The higher education factor: The role of higher education in the hiring and promotion practices in the fire service. By Nick Geis.

Transcription

1 The higher eucation factor: The role of higher eucation in the hiring an promotion practices in the fire service. By Nick Geis Spring 2012 A paper submitte to the faculty of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the egree Master of Public Aministration This paper represents work one by a UNC-Chapel Hill Master of Public Aministration stuent. It is not a formal report of the School of Government, nor is it the work of School of Government faculty Executive Summary: Increasing higher eucation for firefighters is one strategy to respon to new emans an challenges as requirements for working in toay s fire service become more complex. This research examines the use of higher eucation in the hiring an promotion practices of misize North Carolina fire epartments an fire chiefs perceive value of higher eucation. Finings inicate a gap exists between the use of higher eucation in hiring an promotion practices an fire chiefs perception of eucational nees. This research conclues with recommenations to assist with closing this perceive gap, incluing ajusting current hiring an promoting practices to reflect the higher level of perceive nee from the chiefs an the evelopment of new recruitment strategies to attract caniates that alreay hol higher eucation egrees.

2 INTRODUCTION The US fire service is continuing to evolve. Firefighting is no longer confine to putting out fires an minimizing the amount of amage they cause. The emans an responsibilities of fire epartments continue to grow. 1 Each ae characteristic also as another level of complexity to the job. For example, hazarous materials units require special training for the control, prevention, an cleanup of hazarous materials, such as oil spills or accients involving the transport of chemicals. 2 Aitionally, the use of moern technology continues to impact fire epartments. The ays of turning a few knobs an watching gauges are coming to an en. 3 Computers an technology are now incorporate into most moern fire apparatus. The continuing avancement of technology in the fire service requires firefighters an aministration to quickly aapt to changes in orer to mitigate property amage an prevent the loss life. Success as a practitioner of fire an emergency services aministration requires that the person fully unerstan their role an responsibilities within the fire epartment. The nature of these roles changes as one makes the transition from entry-level position (firefighter) to an officer within the aministrative ranks. Once firefighters reach a certain rank within a epartment their focus shifts from performance on the fire grouns, to a focus on aministration an the aily operations of the firehouse. Areas such as personnel management, bugeting, legal liability, performance management an quality management become of foremost importance to aministration. 4 With the realization that the fire service is becoming more complex an that management knowlege is essential to maximizing performance of fire epartments, more emphasis on the attainment of a formal higher eucation is one strategy to keep firefighters up to ate with the changes they are facing within the moern fire service. This research attempts to answer the question: To what extent o fire epartments require or use higher eucation in hiring an promotion ecisions an how oes this compare to the chief s perception of the eucational nee? This research paper begins with a literature review, provies an overview of the research methoology, presents the results of the research with some iscussion an conclues with recommenations. LITERATURE REVIEW Higher eucation in the fire service has been explore numerous times by many members of the fire service fulfilling the research requirement for their Executive Fire Officer (EFO) creentials offere by the National Fire Acaemy (NFA), as well as acaemics eicate to researching the fire service. Previous research inicates that the wie sprea use of sprinkler systems has change the fire service, leaing to new responsibilities being ae that require brain not brawn an because of this fire service may nee to reinvent itself focusing more on eucation. 5 Higher eucation also has been mentione in iscussions for professionalizing the fire service. 6 The public at large continues to become more eucate. Requiring expane higher eucation in the fiel coul improve the public s perception of the fire service as well as help push for the professionalization of the fire service. 7 This iea of increase eucational requirements for each position in the organizational hierarchy is supporte by the National Fire Acaemy (NFA) in its evelopment of the national professional evelopment moel. Develope in 2004, the moel which is escribe as the ivory towers of higher eucation, supports the premise that firefighters an fire aministration, arme with the knowlege an a college egree, can reuce the human an economic impact of fires in their communities. 8 1

