Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 3, 1995 TAG: 9503030082
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
In any event, Roanoke's Fire Department is good at what it does. So consultants found, in helping a city Project Management Team develop long-range strategy for the department.
But it's also expensive. Of 15 Virginia municipalities surveyed, Roanoke ranked No. 1 in fire stations per 1,000 residents, 11th in the number of fire calls per station per day, second in the number of paid fire personnel per 1,000 residents, and second in per-capita costs for its fire service.
All of which suggests a need for greater efficiency, and supports the strategic plan's key recommendation: to merge the city's Fire Department, paid Emergency Medical Services staff and crucial corps of EMS volunteers.
City Council has signed on. Because the project team wisely included members from all the affected groups, city administrators also predict rank-and-file support for change.
Good. Firefighters possess physical courage, but their departments sometimes shrink from change. Seeing the need for it can be hard when the service is essential and popular, and when firefighters themselves like their work. Yet changes occurring outside the firehouse demand change within if the department is to provide the best service in the most efficient way. Taxpayers increasingly are demanding both.
Across the nation, the work of actually fighting fires is leveling off or dropping. Stricter building codes, better construction and effective fire-prevention education have reduced numbers of fires per capita - cause for celebration. Firefighters needn't worry about their livelihoods, either - if they are flexible.
There always will be some fires and, thus, a need for some firefighters. Also occurring, though, is an increase in the public's expectations for life-saving emergency medical care after an accident happens or an illness strikes.
Roanoke is poised to merge fire and emergency medical services at the same time it is preparing to hire a new fire chief. This is a singular opportunity to reorganize to become more responsive to city residents' needs.
Converting expensive, good service into more cost-efficient excellent service will mean change - relocating, perhaps consolidating, some fire stations; working to prevent more fires instead of reacting to them; coordinating training and procedures so all emergency services fit seamlessly together. Using limited resources, in other words, to maximum effect.
The city should not stop, though, with quality management and a commendably inclusive reorganization. Roanoke officials need also to strive on two other fronts to improve efficiency and quality of service: (1) blocking the route by which firefighters sometimes have attempted end-runs around management by exercising political pull with City Council, and (2) joining other Roanoke Valley jurisdictions to regionalize emergency services.
Newly retired Fire Chief Rawleigh Quarles has served honorably. Consultants found no scandal in the operation of the city Fire Department, but neither was it stellar. From the next chief in a new age, and from the entire department, the Star City expects stellar.
by CNB