The Challenge: Managing Tradition, Diversity, and Change
Findings and Recommendations
Boston Fire Department
Review Commission
January 2000
City of Boston
1 Introduction
1.1 A Personal Note from the Boston Fire Department Review Commission
On Friday, December 3, 1999, a tragic fire in Worcester, Massachusetts took the lives of six dedicated firefighters. Their deaths, occurring as they did during the compilation of this report, served as a grim reminder of the dangers faced by firefighters each day. As we undertake the publication of this report, we are mindful of the dedication, courage and commitment to duty on the part of firefighters throughout the country, the Commonwealth and particularly within the Boston Fire Department.
As with any organization of its size, the Department has its share of problems and challenges, many of the same problems and challenges confronted by fire departments nationwide. When faced with the mandate to report honestly and fairly about problems within an organization, it is easy to lose sight of the enormous good that exists within the organization. The Boston Fire Department is a strong, Well-trained and fiercely proud group of men and women. In fact, the many difficult issues addressed in this report were brought to the attention of the Commission by a significant cross-section of these same men and women, all of whom share a common desire to improve the Department. The issues and problems raised are prevalent in many areas within the Department, and the concerns expressed are genuine and widespread- Yet, for every criticism contained in this report, there exist examples of the opposite. Thus, it is unfair to the many hardworking people in the Department to suggest that the problems cited in this report reflect an attitude or culture shared by all its members.
Nevertheless, it is the intent of this report to identify the very real problems and challenges that face the Boston Fire Department today and to create a dialogue for change within the Department for the future. It is the sincere hope of this Commission that the problems discussed within this report are viewed as opportunities and not as hurdles, and that the issues raised are viewed as challenges for building a stronger Department and not foundations for divisiveness or alienation. Change is difficult, and it will not be without its detractors. Yet, as we all know, change will occur with or without action on our part. An organization that directs change can define and plan its own future. Conversely, an organization that resists change will remain stagnant; unable to deal with a future it did not help create. The true challenge presented to the Department is to direct this process of change for the good of the Department rather than react to change that has been thrust upon it. If the Department, the Union and the City accept this challenge, the Department has the opportunity to become the model for fire departments nationwide that face similar challenges, problems, and concerns.
We believe that the Boston Fire Department is well poised to confront the difficult challenges that are identified in this report. We conclude our responsibilities confident in our belief that the Department will institute the recommendations and reforms necessary to achieve these important goals and take responsibility for its future. Above all else, however, the Commission members wish to recognize the sacrifices made each day by members of the Boston Fire Department.
1.2 Members of the Boston Fire Department Review Commission
Kathleen M. O'Toole, Chair
Former Secretary of Public Safety
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Mark D. Bolling
Director, State Office of Affirmative Action
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
William J. Good, III
Chief, Bureau of Administrative Services
Boston Police Department
City of Boston
Vivian Leonard
Director, Office of Human Resources
City of Boston
Kevin P. MacCurtain
Deputy Fire Chief/Chief of Operations
Boston Fire Department
City of Boston
Francis X. Hartmann*
Program in Criminal Justice
John F. Kennedy School of Government
Harvard University
*Due to an increase in responsibilities at Harvard University, Mr, Hartmann was unable to fully participate in Commission meetings but remained a Commission member in an advisory capacity.
1.3 Background of the Commission
Mayor Thomas M. Menino appointed the Boston Fire Department Review Commission on February 24, 1999, to address the specific issues identified in this report. The Commission met on thirty separate occasions since its inception and members of the Commission interviewed over one hundred people, including Boston firefighters, officers and senior management, civilian personnel, Union officials, and City officials. In addition, Commission members and staff traveled to Kansas City, Missouri, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, San Francisco, California, and Phoenix, Arizona, to discuss fire department management and met with fire department personnel and senior officials from throughout the United States. The Commission also met with a number of experts in public safety management, personnel and testing procedures, technology, and fire safety, and reviewed thousands of pages of materials from journals, newspapers and treatises relative to the issues discussed in this report. In addition, the Commission collected and reviewed over two hundred personnel surveys. A collection of the cited materials is available in the Appendix. After a thorough review of the above materials, the Commission incorporated the most important findings, recommendations, and conclusions in this report.
1.4 How the Commission Gathered Information
In order to conduct a review of this kind, it was necessary for the Commission to utilize a number of different techniques to gather information. Commission members were encouraged to be accessible to and to engage in dialogue with members of the Department at all levels. A number of people within the Department expressed reluctance to appear before the Commission, or to have their comments recorded for publication, for a variety of reasons. Anonymity is respected throughout this report, and anecdotal references are made without attribution where requested by the party. In addition to informal discussions, the Commission invited several individuals and organizations to meet with the entire Commission to discuss Department issues and concerns. These individuals and organizations are acknowledged in Section 1.6. Further, the Commission traveled to various cities to discuss general fire fighting issues with leaders in the field, and spoke with experts in management and operation of fire departments. The Commission also utilized an informational survey of both uniformed and 2 civilian Department personnel to elicit further comments and suggestions.* Although the numbers of survey responses were disappointing, the Commission believes that it has gathered significant information that was used to supplement its findings. The Commission is pleased with the overall cooperation and encouragement it received from many members of the Department, civilian and uniformed, as well as the management of the Department at all levels. We express our thanks to all who responded to the survey or spoke with Commission members over the past several months.
