Quality and Standards Fire and Rescue Service Management - Case Study Example

Table of contents 1- Introduction 2- Critical Assessment of the document for examination of the (a. Policy b. Organizing c. Planning and Implementing d. Measuring performance e. Review Performance f. Auditing 3- Critical appraisal of the appropriateness of the existing output measures of the document 4- Critical review of the outputs of the document that identifies proof regarding quality enhancement within the organization 5- Conclusion 1-Introduction In this essay, HGS 65 Framework document (December 2001) has been critically examined to review its validity and benefit for Fire and Rescue Service Integrated Risk Management Plan for Cheshire Fire and Rescue. The following elements of the document have been critically assessed including policy of the organization, organization itself, planning and implementation, measurement of performance, review of performance. Auditing of the organization, the suitability of the out put measures of the document have also been critically assessed in this essay. This has also been reviewed that as to what extent the organizational improvement can be done with respect to the National framework document on fire and rescue service 2008-2011. The Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service comprises upon East, West, Chester, Holton and Warrington unitary authorities working under one brigade manager who commands 24 fire stations. This service employees about 1000 and serve about 1 million people inhabiting about 2500 square kilometer area. There are various urban and transport infrastructures including petrol-chemical industry that is being looked after by this service (http://www.cheshirefire.gov.uk/index.asp). In view of above the framework document HGS 65 is examined and its contents are given below. 2-Assessment of the document for examination of the A. policy of the Organization The policy of fire and rescue service of Cheshire is basically aimed at uninterrupted service to all the citizens of the communities that are covered under its domain. This organization goes with a mission statement on its policy to put to operation for the risk free safety and health for the citizens, businesses, industry and the entire infrastructure covered under its domain. The policy of the organization has an interactive and reciprocal relationship with the framework document in a sense that this organizational policy and the aims and objectives set in the document are not only supportive to each other but are also fostering the objectives of general safety of public and property. The framework document, being a legal and legalized attempt at the provision of fool proof health and safety to the citizens of North West England in particular and United Kingdom in general, provides a legal support to the Cheshire fire and rescue service and also encourages it to go ahead with the improvement of their service in the benefit of general people at large (http://www.hse.gov.uk/opsunit/perfmeas.pdf). The policy itself is an outcome of the aspirations of people, therefore it can be said that the organizational policy of the Cheshire fire and rescue service is actually an embodiment of the aspirations of people’s general health, safety and environmental well being reflected through their representatives that has been crystallized in the form of policy guideline enshrined in the framework document under examination. So it can be safely said that the driving force behind the policy of Cheshire fire and rescue service department is based on the framework guidelines of this legal document. From time to time the change and improvement in the aims and objectives of Cheshire fire and rescue service has also been a result of the moving force of the framework guidelines that puts the organizational policy at the top of everything. This document sees the fire service of Cheshire as one of its implementing agency and executive arm of the general public policy. B-Impact of the document on the Organization itself According to this document the basic guideline enshrines that the general public, their properties, their health, their businesses and all of their institutions should be saved to the utmost in the cheapest possible manner. Every citizen has the right to have a risk free life, business and employment. In this way the framework document has set certain standards for the businesses, work places, house holds, industries and the institutions through which the safety of life, health and environment of people has been adequately ensured as a state policy., there must be clean air, water, environment, food, medicine and other basic requirements to ensure the health and safety of people (Blaxter, L, Hughes, C and Malcolm, T. 2006). Therefore, as a basic policy guideline the Cheshire fire and rescue service emerges as an implementing organ of public policy for around 1 million Irish people. The guide to measuring health and safety performance is in fact a well documented strategy planned at the precise measurements of the fire and rescue services to the people of the United Kingdom. It provides the guidance on the how to providing information on the hazards and setting a score of questions on the measurable performance of the fire and rescue services in the country. It also guides on how to make different set of decisions. How different needs are addressed. 