3 Entry Level Company Officer Chief Officer Assistant Chief/Deputy Chief Chief of the Department This research is partially a replicate stuy of research conucte by the South Carolina State Firemen s Association (SCSFA) in 1997 an replicate in The SCSFA s higher eucation committee initiate an fune research to evaluate the state of eucation in South Carolina s fire service an report perceptions about the role that higher eucation plays in the firefighting fiel. 9 METHODOLOGY This research focuse on North Carolina municipalities that fit two criteria: 1) have a population between 5,000 an 25,000 an 2) their jurisiction is service by a professional fire epartment. 10 This resulte in a population of 70 municipalities. This stuy use questions irectly from the SCSFA survey use in 1997 an 2004, supplemente with aitional questions in orer to evelop an electronic survey instrument (appenix 2). The survey instrument was esigne to evaluate how institutionalize or formalize the higher eucation requirements are within the current hiring an promotion practices, seeks to unerstan fire chiefs personal views of the value of higher eucation to the fire service, an asks the fire chiefs whether or not they see any ifference between the firefighters they supervise with an without higher eucation. An internet base survey was aministere in December The results were anonymous. 11 The survey prouce a sample of 26 responses for a response rate of 37 percent. 12 The survey results were analyze to etermine whether or not leaerships views of higher eucation align with current hiring an promotional practices. RESULTS The results are presente in 4 sections: 1) isplay of the eucational requirements for the current hiring an promotion practices 2) examination of fire chiefs views of the value of higher eucation to the fire service 3) higher eucation s perceive impact on a firefighters work performance an conclues with 4) fire chiefs opinion of the minimal eucational requirements to be successful for each position within a fire epartment. Eucation in the hiring an promotion process: Figure 1 isplays the minimum eucation requirements for each of the five ifferent job classifications for fire epartments. Figure Eucation Requirements N= High School (G.E.D.) Associates Degree Bachelors Degree 9 The graph shows that a high school eucation is the preominant eucational requirement for all positions up until the fire chief. Higher eucation, a bachelor s egree, is first require at the chief officer level, but only require by 1 epartment, an increases as a requirement for subsequent positions. It shoul be note that a master s egree is not require for any position. Aitionally, 13 of 23 responents (57 percent) 2

4 Strength of promotion potential Creativity Problem solving skills Motivation Communication skills Emergency response performance Work attitue Reliability Work quality inicate that the eucational requirements for their epartment have increase uring their tenure as chief. Chiefs view of the value of higher eucation to the fire service: The responents were aske to state their level of agreement (strongly isagree, isagree, neither agree nor isagree, agree or strongly agree) with the statement that higher eucation is important to a firefighter s success in the fire service. None of the responents isagree with the statement, with an overwhelming percentage (91percent) inicating that they agree or strongly agree, while the other 9 percent opte to answer neither agree nor isagree. Eucational incentives were use as a proxy to etermining the organizational commitment of the chief an the epartment to assist firefighters in obtaining higher eucation. Table 1 shows which incentives the epartments have offere for firefighters pursuing higher eucation egrees. Table 1. Eucational Incentives (N=26) Full tuition reimbursement 17% Partial tuition reimbursement 57% Time off (no make-up requirement) 39% Time off( make-up requirement) 4% Nothing offere 22% Other 4% *Percentages a up to be over 100 percent Figure % 75% 50% 25% Percent of responents inicating postive impact on work factors 85% 90% 95% 90% 95% The table shows that epartments most commonly offer partial tuition reimbursement, followe by allowing firefighters to take time off to atten classes with no makeup requirement, as incentives for firefighters to pursue higher eucation egrees. The 4 percent in the other category state that travel, foo, books an hotel costs are sometimes pai. It shoul be note that the total percentage as up to be over 100 percent because the responents were allowe to choose all options that have applie for their epartment. The commitment to provie incentives for higher eucation is about as strong as the chief s view of the importance of eucation to a firefighter s success, with 88 percent of the responent s epartments offering some type of incentive to firefighters pursuing a higher eucation egree. It shoul be note the recession of the past few years may have affecte what incentives were offere an how prevalent they were. However, forty-eight percent of the epartments i not provie a salary bump for firefighter s who obtaine a higher eucation egree. Of the epartments that sai pay is ajuste for a firefighter obtaining a college egree, only 13 percent reporte that the salary increase always happens. Higher Eucation s perceive impact on firefighter s work performance: The responents were aske to ientify to what extent a firefighter having a college egree positively impacts 9 work factors (ientifie in the SCFA research). The perceive impact of a college eucation is reporte to have a positive impact on all 9 of the work factors (figure 2). While a majority of the responents agree that 65% 70% 75% 90% college eucation has a positive impact on all of the ientifie work factors, the egree of the perceive impact varies from some impact to high impact. See Appenix 1 to view responents level of agreement on higher eucation s perceive positive impact on the ientifie work factors. Creativity, problem 3

