Chapter 11

1. Chapter 11 Public Policy Analysis Fire & Emergency Services Administration

2. Decision Theory • The most common method for change is incremental adjustment. • Make a small change and assess the results. • Tends to be a safe way for policy makers to proceed because they do not have to risk unforeseen consequences. • The most serious problem with public policy is its implicit assumption that policy makers control the processes that affect implementation. Fire & Emergency Services Administration

3. Strategic Planning • Identifies the department’s vision and mission, and the strategies needed to accomplish them. • Use a task force with members representing all interested factions to develop the plan. • Once the strategic plan is finished, develop tactical plans to implement the strategic plan. Fire & Emergency Services Administration

4. Linking Policy Analysis to Budgeting • The plan should dictate the needs that are placed in the budget. • Include division managers in the budget discussions. • Evaluate the possibility of moving funds from lower-priority goals into those identified by the plan. • Consider creative funding sources. Fire & Emergency Services Administration

5. Outcomes • Outcomes are a measured benefit as a direct result of dollars spent. • Most measurements kept by the traditional fire department are measures of workload, not outcomes. • Outcomes for a FES organization must be measured using other items that are verifiably measured. Fire & Emergency Services Administration

6. Increased Productivity (Page 1 of 2) • A 10-year trend (1992-2001) in the United States shows decreases in structural fires, fire deaths, and injuries. • Fire incidents per million population (PMP) are down 23.9%, and civilian deaths PMP decreased 29.6%. Fire & Emergency Services Administration

7. Increased Productivity (Page 2 of 2) • Some of the trends affecting these changes: • Smoke alarms have been installed in 88% of homes. • Cigarette smoking has decreased dramatically. • Mandatory installation of residential sprinklers continues to raise strong opposition from homebuilders. • It is common for departments to offer EMS. Fire & Emergency Services Administration

8. Statistics • Useful for creating and justifying policy analysis and recommendations • Can also be very misleading • Several things to assess for reliability • Must be truly random. • Should be a minimum of 50 observations. • Check that all possible answers were included. • Check for bias. • Would common sense support the conclusions? • A confidence statistic should be reported. Fire & Emergency Services Administration

9. Consensus Building • A technique to help gain approval of progressive changes or increases in the budget • It is the chief’s job to acquire a fair share of the total city and county budget. • Decisions are rarely black and white; use common sense and solid data in your presentations. • Use NFPA standards when appropriate. • There is always a lot of competition for tax revenues, including pressure to lower taxes. Fire & Emergency Services Administration

10. The Process for Consensus Building • Always start with the elected and appointed officials. • This technique begins with preparing a list of all those people and groups who could influence the final decision. • For each person, rate their potential influence and whether they will be for, against, or neutral. Fire & Emergency Services Administration

11. Public Policy Presentations • Consider the audience. • Know your subject. • Practice. • Be positive and cheerful. • Avoid reading; maintain eye contact. • Keep it down-to-earth. • Use visual aids. • Involve the audience. • Don’t preach. Fire & Emergency Services Administration

12. Using Case Studies • Good approach to studying, reviewing, and analyzing problems • Always better to learn from someone else’s mistakes and success • Look for lessons learned. • Ascertain any hard data or valid research conclusions. • Trust your own experiences and instincts. • May be used to help convince others of change needed Fire & Emergency Services Administration

13. Formal Policy Analysis • There have been many attempts to develop ways to estimate the outcomes of official actions. • Formal policy analysis can provide justification needed when faced with scarce resources. • Elected and appointed officials are expecting analytical, quantitative justifications to support budget requests and policy decisions. Fire & Emergency Services Administration

14. Cost-Benefit Analysis • Many city and county administrators and elected officials rely on some form of cost-benefit analysis to provide guidance in allocating public funds and developing public policy. • What makes cost-benefit analysis difficult for FES is the realization that saving lives and property is usually the result of a complex set of circumstances. Fire & Emergency Services Administration

15. Program Analysis • Examines alternative means, methods, or policies to accomplish the goals and objectives. • Accepts the use and reporting of intuition and judgment as well as statistical studies and sensitivity analysis. • For use only on large-scale controversial projects. • Uses a task group that includes all interested parties such as citizens, elected officials, and special interest groups. Fire & Emergency Services Administration

16. Future Planning • The concept of future planning has been encouraged through the use of master plans. • This planning technique may be difficult to bring to a successful conclusion. • Again, a task group with wide representation is used. • Provide guidance and set limits or the end result may be unrealistic. Fire & Emergency Services Administration

17. Policy Analysis Reference Sources • NFPA 1201, Standard for Providing Emergency Services to the Public, provides a good basis for policy analysis. • By using NFPA 1201 as a template, a comprehensive plan can be created. • The reference sources for this NFPA standard complete the needed background knowledge. Fire & Emergency Services Administration

18. ISO Fire Suppression Grading Schedule • “The purpose [of ISO grading] is to aid in the calculation of fire insurance rates and is not for property loss prevention or life safety purposes” (NPFA handbook, 2003). • Their rating are sensitive to reduced response distances, adequate staffing, training, and water supply. • However, a department can have a good rating and not meet nationally recognized minimum levels of public fire protection. Fire & Emergency Services Administration

19. ISO and State Farm Insurance • State Farm is the largest writer of home insurance, covering 15 million homes. • It stopped using ISO grading in its calculation for insurance covering single-family homes. Fire & Emergency Services Administration

20. NFPA 1710 • The new standard of care, first issued in 2001 • City and county managers along with their elected officials are reluctant to accept this new benchmark for adequate fire and rescue services. Fire & Emergency Services Administration

21. Changing Social Perspective • In the planning process, the attitudes and values of the members need to be considered. • Formal task groups are slowly replacing the “good old boys.” • Customers and members of the department are more mobile. • On average, they change residences every 5 years. Fire & Emergency Services Administration

22. Consultants • Sometimes better to have an outside consultant make the recommendation, especially if there is controversy • Play an active part in the selection process • Cooperate fully and be as accessible as possible • Not realistic to expect any consultant to not have some constructive criticism of the department—no organization is perfect. Fire & Emergency Services Administration