Fire + Rescue Issue 72 - New Zealand Fire Service

EStructurE –
nearing the end
We are now eight months into our restructure and almost at the finish
line. It’s been a long, careful process and the results will be based almost
entirely on the feedback we have had during the consultation process.
By the end of next month
(October) the final result will
be known and implementation
of the changes will begin.
Everyone involved is very conscious that,
as with any change, it can leave some
people feeling uncertain and anxious
about what that change will mean to
them; especially when their reporting
lines change, the role has been changed
or disestablished. By now most of you
will have seen the Phase 2 proposal
for consultation and its organisation
charts. If you have concerns, please talk
to your manager. The document is also
open to further comment and input.
Region meetings were held in August
but written submissions can still
be sent to the team via Fa’a Parsons
(faa.parsons@fire.org.nz) up until
16 September.
The drivers for the change remain
the same. We need a structure that
better supports its personnel and the
services we provide to communities.
The feedback has made it clear that
people in the regions need to be freed
up from paperwork and administrative
tasks so they can concentrate
on the service they provide to their
communities. We can do this by
providing more national management
and support of the resources they need.
fIght IntErruptEd
Two Christchurch charities are
now $40,000 better off as a result
of a Christchurch boxing event between
Police and the Fire Service.
The proposal is also to introduce more
consistency to the organisation. To help
with this, we propose reducing the
current regional roles from 52 different
titles down to 14 region or area-based
roles. It also proposes removing some
management layers to remove
bureaucracy, speed us up and make us
more responsive.
Under the proposal, functions such as
Fleet, Property and Training will form
part of a Region Support Centre, based
in each region. This will allow direct
communication and understanding of
local needs and issues but by reporting
nationally, they will help drive the push
for consistency that everyone has been
talking about.
There’s also a drive to put more
resources into better integrating our
business planning and performance
monitoring. Some of the new roles
focus on this. We also propose to
introduce development roles at an area
and region level – to open a path to
senior management and provide
assistance to Fire Region Managers and
Area Managers. This will also give these
managers more time to lead and
support their people.
Our goal is to become a national Fire
Service that has the same structure
The fight to raise money for Camp Quality
and Burns Support was held on
12 February, just before the earthquake.
So with everyone being just a bit busy
for the past five months, it’s taken until
recently for the funds to be officially
handed over to the two charities.
Paul Baxter. Team Leader: Region Restructure
and Realignment Project Team.
and level of service in Southland as it
does in Northland. All regions will be
working toward the same national
outcomes and meeting their own local
needs. We will all be performing more
effectively and have the resources where
we need them, when we need them.
Paul Baxter
Assistant National Commander
editorial
Co-organiser Constable Mike Kneebone
said the February event was a sellout
success and the two organisations were
pleased to finally be able to hand over
the proceeds.
Fire+Rescue / September 2011 / 3