5 Entry Level Company Officer Chief Officer Assistant Chief/ Deputy Chief Chief of the Department solving skills, motivation, communication skills, an work quality were all factors that percent of the responents reporte to be positively impacte by a college eucation. Eighty-five percent of the responents inicate that a college eucation ha a positive impact on the strength of promotional potential for a firefighter. Fire Chiefs opinion of eucational requirements: The chief s opinion of the minimal level of eucation to be successful at each of the 5 positions (Figure 3) inicates the nee for aitional eucation as a firefighter progresses up the organizational hierarchy. A high school eucation was sufficient for success only at the entry level firefighting position, quickly increasing to an associate s egree at the next rung of the organizational laer, chief officer position. Higher eucation, a bachelor s egree, is first reporte as necessary at the chief officer position, an the nee increases Figure Chiefs opinion of minimal level of eucation to be sucessful High School (G.E.D.) Bachelors Degree Associates Degree Masters Degree for the two remaining positions higher in the organization. Aitionally, a master s egree was inicate as being necessary for success at both the Assistant/Deputy Chief an Fire Chief positions. DISCUSSION The results of this research inicate that higher eucation is an essential component, in the opinion of the fire chiefs, to the success of a firefighter s career. The responents notice a istinct positive impact that higher eucation has on all 9 of the work factors ientifie in this research. The importance of higher eucation appears to be recognize by the fire epartments in this research because of the high percentage of epartments that offer incentives for firefighters to obtain higher eucation egrees. However, the formal use of higher eucation in the current hiring an promotion practices fails to stress the importance higher eucation in the fire service. The current hiring an promotion eucational requirements fail to mirror the fire chiefs perspective of the eucational nee. The current eucational requirements in these practices have a high school iploma minimum requirement that can be seen all the way through the hiring an promotional processes. Compare this fining to how the vast majority of fire chiefs inicate that a high school eucation is only sufficient for entry level firefighters. This point leas to the conclusion that there is a isconnect between the current practices an the chiefs view of eucational nee. Aitionally, fire chiefs inicate the importance of higher eucation to a firefighter s success is much more significant than the current practices reflect an inicate the importance of a master s egree to be successful at the Assistant/Deputy Chief an Fire Chief positions. Even though the current practices o not reflect the importance of higher 4

6 eucation to the fire service nor align with the chief s perspective of the eucational nee, both the current practices an chiefs perspectives inicate the chief officer position as the position at which higher eucation becomes necessary for successful fulfillment of a firefighter s uties. The gap between current practices an the chief s perspective of the eucational nee is a large one that nees the attention of North Carolina fire epartments, firefighters, fire aministration an scholars. Failure to aress this gap means that our fire service coul be missing out on vital work factors that are important components of a firefighter s success. During this time of oing less with less, higher eucation coul be essential to operating a fire epartment as efficiently an effectively as possible an help firefighters attain a successful career in the North Carolina fire service. RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS This research conclues with two recommenations to close this perceive gap between the use of higher eucation in hiring an promotional practices an fire chiefs perception of eucational nees, if/when the North Carolina fire service chooses to aress this issue. First, results of this research inicate that fire chiefs place more importance on higher eucation in the fire service than o the current eucational requirements. Fire chiefs can use their leaership abilities to incorporate their perception of eucational nees into new hiring an promotion practices that raise the minimal eucational requirements. This task cannot be aequately aresse by fire chiefs alone an woul require collaboration between senior fire aministration, fire chiefs, an fire human resource epartments, for example, to reclassify the necessary skills, certifications an eucation for each position within the fire epartment. Secon, North Carolina fire epartments nee to evelop new recruitment strategies to attract caniates that alreay hol higher eucation egrees. Fire epartments are paramilitary organizations. The typical progression is from entry level positions (firefighter) to company officer to chief officers with the unerstaning that knowlege an experience gaine in each position within the epartment is essential in aequately preparing an iniviual for promotion within the hierarchy. It shoul be note that there are times fire an EMS organizations recruit external caniates for senior aministrative positions rather than promoting from within. 13 This paramilitary structure makes aressing the importance of higher eucation more ifficult. Hiring entry level caniates possessing a egree emphasizes the perceive benefits of higher eucation an allows them to instea focus on gaining the experience, expertise, an certifications, require to move their way up through the organization. An aitional benefit may be having more viable internal caniates available for promotion to senior fire aministration/fire chief positions, saving iniviuals the time of getting use to new political an epartmental cultures an norms. Current eucational requirements o not match up with the fire chiefs opinion of the minimal eucation neee to be successful at each position within the fire hierarchy. Aitionally, higher eucation is perceive to have a positive impact on all 9 ientifie work factors. Incorporating higher eucation requirements into the North Carolina fire service will take the guiance an leaership of fire chiefs. Institutionalizing the importance of higher eucation into the hiring an promotion requirements for North Carolina fire epartments may not be an easy thing to accomplish, but the benefits of making this transition appear to be many. In orer to realize these perceive benefits the North Carolina fire service shoul rely on the leaership an vision of its fire chiefs an take on the challenge of closing this perceive gap. 5

