Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service and Other Services - Essay Example

PROJECT MANAGEMENT Introduction Modern businesses and organizations are finding it imperative to establish a comprehensive and effective project management structures, systems and department to facilitate the strategizing, managing, controlling, monitoring and safeguarding of an organization’s available resources in order to ensure anticipated goals, outcomes and objectives of set projects are effectively and, efficiently completed (Orr, 2004). This is so in any field and industry (Lock, 2007). The main impediment to effective project management is the inability to attain the engineering project objectives whilst putting into considerations the preconceived project limitations and inability to effectively allot and incorporate project inputs that are essential to achieve the pre-defined goals (Burnett, 1998). Basic limitations to a project include time, funding and scope (Kerzner, 2009). This report will candidly evaluate and portray a Project Initiation Document that develops a set of rules between Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service and other Services to encourage close working relations and agency interoperability while analyzing the use of theory in project management and problem-solving methods. Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service have its headquarters in Fulwood, Preston, England. The company serves a population of more than one million in Shire county of Lancashire (Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service. 2010). It has 39 fire stations, 18 of which are whole time, 4 are day manned and 17 are retained with an employee base of more than 1500 (Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service. 2010). Project Management Project Life Cycle: Mandate; this process is receipt of approval and consent from the sponsor to go ahead with the drafted project proposal. Initiation; this process of project management is critical since its poor implementation translates to failure to meet the requirements, goals and expectations of the organization. An effective initiation process plan should evaluate the needs of the organization in quantifiable objectives, analyze present operations of the organizations, conduct a financial appraisal on the benefits and costs of implementing the project, analyze the stakeholders to the project and establish the responsibilities, deliverables and planning of the project (Lock, 2007). Implementation; this process deals with executing the project plan as dictated at the initiation and planning process by synchronize human resources, stakeholders and other applicable resources and incorporating and carrying out the project activities (Orr, 2004). Handover; entails finalizing and closing the project and settling contracts Project Initiation Document Aim : The main aim for this project is to develop a set of rules between Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service and other Services to encourage close working relations and agency interoperability. Objectives (by using SWORT Analysis) 1. To bring together all the Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service managers and other Security and Safety Services such as the Police, Ambulances, council, water and electricity engineers among others, to develop teamwork, by the year June 2011. This will be achieved by communicating the objectives to the concerned parties, developing and implementing policies, guidelines and regulations that various agencies will comply with and emphasizing the major benefits that will be, achieved once unity and agency interoperability is functional. There is need to establish the project oversight committee to co-ordinate, manage, implement and evaluate the project. 2. To educate all the above mentioned stakeholders about the importance of working as a team and the need to work with other Agencies in Washington Hall, International Fire Training and Development Centre by February 2012 (Lock, 2007). This will be, achieved by facilitating seminars and conferences where concerned stakeholders will be able to voice their opinion, ideas and concerns. Moreover, they will be able to discuss what rules and standards that will apply and those that will not, by ensuring the rights, competitiveness and goals and objectives of various involved agencies/ parties and related sectors are not, compromised. It is important to communicate the project objectives to the stakeholders in order to allow them to comprehend them and come on-board. Moreover, so that they can own the objectives and become accountable, committed and working hard to meet the described objectives and goals of the project (Kerzner, 2009). By collaborating with agencies such as International Fire Training and Development Center will ensure the Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service is accessible to qualified and knowledgeable personnel. Moreover, the organization will be in a position to offer regular training for its workforce, which is a great motivational tool and a means of developing the employees personally and professionally (Cote, 2003). Skilled and knowledgeable employees are more committed, involved, motivated, and exploit the best of their skills hence promoting quality of operations and efficiency of the company, which leads to increased customer satisfaction. Agency interoperability and teamwork among them is not an option. This is, illustrated by the gradual increase in fire statistics. According to the Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service website, 110 and 131 fires occurred in 2009 and 2010 respectively, 16 people being, injured in 13 incidents and 13 casualties in 9 incidents in 2009 and 2010 respectively. This trend is worrying and therefore, various related agencies needs to come together and reduce the rates of fires and fatalities. Moreover, enhance safety and effective response for the community. Benefits Among various benefits associated with the project are 1. To help the Fire Service ensure their job is efficiently and effectively, done. This will illustrate the collaboration between the concerned sectors (Lock, 2007). For example, incase of an electricity fire, the electricity engineers will be, required to come in and switch or cut off the electricity supply. This will be beneficial in minimizing fatalities, and ensure safety of the response unit personnel. 2. Improve the working relationship between Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service with other Agencies, by promoting teamwork and promote efficiency in fire safety, prevention and protection, which is paramount in any community. This will ensure that the fire and rescue will be able to counter challenges whenever they arise, encourage innovation of products and operations to ensure involved agencies and sectors meet their objectives (Cote, 2003). 3. Ensure effective and prompt response and safety of lives and properties through improved interoperability, thus minimizing excessive costs arising from too many fire and rescue service and related agencies responding to a minor incident. Effective interoperability allows proper co-ordination, management, monitoring and operational success of varied fire and rescue services, thus satisfying the needs and expectations of the community. 4. By encouraging teamwork and enhancing interoperability, the stakeholders will be in a better position to mobilize support from the government to increase funding. Moreover, by working as a team, the Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service and the other Agencies will have a more stable platform to influence policymaking and budget allocation by the government and having enough resources to educate the community on fire and accident safety measures and ensuring its workforce meets the required standards to guarantee safety. 