Fire and Life Safety Educator II-Chapter 12

Definitions and Responsibilities of the Fire and Life Safety Educator II

The Fire and Life Safety Educator II ($FLSE$ $\text{II}$) is defined by the National Fire Protection Association ($NFPA$) Standard $1030$ as an individual who has demonstrated the proficiency to prepare educational programs and information designed to meet specifically identified community needs. While the $FLSE$ $\text{I}$ focuses on the basic methods of education, fire science, community risks, and message delivery, the $FLSE$ $\text{II}$ utilizes that foundational knowledge to serve as a manager for these programs and the personnel who deliver them. This role may be performed by an individual who continues to act as an educator in the field, or it may be a dedicated administrative position, such as a director within a Fire Prevention Bureau.

The successful $FLSE$ $\text{II}$ acts as a critical communication link between the public and the fire department's administration. Success in this role requires the ability to work collaboratively within the department, acknowledging time constraints and competing demands for firefighters' time. Building trust and a spirit of cooperation is essential, as no division should operate as a silo. The individual must navigate the department's chain of command and adhere to established policies for communication and implementation, regardless of how sound a new objective may be. Key managerial tasks include budget preparation, awareness of public policy development, performing community needs assessments, determining program priorities, and managing human resources, including the scheduling and supervision of other educators.

Budgeting Fundamentals and the Fiscal Year

A budget is an itemized summary of estimated or intended revenues and expenditures for a specific period, accompanied by proposals for financing them. Revenues represent the income an organization receives from all sources, while expenditures denote the money spent for goods and services. Most fire department budgets define the funds available to operate for a period of $1$ year, though long-range planning extends beyond this timeframe. Budgets are influenced by federal, state, and local regulations and typically follow a fiscal year cycle. A fiscal year is a $12$ month period for fund usage; common cycles include $July$ $1$ to $June$ $30$ or alignment with the calendar year. The development process for a budget often begins a full $year$ prior to the start of the fiscal year.

The initial step in the budgeting process involves identifying needs and required resources through a systematic community risk analysis. Educators utilize frameworks such as the $5$ $\text{s}$ of fire prevention, the five-step process, and the community risk reduction model. These procedures help identify the materials, personnel, time, partners, and grants necessary to build a budget proposal. Because fire departments are often political entities or nonprofit organizations, they are publicly accountable for the wise use of funds and must undergo several stages of budget review.

Stages of Budget Review

The budget review process typically follows three distinct stages before public adoption, as outlined in Table $12$-$1$. In the Preliminary Review, the designated government official (such as a City Manager, public safety director, or budget director) examines the proposal. Depending on local laws, this stage may be confidential or public. In the Municipal Review, the municipal executive officer or budget agency analyzes the budget for accuracy and compliance with municipal policies and objectives, providing recommendations for individual agencies.

The final stage is the Legislative Review, where the legislature holds public meetings to discuss the budget and receive input from various groups. During these budget hearings, which are open to the public, the Chief Officer presents the budget and answers questions from the media, citizens, labor organizations, and special interest groups. This structure ensures that even if an education manager is only responsible for a small portion of the total budget, their requests must be justified and aligned with department standards to avoid being overlooked or missing deadlines.

Estimating Expenses for Educational Programs

Estimating expenses requires a detailed look at several categories of spending. Personnel expenditures constitute a significant portion of the budget. When calculating these costs, the manager must consider the time allocated for training, the number of members requiring certification, and whether a single member can train others. Compensation variables must be addressed, such as whether personnel are reimbursed for travel time to venues, if specific department rules govern pay rates for education programs, or if members will be paid overtime at a rate like $\text{\$}$ $2.35$ per unit or specified hourly rates. Managers must also determine if members are permitted to volunteer their time or if on-duty personnel will be used, including contingency plans if those members are called away for active duty or if union rules apply.

Operating expenses cover consumables and equipment. Consumables like pamphlets and promotional items should be tracked by cost per unit, often using sliding scales where prices are lower for quantities such as $102$, $50$, or $500$. Long-range planning helps determine if it is more cost-efficient to order a supply for $2$ years rather than $1$. Managers should investigate bulk rates through coalitions and factor in shipping, handling, and personalization charges. Capital expenditures are defined as purchases of durable items that exceed a predetermined budget amount and last for more than $1$ budget year. These items require projection of replacement or maintenance schedules and adjustments for anticipated annual price increases or inflation.