7 ENDNOTES 1 Coleman, John. "Eucation vs. Experience." Fire Engineering. 2 Unite States. Unite States Department of Labor. "Firefighter Occupational Outlook Hanbook." 3 Leath, Eric. "Higher Eucation = Better skills, Better Future." Fire Engineering. 4 Fleming, Robert. Effective Fire an Emergency Services Aministration. 5 Coleman, John. "Eucation vs. Experience." Fire Engineering. 6 Clark, Burton. "Higher Eucation an Fire Service professionalism." Fire Chief. 7 Poulin, Thomas. "Increase eucation requirements an universal performance stanars can improve the public's perception of the fire service." Fire Chief 8 FEMA. Unite States. What is the Fire an Emergency Services Higher Eucation (FESHE) Program? Kassekert, Anthony. "South Carolina fire chiefs' perceptions of higher eucation for firefighters 2004." 10 These municipalities were selecte base on statistics in The Directory of North Carolina Municipal Officials an Buyers Guie, publishe an release by The North Carolina League of Municipalities in Once these municipalities were ientifie, the name an aress for the fire chiefs were compile into a atabase. 11 After the evelopment of the survey instrument, it was pretest by 3 fire chiefs, not inclue in the sample, to verify that the survey instrument was capturing what this research intene an to moify the survey to clarify any problems or questions the pretest responents reporte. 12 The North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs was provie a copy of the survey instrument an cover letters an agree to enorse this research. The original survey an cover letter were sent out in December, with a two aitional follow ups/reminers being sent out 1 an 2 weeks later. 13 Fleming, Robert. Effective Fire an Emergency Services Aministration. 6

8 Bibliography Clark, Burton. "Higher Eucation an Fire Service professionalism." Fire Chief. September 1993: Print. Clark, James. "Raising the bar: Higher Eucation Requirements." (2007): Web. 25 Sep < Coleman, John. "Eucation vs. Experience." Fire Engineering. Web. 25 Sep < FEMA. Unite States. What is the Fire an Emergency Services Higher Eucation (FESHE) Program? Web. < Fleming, Robert. Effective Fire an Emergency Services Aministration. Tulsa: PennWell Corporation, ebook. Kassekert, Anthony. "South Carolina fire chiefs' perceptions of higher eucation for firefighters 2004." Web. 25 Sep < Kemp, Martin. "Avancing Higher Eucation For Fire Service Leaers." (1999): Web. 25 Sep < Lakamp, Thomas. "Examinging Eucation Requirements." (2008): Web. 25 Sep < Leath, Eric. "Higher Eucation = Better skills, Better Future." Fire Engineering. Web. 25 Sep < Moschella, John, M Phil, an Annie Chou. "Fire Service Higher Eucation in the U.S. an Taiwan:- A Comparison." Fire Engineering. Web. 25 Sep < Mourchi, Younes. "Where Public Safety Policy Meets Higher Eucation." Firehouse. November 2008: Print. "NCSFA launches fun for NC firefighters." Carolina Fire Journal., 14 Oct Web. 25 Sep North Carolina Office of the State Fire Marshal." North Carolina Firefighter Certification. North Carolina Office of the State Fire Marshal, Web. 25 Sep Parow, Jack. "Higher Eucation: The Key to Fire/EMS professional recognition." IAFC On Scene. 15 Apr 2011: Web. 25 Sep < 7

9 Poulin, Thomas. "Increase eucation requirements an universal performance stanars can improve the public's perception of the fire service." Fire Chief. 01 Mar 2009: Web. 25 Sep Rivenbark, Bill, an George McCall. "Promoting Higher Eucation in the Fire Service." Fire Engineering. September 2000: Print. Unite States. Unite States Department of Labor. "Firefighter Occupational Outlook Hanbook." Web. 25 Sep < Unite States. Unite States Fire Aministration/National Fire Acaemy Executive Fire Officer Program Web. < 8

