Baltimore, Maryland
May 31, 2014 – June 4, 2014
Donald R. Austin
Executive Fire Commissioner, Retired
Detroit Fire Department
The Detroit Experience
Detroit’s Historical Population
Macro View of Detroit Issues
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ex-mayor sentenced to 28 years
Deferred maintenance of City infrastructure
Significant population loss = tax base erosion
80,000 vacant structures
40,000 vacant and dangerous dwellings
Mayor and Council divided on budget
reductions
Macro View of Detroit Issues (2)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Council president abandoned office
2nd Council member quit
High turnover in City executive leadership
Over 35 Unions in City government
Fiscal cliff inevitable
General Modus Operandi = Survival
Revenue to Debt 1960~2010
Fire Department Sit/Stat
May 2011
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Operating under CBA, which expired 2001
Single-function firefighters
EMS second-class Department members
Seniority-based promotion
All uniformed members in same union
Average commissioner tenure 3.5 years
Mandatory retirement age 60
Administrative Organization
Commissioner
Deputy Commissioner
2nd Deputy Commissioner
Mayoral Appointment
Commissioner Appointment
2nd Deputy Commissioner
Operational Divisions
Firefighting
Apparatus
EMS
Research & Development
Fire Marshal
Community Relations
Communications
Medical
Training
Firefighting Division
Chief of Fire
Operations
Senior Chief
Deputy Chief
Deputy Chief
B1
B2
B4
B5
Commissioner Appointment
B6
B7
B8
B9
Fire Department Sit/Stat (2)
May 2011
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Complex and inflexible work rules
Courts and Arbitrators decision-making
Inadequate focus on Safety
Fire Stations average age 85 years old
No apparatus replacement program
Apparatus maintenance at Repair Shops
Inadequate organizational record keeping
Fire Department Sit/Stat (3)
May 2011
• Deferred maintenance on facilities,
apparatus, and equipment
• Asset management system non-existent
• Alcohol use on-duty
• Non-existent investigative procedures
• Poor accountability
• Vendors not paid timely
Fire Department Sit/Stat (4)
May 2011
•
•
•
•
•
•
Outdated technology CAD, MDCs, networks
No aerial ladder, pump, or hose testing
No NIMS Compliance
Poor use of ICS on incident ground
Browning out of seven fire companies daily
Exceeding budgeted overtime by $6M
Goals and Objectives
• Augment administrative staff with
identified skills in Labor, Budget, and
Purchasing
• Data-driven decision-making
• NIMS Compliance Project
• NFPA testing compliance
• Maritime Domain Awareness
• Development of Mutual Aid Agreements
Goals and Objectives (2)
• Establish a tractor company for demolition
• Develop relationships with SE Michigan fire
service organizations
• Update General Orders and Rules and Regulations
• Develop Department library
• Dual-function firefighter transition
• Merit-based promotions
• Transition apparatus repair to GSD
• Apparatus and station replacement program
Accomplishments
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
FF/CPA Deputy Commissioner
2nd Deputy Commissioner Labor Attorney
2nd Deputy Commissioner Budget
Personal Services Contracts
$78M awarded in FEMA grants
Non-traditional funding sources
New Public Safety Headquarters
Completion of Burn Documentary
Accomplishments (2)
•
•
•
•
•
•
WSU academic relationship
Contract with Tri-Data for Efficiency Study
23 donated ambulances rec’d Dec 2013
50 FF EMT-basic certified Dec 2014
Initiated discussion to embrace EMS
Initiated discussion for merit-based
promotion
• Detroit Public Safety Foundation support
New Detroit Ambulance
DFD Today
•
•
•
•
Bankruptcy should be finalized by Sep 2014
Hiring 150 firefighter under FEMA funding
Fire union has not ratified City’s last offer
Moving forward with merit-based
promotion
• All Division Chiefs are now appointed by
Commissioner
Final Thoughts
• DFD members, fire and EMS, are dedicated as
any firefighters in the US Fire Service
• To a large extent we are all products of our
environment
• Timing is everything in distressed environment
• Change agents rarely bask in the sun during
their reign