3. Critical appraisal of the appropriateness of the existing output measures of the document This document provides a complete guidance on setting and measuring the policy objective and guides how to measure these objectives. It clearly tells as to what to measure and how to measure in the fire and rescue operations in the country. Including hazard burden, this framework guides us how to measure health and safety management system, how to setup reactive monitoring and its failure on the planning and implementation stage. This is actually newly developed document that provides a very practical guidance to the people on the issues of health and safety management and sets out clear cut objectives of the health and safety performance. The Cheshire fire and rescue service can be very well and very critically examined when seen through this guideline. Since, this guideline is very practical and dynamic in approach it aptly provides an opportunity to check whether the health and safety risks in the operations and management of the Cheshire’s fire and rescue service are really under control or otherwise. C-Impact of the document on Planning and Implementation This guidance has been made necessary with the objective of organizational improvement for the health and safety being mainstreamed in the fire and rescue service of UK. Since, this objective is very difficult to define and achieve, therefore, it provides practical guidance to the chief executive officers of organizations like fire and rescue services in UK. Therefore, their measurement is in itself a difficult issue. This framework has brought out the difficulty that under reporting of fire incidence, injury rates reported level of injuries reported or failure of reporting on ill-health, or staying away from job due to occupational hazard and wrong injury statistics etc are always very difficult to measure. These draw backs reflect incomplete or bad data on the health and safety measurement triangle. However, as a basic framework the provision of correct information on the basis of accurate statistics is the basic parameter of policy formulation and policy development for an organization. The information provision requires basically that how the fire and rescue service system is operating practically. The areas have to be identified where remedial actions have to be taken. The suggestions for continued improvement also require that correct information should be collected, compiled, organized and manipulated. Proper feedback and motivation is also a basic requirement for policy formulation. In the same manner there are certain other questions relating to the health and safety issues that need to be answered constantly by the organizations. Therefore, in view of above, the Cheshire fire and rescue service department can not only benefit but also basically drive upon this document as far as its policy formulation, policy development and policy measurement is concerned. However, as an organization like any other organization, the Cheshire fire and rescue department can also ask about their own employees about the overall health and safety objectives, how to control the hazards and risks for their employees. Hoe can they compare their situation with other organizations. Look back and see what is lacking and what needs to be done further (Boin A Mc Connell A 2007). The efficiency of health and safety policy of their management can also be questioned. And the overall culture of the department can be checked whether it is or not supportive of the health and safety demands on the competitive basis (Drake, P, Shanks, G and Broadbent, M, 1988). However, the decision making process in the management of fire and rescue service needs to be interactive, flexible and relatively progressive and reasonably proportionate with the circumstances. The restraints have to be pitched against resources and measurable progress has to be checked for the efforts already put in. the priorities have to set in a very clear cut manner, so as to make proper resource allocation. D-Measurement of performance, and review of performance Since, fire and rescue services are very sensitive in nature and vulnerable to risks and hazards, therefore, the decision making in this sort of service is always a very well thought out and clearly tailored process (Harmathy, T Z, 1993). The Cheshire fire and rescue service can closely monitor its decision making process in the view of this framework, which is not only a good guideline but also can serve as a biblical book for its all the decisions to be made in future. E-Organizational and Operational Auditing It is but necessary that, according to this framework every organization must and must create and communicate a reflective and unique strategy on the collection of information that needs the basic data on decisions. For every management it is necessary that the risk control on the health and safety management plants is to be filtered through the following elaborate and detailed method. The inputs i-e the information collected on hazards and risks to the health and safety of the employees in particular and to the general public in general has to serve into a detailed process of examination and serve as the basis of decision making. The final decisions are called the outputs and they are