10 Appenix 1 Table 2. Work Factors ( N= 23) Factors No impact Some impact Moerate impact High impact No Opinion Strength of promotion potential 5% 5% 35% 45% 10% Creativity 0% 15% 35% 35% 10% Problem solving skills 0% 20% 35% 40% 5% Motivation 5% 35% 35% 20% 5% Communication skills 0% 10% 35% 50% 5% Emergency response performance 30% 35% 30% 0% 5% Work attitue 25% 5% 55% 10% 5% Reliability 20% 25% 35% 15% 5% Work quality 5% 15% 45% 30% 5% 9

11 Appenix 2 North Carolina Fire Chief Survey Section 1: This section will ask you questions about whether or not higher eucation is require in the current hiring an promotion practices for your epartment. Aitional questions will be aske to help better unerstan how your epartment uses higher eucation in these practices. All answers you submit for this survey are anonymous. In the hiring process we require or inicate as a preference the following: High Scho ol (G.E. D.) Colle ge Crei t Hour s Asso ciate' s Degr ee Bach elor's Degr ee Mast er's Degr ee Req uire Entry (Firefighter) Pref erre Nei the r Company Officer (Lieutenant- Captain) Req uire Pref erre Nei the r Chief Officer (Battalion Chief- District Chief) Req uire Pref erre Nei the r Assistant Chief/ Deputy Chief Req uire Pref erre Nei the r Req uire Chief of the Department Pref erre Nei the r 10

12 During your time as Chief of the epartment have the eucational requirements change? Yes No I on't know During your time as Chief of the epartment how have the eucational requirements change? Increase Decrease Is eucation consiere in establishing salary level for firefighters? Yes No I on't know Over the past few years has your epartment provie any of the following incentives for firefighters pursuing higher eucation? (check all that apply) Full tuition reimbursement Partial tuition reimbursement Time off (no make-up requirement) Time off (make-up requirement) Nothing offere Other How often is aitional pay provie for higher eucation egrees( Bachelor's egree or higher) obtaine while in service? Never Rarely Sometimes Always 11

13 Do you supervise college grauates(bachelors egree an above)?if yes, how many? Yes No Section 2: This section will ask you questions about your opinion of the impact of higher eucation in the fire service. Aitionally this section will ask your opinion about what you believe the eucational requirements shoul be for your epartment. From your experience to what extent oes a firefighter having a college egree positively impact that employees: Strength of promotion potential No impact Some impact Moerate impact High impact No Opinion Creativity Problem solving skills Motivation Communication skills Emergency response performance Work attitue Reliability Work quality If your epartment DOES NOT currently have firefighters with a bachelor's egree or higher, is this something your epartment seeks? Yes No I on't know 12

14 Are there obstacles you feel your epartment faces when trying to attract college eucate caniates? Yes No I ont know What obstacles o you feel your epartment faces when trying to attract college eucate caniates? Please inicate your level of agreement with the following statement: Higher eucation is important to a firefighter's success in the fire service Strongly Agree Agree Neither Agree nor Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree In your opinion, what is the minimal level of eucation an employee woul nee to be successful in the following positions? High School (G.E.D.) Associates Degree Bachelors Degree Masters Degree Entry Level Company Officer Chief Officer Assistant Chief/ Deputy Chief Chief of the Department 13

15 In your opinion, what woul be the optimal level of eucation for an employee in the following positions? High School (G.E.D.) Associates Degree Bachelors Degree Masters Degree Entry Level Company Officer Chief Officer Assistant Chief/Deputy Chief Chief of the Department Section 3: This section will ask you questions about your backgroun. What is the highest level of eucation you have complete? GED High School Associate's Degree Bachelor's Degree Master's Degree Doctorate How many years of service o you have at this fire epartment? Less than 1 year 1-3 years 4-6 years 7-10 years 11 or more years 14

16 How long have you been chief of this fire epartment? Less than 1 year 1-3 years 4-6 years 7-10 years 11 or more years If your epartment ha aitional funing available for eucation an training where woul you allocate the majority of these aitional resources? Higher eucation Training an certifications Section 4: This section will ask you questions about characteristics of your epartment. How many full time firefighters oes your epartment currently employ? more than 40 Which North Carolina State Firefighter's Association oes your epartment geographical ientify with? Western Piemont Eastern 15