Implementation and Evaluation Costs

Implementation of new programs often involves temporary or permanent setup needs. This includes rental costs for chairs, tables, rooms, or portable bleachers. Marketing costs, such as signs, banners, printing, and mailings, must be compared and included. Software licensing fees and copyrighted programs are another major expense; these often have steep prices and may be restricted to a single user, requiring additional licenses for more staff. Managers must also monitor potential rate increases for software renewals to ensure programs do not end abruptly due to expired licenses.

Evaluation is a prerequisite for any well-developed program and must be incorporated before launch. While some departments utilize existing software for tracking and assessing impact, any additional software required for specific program evaluation must be estimated and budgeted. Developing a formal budget proposal involves describing the items or services, the expected impact, and the consequences of non-funding. Proposals should be professional, easy to follow, and include a cover sheet with program period and target population, an introduction with background analysis, clearly stated goals, and a line-item budget featuring numerically categorized expenditures with short narratives.

Cost-Benefit Analysis and Purchasing Procedures

A Cost-Benefit Analysis ($CBA$) is an analytical tool used to assess the pros and cons of a proposal using quantifiable data. In the fire service, $CBA$s are often considered subjective because of the complexity in assigning a numeric value to an individual's life or quality of life. Despite this, it remains a valuable vehicle for discussion. Once a budget is approved, several purchasing processes are followed, often utilizing tax-exempt status granted by the Internal Revenue Service.

Standard purchasing methods include Encumbrance, where funds are reserved for a transaction to prevent overspending. Petty Cash is used for small purchases, typically less than $\text{\$}$ $100$, managed by a custodian who reimburses members in exchange for receipts. A Purchase Order ($PO$) is a legally binding document issued by a finance officer specifying goods and prices; it generally requires quotes from at least $3$ vendors or a justification for a sole-source provider. Requisitions are more stringent and used for larger purchases exceeding a set amount, such as $\text{\$}$ $2,000$, where the exact cost is unknown, and funds must be set aside. Competitive bidding involves developing specifications ($\text{specs}$) for vendors to meet, while a Request for Proposal ($RFP$) allows vendors to propose how they will meet a general department need, with awards based on cost and performance scores.

Public Policy Development and Recommendation

Public policy is defined as what the government does or does not do regarding a problem. This includes policies adopted by city councils, school officials, and county supervisors. While policy formation is often led by administrators, $FLSE$ $\text{II}$ managers provide critical input based on their experiential knowledge of community risks. Recommendations for policy change might involve technology, code amendments, or the modification of department procedures. The recommendation process requires identifying the problem, developing documentation (statistical and anecdotal), identifying resources, and ranking goals.

When creating a policy recommendation, the following nine guidelines should be followed: clearly identify the problem; develop documentation; identify needed resources; rank goals; offer possible alternatives; identify potential positive and negative effects; perform a $CBA$; perform a comprehensive analysis of solution methods; and select alternatives that accomplish the goals. Barriers to policy adoption include uneducated constituents, resistance to change, perception of threat to existing work, and budgetary constraints. Presentations to decision-makers must be credible, concise, and professional, utilizing data charts, graphs, implementation schedules, and evaluation plans to tell a compelling story.

Managing and Supervising Educators

The $FLSE$ $\text{II}$ often serves in a middle management role, supervising tasks and educators even if those individuals report to other supervisors (like a Lieutenant) for their primary duties. Effective management involves identifying the right people for the role, as not all department members find education to be a natural fit. Setting clear expectations is the most vital step to prevent misunderstandings. These should be documented in a concise list covering actions, results, and support provided.

Managers must provide all necessary lesson plans and equipment in a centralized, accessible location. For new educators, a three-step mentoring mantra is recommended: "$I$ $\text{do}$ $\text{it}$," where the supervisor presents and the subordinate observes; "$We$ $\text{do}$ $\text{it}$," where they co-present to build confidence; and "$You$ $\text{do}$ $\text{it}$," where the supervisor observes only. Observation is not just for oversight; it provides insurance for solid program delivery. Feedback sessions should be collaborative, and the final evaluation should never be a surprise to the recipient if positive reinforcement and corrective actions have been provided throughout the year. Managers must eventually trust new educators, empowering them to inject their own personality and ownership into the delivery of lesson objectives.