called the control mechanism of risks and hazards. The outcomes of these outputs can result into fewer injuries, no injuries, better health of the employees, no accidents and no incidences for anybody and a better satisfaction for the general stake holders in this process (Carson D Bain A 2008). Therefore, the input leads to the processing, the process leads to the outputs and the outputs lead to the outcomes. Sometimes, it happens that the outcomes are not of desired nature. In this situation the input i.e. the basic information may be sketchy, skewed, incomplete, wrong, insufficient, or distorted. Then the processing system may be insufficient, wrong or sketchy. If these two tiers are not working well then the outputs can not be blamed alone, therefore, the outputs can be misleading or wrong (Elliot D .2009). When the Cheshire fire and rescue service is examined in this perspective then its all decision making process can be put to a fresh auditing for a much better service ahead. The hazard burden has to be closely associated with the activities and significance of the hazards which should be stretched across the whole Cheshire and fire rescue service department. The elimination of the hazards should not be the aim but its reduction in phases should be made as a primary aim. The prioritization and emphasis should be given to the control of risks instead of dealing with the hazards in a very direct manner. In view of above the policy planning, organization, planning and implementation and measuring performance and audit review of Cheshire fire and rescue service can aptly be done in the mirror of above framework document. The existing policy of the organization and its meeting with legal requirements, implementation strategy, organizational objectives etc have to be reviewed for measuring the performance and auditing of attainable , measurable specific and time bound objectives. 3. Critical review the outputs of the document that identifies proof regarding quality enhancement within the organization As far as the National framework 2008-2011(published in November 2007) on fire and rescue service is concerned, the organizational improvement in the Cheshire fire and rescue service can be further achieved if the recommendations of Mr. Parmjit Dhanda, the honorable Minister for fire and rescue service are taken into the consideration with full sense of responsibility. In this document the expectations of the government from fire and rescue service in the communities in support of the government have been clearly spelled out. The integrated risk management planning has been regarded as a backbone for strong and prosperous local governments. This document refers to the flexible strategy to meet with the challenges of the fire control and fire link implementation. The government expects the fire and rescue service to be resilient, responsive, protective, preventive and diverse in approach. It is heartening to know that the new legislation on fire and rescue service act 2004 provides the powers to the secretary of state to see that the fire and rescue services work within the national framework. And this National framework would cover the future frameworks and the time scales objectives. This document has further invigorated the contingency planning for emergencies and effective response to these emergencies (Birkland T A 2009). 4-Conclusion The Cheshire fire and rescue service is operating on the basis of a clear policy and a mission statement to serve all the people under their domain across the board. Many new initiatives have been recently launched by the organization in collaboration with the local governments. The organization has renewed its training programs for the fire fighters and allied staffs. The fire trucks and equipment is being replenished at regular basis. And more coverage of the area is under active consideration of the organization. The above-mentioned HGS 65 Framework document (December 2001) and National framework 2008-2011(published in November 2007) have directly and positively impacted the integrated Risk management plan and organizational improvement of the Cheshire fire and rescue service respectively. Sources 1-http://www.cheshirefire.gov.uk/index.asp 2- http://www.hse.gov.uk/opsunit/perfmeas.pdf 3-National Framework on Fire and Rescue Service 2008-2011 (November 2007) 4-Birkland T A (2009) “Disasters Lessons Learned and Fantasy Documents” Journal of Contingencies and Disaster Management vol 17, no 2 pp 146-- 156 5-Blaxter, L, Hughes, C and Malcolm, T. 2006 , How To Research (Berkshire: Open University Press 6-Boin A Mc Connell A (2007) “Preparing for Critical Infrastructure Breakdown; The limits of Crisis Management and the Need for Resiliance” Journal Of Contingencies and Crisis Management Vol 15 No1 March 7-Carson D Bain A (2008) “Professional Risk and Working with People” Kingsley London 8-Darke, P, Shanks, G and Broadbent, M, 1988 ‘successfully completing case study research: combining rigor, relevance and pragmatism’ Information Systems Journal. 9-Elliot D (2009) “The Failure of Organizational Learning from Crisis, A Matter of Life and Death” Journal of Contingencies and Disaster Management vol 17, 10-Harmathy, T Z, 1993 Fire safety design and concrete (Longman scientific and technical, Longman house: Essex. 11-://www.cheshirefire.gov.uk/index.asp?menuid= Read More