* The survey results lack statistical validity; therefore, no percentages are quoted in this report. Further, Local 718 requested that union members not respond to the informational survey. This action had a chilling effect, limiting the number of responses to the survey. Nevertheless, over 160 uniformed members and over 50 civilian personnel responded and their comments were instructive and helpful to the Commission.
1.5 Recommendations
This report contains sixty-six recommendations for the Department as part of a process for implementation. They are summarized in Section 10 and at the end of each section. The Commission acknowledges that a significant number of the recommendations made in this report are subject to negotiation in collective bargaining. However, the Commission did not and could not limit its review to management issues outside of collective bargaining, as so many of the challenges faced by the Department must be discussed and debated within the confines of that process. The Commission hopes that both the Union and management will commit to address these issues during current collective bargaining sessions and that they will work to resolve the details of the policies with an eye toward the future of the Department and its members. In addition, the Commission was charged to address certain major issues confronting the Department. As such, this document is not intended to be a comprehensive management study of the operations of the Department. Prior reports and studies of the Boston Fire Department have been conducted that address additional concerns, and the Commission recommends that the Department revisit these reports as it begins the process of developing a strategic plan for implementation of our recommendations as well as planning for the future. In particular, the Department would be well served to review both of the following reports: An Analysis of the Boston Fire Department, City of Boston Finance Commission (July 28, 1994), and Review of the Boston Fire Protection and Rescue Delivery System, MMA Consulting Group, Inc. (1995).
1.6 Acknowledgments
The Boston Fire Department Review Commission acknowledges the assistance and cooperation of the following agencies and individuals:
Mayor Thomas M. Menino and his staff
Gloria A. Aluise, Esq., Spectra Publishing Company, Silverthorn, Colorado
Walter S. Booth, Ph.D., Booth Research Group, Inc., Parker, Colorado
Chief Dennis Budd, Worcester Fire Department, Worcester, Massachusetts
Ruthie Burton, Director of Labor Relations, Bell Atlantic New England Crest Associates, Boston, Massachusetts
Chief Gary Cassanelli, Springfield Fire Department, Springfield, Massachusetts
Jeffrey Conley, Executive Director, Boston Finance Commission
Sean Curran, Senior Director, GPC/O'Neil & Associates, Boston, Massachusetts
Betty Dennis, Human Resources Division, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Chief Daniel Gardiner (Ret.), Fairfield Department of Fire-Rescue Services, Fairfield, Connecticut
James G. Gilbert, Esq., Law Offices of James G. Gilbert, Salem, Massachusetts
James Hartnett, Personnel Administrator, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
William Killen, Member, Commission on Fire Accreditation International and Director of Fire Emergency Services, United States Department of the Navy
Robert McCarthy, President, Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts
James McDonagh, General Counsel, Human Resources Division, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Captain John J. McKenna, Boston Fire Department, Boston, Massachusetts and President, Boston Fire Fighters Local No. 718, International Association of Firefighters, AFL-CIO
Michael Mullane, Third Vice President, International Association of
Firefighters, AFL-CIO
GPC/O'Neill & Associates, Boston, Massachusetts
Fire Commissioner Martin Pierce, Boston Fire Department, Boston, Massachusetts
Captain Walter Porter, Boston Fire Department, Boston, Massachusetts
Robert Powler (Ret.), Boston Fire Department, Boston, Massachusetts and
First Vice President, Boston Society of Vulcans of Massachusetts, Inc.
Neil Santangelo, Boston Fire Department, Boston, Massachusetts and past President, Boston Fire Fighters Local No. 718, International Association of Firefighters, AFL-CIO
Richard St. Louis, Principal, Crest Associates, Boston, Massachusetts
State Office of Affirmative Action, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Samuel Tyler, Executive Director, Boston Municipal Research Bureau
Linda Weaver, Human Resources Division, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Toni G. Wolfinan, Esq., Foley, Hoag & Eliot LLP, Boston, Massachusetts
Phillip Wornum, Boston Fire Department, Boston, Massachusetts and President, Boston Society of Vulcans of Massachusetts, Inc.
The Commission also thanks the officers and members of the following fire
departments for their assistance and hospitality:
Kansas City Fire Department, Kansas City, Missouri
Milwaukee Fire Department, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Phoenix Fire Department, Phoenix, Arizona
San Francisco Fire Department, San Francisco, California
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