Long range plan help needed. Format? Ideas?

[Sand Creek Lynn]

For the first time ever we will be writing a formal long range [5 year] plan for our volunteer dept. I'm looking for any suggestions you may have on a format to use, a process that works well, or any other suggestions you have that will help us put togother a good plan.
Dept. is small, rural and anticipates no major apparatus purchase in the 5 year time period.

[fireseeker]

Lynn,

I have seen departments enter into a strategic planning group that seemed to work well. They formed a group who's primary function was to prioritize what the departmental needs would be in the immediate future ( 1 year ), near future ( 1-3 years ), and long term ( 5+ years down the road ). The areas they focused on were training, staffing, recruitment and retention, target hazards, equipment needs, financial options and outlook, and land development within their immediate and surrounding response areas. As you might imagine, it took them a awhile to develope a logical plan. After it was complete, they sent it out for comments from the rank and file. After some further revisions and tweaking, they had a formal plan put into action. It was sound enough follow, and yet flexible enough to be modified without disrupting the overall objectives. It seems to be working well. I hope this is some help, and I wish you the best of luck. Your situation may require some more, or less, areas to concentrate on, but I think you get the idea here. Sounds like you are headed in the right direction. Take care

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fireseeker

[Capez]

Funny I'm doing the exact same thing right now. We broke it down into areas of function.
1. Develop a plan of action based on need.
2. Organize those needs into primary, secondary and tertiary objectives based on urgency and attainability.
3. Identify where you currently are. I mean this in a broad sense. What you have vs what you want. Your levels of certification. The types of responses you do etc.
4. What do you absolutly need to do.
5. What do you want to do.
I've got the whole thing on a power point presentation. I can zip it and email it to you if you want.

email me if you do. [email protected]

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Alex Capezza BS, FO1, EMT-I

[FD 4]

Most of the time we have the tendecy to only plan as far as the next budget ends, ie one year from the time we get the budget approved. It is necessary to look well ahead of where one years funds reach, that way you see to your needs ahead of time. In as much as the need to run the depatment you need to look out for needs that you have not seen as of yet. Set aside the money for projects and equipment.
The most important resource in your department is your man power. The best investment you can make is in your man power.
For more information on long range planning my advise is to contact Carl Holmes of the Oklahoma City Fire Department, This man knows his stuff.

[D.SCHWER]

Your dept shows ambition.
Over 5 years i would list the following

Membership recuitment & retention
Appartatus & equipment purchases
Training
Funding ie grants
ISO rating
New Technologies ie. wireless, on baord computers

Good luck


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The views and opinions expressed herin are my personal views and opinions and not those of any organization, department I may belong to or represent