information V08.10.05

31. Program Assessment • Provides cost/benefit • Gives basis for continued support • Create baseline then eval against that • Commonly collected information may include: • Number of individuals taking part in the program • Number of hours contributed on a monthly basis • Types of activities engaged in • When applicable, the number of activities completed V08.10.05

32. Individual Review • Annual Review • Select a member for formal recognition • Identify and prevent a potential problem • Determine what training would be helpful to the member in performing his or her role • Determine whether the member can and would like to take on a new or additional role • Obtain feedback and suggestions about the structure and management of the Fire Corps program V08.10.05

33. Recruitment • Internal Recruitment • Citizen’s Fire Academy • Mass Media • Internet • Existing Volunteer Organizations • Volunteer Center • Retired and Senior Volunteer Program • Civic Groups • Educational Institutions • Citizen Corps Councils V08.10.05

34. Recognition of Members • Local: • Verbal expressions of thanks • Letters of commendation • Certificates of appreciation from local elected officials • Fire Corps member of the month awards • Fire Corps member of the year awards • Letters to the member’s employer • Highlighting members on your department’s Web site • Local media publicly • Regular award and recognition banquets/events • Department Logo Items V08.10.05

35. Recognition of Members • State and National Programs • State Recognition Programs • President’s Volunteer Service Award • Daily Points of Light • National Volunteer Week V08.10.05

36. Is there help getting started? • www.firecorps.org • Key for information and promotion of programs • Resources and FAQ’s • Where departments are listed • Vehicle for citizens to find interested departments V08.10.05

37. Is there help getting started? • Promotional materials • 1-800-Fire-Line • Coming Resources • Peer connection email server (Fall 2005) • Resource Guide (Fall 2005) • CERT to Fire Corps transition (Summer 06) • Traffic Guide (Summer 06) • Promotional Videos (Summer 06) V08.10.05

38. More Information • Frequently Asked Questions and Additional Resources are at: www.firecorps.org • Contact the Fire Corps offices at: E-mail: info@firecorps.org Phone: 202-887-4809 Fax: 202-887-5291 1050 17th St NW Suite 490 Washington, DC 20036 V08.10.05