Chapter 7
Administration of the Fire Department
Introduction
• The fire chief must balance the needs of the
community and the department with the resources
available
• Personnel must be properly led and supported in
performing their functions
• Administrative staff perform their duties to ensure
that the personnel of the department are trained,
equipped, and supplied with the necessary support
services
Learning Objectives 1, 4, and 5
Six Principles and Chain of Command
Fire Department Organizational Chart
PRINCIPLES OF COMMAND
• Are general guidelines
• Department should serve the needs of its
jurisdiction
• Used in both emergency and non-emergency
organizations
• Divided into six areas
Learning Objectives 1, 4, and 5
Six Principles and Chain of Command
Fire Department Organizational Chart
UNITY OF COMMAND
• Each person has one boss
• Everyone has a clear understanding of who is the
supervisor
• NIMS is based on unity of command structure
• Violation of unity of command leads to confusion
Learning Objectives 1, 4, and 5
Six Principles and Chain of Command
Fire Department Organizational Chart
CHAIN OF COMMAND
• Formal path of communication though the
organization
• Communication flows from top up and bottom
down
• Cannot be violated unless extreme circumstances
Learning Objectives 1, 4, and 5
Six Principles and Chain of Command
Fire Department Organizational Chart
SPAN OF CONTROL
• Can effectively only supervise a certain number of
personnel
• Effective span is considered three to seven
• Decisions dispersed through chain of command
• Prevents information overload
Learning Objectives 1, 4, and 5
Six Principles and Chain of Command
Fire Department Organizational Chart
DIVISION OF LABOR
• Work divided into specific areas
• Apply most appropriate resources
• Determine responsibility for completion
• Base on area, skill, and complexity
• Avoids duplication of effort
Learning Objectives 1, 4, and 5
Six Principles and Chain of Command
Fire Department Organizational Chart
DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY
• Manager must delegate authority to subordinates
• Supervisor must ensure proper training received
• Responsibility is still manager’s
• Person assuming responsibility must ensure the
function is going to be performed
Learning Objectives 1, 4, and 5
Six Principles and Chain of Command
Fire Department Organizational Chart
EXCEPTION PRINCIPLE
• Person delegating authority wants to be informed
of situations of major importance
• Certain situations arise that the supervisor needs
to know about
• Personnel matters, major incidents, or incidents
involving major expense to the department
Learning Objective 2
Six Components of the
Management Cycle
MANAGEMENT CYCLE
• Problem-solving process to accomplish goals and
objectives
• Objectives must be specific,
measurable, attainable,
Realistic, and timely
Learning Objective 2
Six Components of the
Management Cycle
PLANNING
• Determining objectives and how to achieve them
• Requires the use of policies

Course or method of action
• Procedures

Particular way of accomplishing something
Learning Objective 2
Six Components of the
Management Cycle
ORGANIZING
• Done after planning
• Managers bring together essential resources
• Framework is chain of command and table of
organization
• Manager determines if positions can be filled
Learning Objective 2
Six Components of the
Management Cycle
STAFFING
• The assignment of resources to the needs
• Determine adequate staffing
• Large departments may have rapid intervention
teams
• Effective fire prevention requires enough personnel
assigned to that function
Learning Objective 2
Six Components of the
Management Cycle
DIRECTING
• Guiding and supervising efforts
• Accomplished through:




Rules
Standard operating procedures
Job descriptions
Assigned duties
Learning Objective 2
Six Components of the
Management Cycle
CONTROLLING
• Determining if organization is working toward goals
• Discrepancies require corrective actions
• Largest control is the annual budget
• Financial officer will keep fire chief up to date on
yearly budget
Learning Objective 2
Six Components of the
Management Cycle
EVALUATING
• Determining whether goals and objectives are
being met
• Must be measurable and attainable
• Evaluation is both internal and external
• Must be carried out objectively
• Is an ongoing process
Learning Objective 3
Four Methods of Communication
FOUR BASIC METHODS
• Face to face

Most likely to be understood
• Radio/telephone
• Written
• Electronic
Learning Objective 6
Identify Different Fire Department Types
FIRE DEPARTMENT TYPES
• Type depends on needs and resources
• Vary in size
• Increase in size, and increase in complexity
• More than 30,000 fire departments across the
United States involving 1.2 million firefighters
Learning Objective 6
Identify Different Fire Department Types
VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS
• First departments in the U.S.
• Preliminary first step in fire service
• Common paid position in a volunteer
department is a driver
• Not predetermined how many personnel
will arrive at the scene
Learning Objective 6
Identify Different Fire Department Types
COMBINATION FIRE DEPARTMENT
• Large part of staff is paid
• Volunteers cover station when crew is on
assignment
• Concept provides a force of reserves
• Reserves gain training
• Department gains personnel
Learning Objective 6
Identify Different Fire Department Types
PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT
• Police and fire departments are under same
department head
• Personnel are cross
trained
• Increased
productivity
Learning Objective 6
Identify Different Fire Department Types
CAREER FIRE DEPARTMENTS
• All personnel are paid a salary
• Too large to be performed by volunteers
• Jurisdiction has control over personnel
• Requires expert management

Policies and goals
Learning Objective 6
Identify Different Fire Department Types
INDUSTRIAL FIRE BRIGADES
• Manufacturing, refinery, or other location
• Personnel hired by the company
CONTRACT FIRE PROTECTION SERVICE
• Private-sector companies
• Service by contract or subscription
Learning Objective 7
Ranks and Their General Responsibilities
LAYERS OF MANAGEMENT
• Deputy chief
• Battalion or district chief
• Company officer
Learning Objective 8
Customer Service, One Department Concept,
Team Building, and Incident Effectiveness
FIRE CHIEF ATTRIBUTES
• Educated in public or fire administration

Advanced education, master’s degree preferred
• Ability to communicate
• Needs to be a diplomat

Interpret wishes of governing body
Learning Objective 8
Customer Service, One Department Concept,
Team Building, and Incident Effectiveness
CUSTOMER SERVICE
• Public is the customer

Customer’s needs must be met
ONE DEPARTMENT CONCEPT
• Standardization

Same procedures throughout the jurisdiction
Learning Objective 8
Customer Service, One Department Concept,
Team Building, and Incident Effectiveness
TEAM BUILDING
• Willing to work together

Each shift able to support the other
INCIDENT EFFECTIVENESS
• Ability to function quickly and efficiently
Summary
• We have looked at the importance of
administration at all levels in accomplishing the
mission of the fire department
• Administration is made up of people performing
according to widely accepted concepts and
standards
• Depending on the size of the department and its
needs, the organization of the administration can
vary widely
• The most important point is that without the
support of administrative staff, the line would not
function