5. To promote community safety by ensuring all the required agency that offers a particular service in a safety and rescue incident are available and easily accessible thus minimizing the number of deaths, worsening of non-emergency incident to fatal incidents. For example, various agencies such as water, electricity engineers and agencies, police and fire and rescue services are required in controlling the fire in the room or point of origin, and safe transport of causalities to hospitals and provision of first aid services by ambulances. This is only possible through effective teamwork and efficient agency interoperability. Costs When establishing costs, this involves identifying all the costs associated with implementation and co-ordination of the project (Sodipo, 2008). Project costs include material costs, opportunity costs and a percentage of contingency amounts of 10% when developing set of rules between Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service and other Services to encourage close working relations and agency interoperability. Oversight Committee 6 months 105000 Project supervisor 6 months 48000 Project manager 5 months 60,200 Support staff 6months 25000 Meetings/ seminars 6 months 85000 Printing   3,500 Other costs and fees*   147,000 Contingency (@ 10%)   53008 TOTAL   473700  *This is a sum in US$ made available to the project in order to fund matters such as project pilot, to examine the efficacy levels of the project upon implementation. Tasks Task Date 1 Write and agree PID 20.2.2011 2 Organize meetings for involved stakeholders to familiarize with the project 3.3.2011 3 Record opinions from various stakeholders on follow-up meetings 8.3.2011 4 Brief stakeholders on progress 10.3.201 5 Setting up Rules and guidelines 15.3.2011 6 Advertise rules and guidelines agreed upon 24.3.2011 7 Design rule Guidebook 20.3.2011 8 Pilot print including artwork complete 20.4.2011 9 Produce and launch final printed version 5.5.2011 10 Advertise date of implementation of rules 13.4.2011 11 Agree on new rules of teamwork 16.3.2011 12 Select organizing committee for facilitating changes 11.2.2011 13 Write and store revised processes developed during this project. 16.6.2011 14 Selecting the support staff 11.2.2011 15 Commission evaluation of rules development and implementation 12.5.2011 Precedence Chart Precedence chart consists of a catalog of the tasks considering the time each tasks should be done and finished (Burnett, 1998). The charts enables the project manager and the sponsor and any other concerned stakeholder to understand on what time which tasks need to be done and how the tasks follows up and knowing which tasks can be done concurrently (Kerzner, 2009). Thus, promoting well-organized resource allotment. Feb Mar Apr May Jun July Aug 1               2             3              4            5            6            7              8              9         10        11            12                  13      14                15       Staffing Staffing forms an integral resource to success of any project. This is because; staffing brings in knowledge, expertise, skills and experience to make the project a success (Kerzner, 2009). Through staffing, implementation and monitoring of the project after the handover process is effectively accomplished. Having the best-planned project with inefficient and ineffective staffing, more often than not, result to failure of the project. Staffing for fire and rescue service projects is critical (Cote, 2003). Among the staff required are support staffs, organizing oversight committee and the project supervisor. Staffing is critical since, hiring and selecting the right candidate that fit the job is enhancing commitment to meeting set goals (Kerzner, 2009). Support staff and organizing oversight committee will be, obtained from the Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service and the other Agencies. Among staffing requirements are educational and professional qualifications, relevant work experience and developed problem solving and decision making skills. Selection and hiring will be, done through interviews and receipt of job application forms (Lock, 2007). Various staff will be explained their roles, who they will report to, where their workstation will be located and the purpose of their work. Compliance to occupational health and safety standards will be, addressed effectively (Lock, 2007). The organizational structure upon implementation of the rules will be matrix organization, where the outputs from the processes and operations will be fundamental. This will promote competence and effectiveness of the involved stakeholders in their service delivery to their community. The proposed model of leadership upon implementation of the set of rules between Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service and other Services to encourage close working relations and agency interoperability is John Adair’s Action-Centered Leadership model. The use of the model will ensure the right balance of power among various agencies is kept, enhance achievement of goals and objectives, promote morale for all, improve quality and efficiency in service delivery and promote team-building spirit. Risk Management Plan Identifying probable risks to the project is important in averting and managing the risks in order to make the project successful (Sodipo, 2008). Since risks come with costs, the risk costs if they occur will be an extra cost to the total project costs. risks impact Control management Lack of collaboration by the concerned parties/ agencies High Promoting the benefits of the rules to various agencies Inadequate resources Medium Cost cut on salaries paid to project manager, organizing oversight committee and project coordinator Opposition to set rules from non-member agencies Medium Pre-negotiate with all stakeholders Documents Management Plan All the documents will be, indexed and cataloged, in accordance with the Government standard schemes for document Management. Conclusion project management entails the strategizing, managing, controlling, monitoring and safeguarding of an organization’s available resources in order to ensure anticipated goals, outcomes and objectives of set projects are effectively and, efficiently completed. This report highlights the PID (Project Initiation Document), about developing a set of rules between Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service and other Services to encourage close working relations and agency interoperability. Teamwork and agency interoperability allows for effective and efficient service delivery of safety and response services to the community. The Project Initiation Document presented has highlighted the aim, objectives, tasks, benefits, precedence chart, risks management plans and document management plan of the project. References Burnett, K. 1998. The project management paradigm. Sidney: Springer. Cote, A.E. 2003. Organizing for Fire and Rescue Services. New Jersey: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Kerzner, H. 2009. Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. London: John Wiley and Sons. Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service. 2010. The Company website. Accessed from http://www.lancsfirerescue.org.uk/ Lock, D. 2007. Project management 9th Ed. London: Gower Publishing, Ltd. Lock, D. 2007. The Essentials of Project Management, 3rd Ed. London: Gower Publishing, Ltd. Orr, A.D. 2004. Advanced project management: a complete guide to the processes, models and techniques. London: Kogan Page Publishers. Sodipo, E. 2008. Project Management Explained. New York City: Lulu.com. Read More