building bridges - City of Richmond

CITY OF RICHMOND
 Building Bridges Thoughts From
Year One….
 2010 Annual
Awards Ceremony
 Fire Station Alerting
 Who Are Our Customers?
 What’s New In The
Project Resource
Team?
 History of Women
In The Richmond
Fire Department
 The Mentorship
Program Explained
 RAPIDS
Editorial Staff:
Kimberly Wilson-Cho
Elmond D. Taylor
Christina Smith
Nancy Hall
Shawn Jones
Bailey Martin
Laura Neville
Lauren Bonneville
B U I L D I N G
B R I D G E S
April 2011
Anniversary Edition
BUILDING BRIDGES—THOUGHTS FROM YEAR ONE...
Before ‘Building Bridges’, Richmond
Fire Department embarked upon an
organizational assessment. This was
not a technical assessment of how
well we fight and manage fire incidents
or our delivery of emergency medical
services. Rather, it would examine
how we, as an organization, felt about
one another, how we communicated
with each other, our intercultural competencies, our relationship with the community we serve, and
how the community
views Richmond Fire
as an organization.
Like many of you, I
was both excited and
eager to participate
and openly communicate my thoughts on
the challenges facing
our organization. I saw
this process as an opportunity to lay down
the foundation to address long term systemic issues that
had prevented Richmond Fire from
moving from good to great.
This process involved nearly every
member of the organization; it certainly
sparked lots of conversation at every
level of the organization. In 2008, some
in the department questioned the need/
merits of undertaking this initiative; today I would argue there are still some
who maintain that sentiment, but hopefully to a lesser degree. This study
would eventually be named ‘Building
Bridges’, which brought the tag line
“safety, excellence and teamwork”.
Eventually, we would become acquainted with the Project Resource
Team and the Richmond Hill Group
later renamed the Leadership Group.
This process would promote the development of our mission, vision and values statements and a greater organizational awareness andsensitivity to cultural differences in and away
from the work environment.
During various
“courageous conversations”, members are
sharing how this initiative
has made them aware
and sensitive to unacceptable behavior by others in the fire service or
community at large. This
change in perception has
been witnessed most by
actions and comments during fire service training classes outside of our department. This perception is viewed as
organizational progress for Richmond
Fire by those who’ve experienced and
witnessed the inappropriate behavior.
Not all will agree and acknowledge the
strides that are being made to address
those concerns outlined in the report,
and some will say that progress appears to be slow.
(Continued on page 2)
BUILDING BRIDGES
Page 2
BUILDING BRIDGES—THOUGHTS FROM YEAR ONE… ( CONT’D)
I would agree that implementation may appear to
be sluggish; however, moving this organization
culturally to a values driven organization has
more to do with our own attitudes and trust for
one another than a timeline. I am encouraged that
this fire department is up for the task.
So, we’re two and half years into the implementation phase of the building bridges report. We were
provided an action plan which included 33 recommendations/goals divided into six subgroups for
implementation. Thus far, we have implemented
10 of those recommendations; they are recommendations 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 16, 17, 21, 28, 29 and
committees are currently working on items 18 and
24. Implementation of these recommendations
will not necessarily guarantee success; implementation may prove to be the easiest component of the Tri-Data report. Achieving and maintaining the goals will require commitment, periodic
review, and honest assessment and revision if
needed.
Here’s what I believe; since June of 2008 we
have been engaged in meaningful discussion of
systemic issues affecting our organization, acting
upon them and implementing programs to address long held organizational and cultural barriers that prohibit this organization from moving
from good to great. Just the fact that I, the Deputy
Fire Chief of Operations sit here constructing this
article on this topic for the Building Bridges newsletter is remarkable in itself. Be
safe, be smart
and
increase
your fire service
IQ.
- Melvin Carter
FIRE APPARATUS ON THE WAY
We wish to update everyone on
the status of the Fire Fleet replacement project. We have
placed an order with AES, local
dealer for Pierce, to purchase 7
fire trucks. We have ordered 2
- 105’ Quints, 2 - 75’ Quints, 2 Heavy Rescues, and 1 - Class
A Pumper.
We have been
promised a delivery time frame
of late fall or early winter 2011.
Following this initial order, we
will be purchasing anywhere
between 3 or 4 trucks per year
until all of our aged fleet has
been replaced. Thereafter, we
will work toward structuring a
replacement plan that realizes
the purchase of two or three
trucks each year.
The main
goal being to stagger the arrival
of these vehicles so that all of
them do not reach the end of
their serviceable life at the
same time.
We are appreciative of the City
administration that has placed
fire fleet replacement as a priority. We will continue to work
closely with all stakeholders to
work aggressively in pursuance
of completing this important project.
-Elmond Taylor
BUILDING BRIDGES
Page 3
BUILDING BRIDGES EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT: LAWRENCE E. PLASKETT JR.
Full Name: Lawrence E. Plaskett Jr.
Hometown: Far Rockaway, Queens, New York
Current City: Highland Springs, VA
Education: Diploma from High School of Art & Design in
New York, NY; BS from State University College at Oneonta, New York
Marital Status: Married to Sybil Bryant-Plaskett
Pet (s): 2 Hermit Crabs
Do you have any children? I have four children; three
girls and a boy, Kiante’ 16, Sha Kia 11
½ , Malachi 7, Hasaani 6
Position at the Fire Department: Lieutenant
Movies: Sugar Hill, Shaolin –vs- WuTang, The Godfather, Men of Honor,
Superfly, Do The Right Thing, HEAT,
Return of the JEDI, Malcolm X
Music: Curtis Mayfield, 70’s R & B,
Jazz, Hip-Hop / Rap, Classic Rock, &
Reggae
Favorite Color: Rust / Blue
Favorite Quote: Real living is living for
others. – Bruce Lee
Jobs before the Fire Department:
Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice,
Virginia United Methodist Family Services
How long have you worked for the
city and briefly describe what you do
in your position with the department:
I have worked for the City of Richmond
for a little more than nine years as a professional firefighter
and was recently appointed to the position of Lieutenant.
As a firefighter, my job and duties are to provide the citizens of the City of Richmond with the best service be it fire
related or medical. As a firefighter, it is nearly impossible
to give a brief description of what it is that we actually do
because the pallet is so extensive and extreme at times.
We are sometimes required to go well beyond the realm of
extinguishing fires or providing emergency medical services. As a newly appointed Lieutenant, I strive to provide
leadership and guidance to the members. I supervise and
be their support mechanism whenever they’re faced with
adversity, be it job related or otherwise.
past has impacted us today.” I have these discussions beginning with my children as well as with my family’s elders.
A constant learning process built from love and communication.
On a scale of 1-10( worst), how messy is your desk? 5
Do you cry at movies? If so, which movies make you
cry? Yes, I cry at the movies that haven’t been created yet,
nor do I think they will ever come into existence (laughing)!
What would you do if you had a million dollars?
Create ways to make it 10 million.
Are you a good dancer? I like to think so!
If your life was a song, what would the
title be?
Little Child Running Wild by Curtis Mayfield
What was your most embarrassing moment?
Running down the basketball court as a
child and jumping to complete a lay-up shot
only to have my shoe fall off (while I was in
the air) and reveal a big hole in my sock !!!!
(laughing)
What is your favorite part about working
at The Richmond Fire Dept?
The different individuals you come into contact with on a daily basis be it in a professional or non-professional capacity.
Where is your favorite place to go out to
lunch? There used to be a Caribbean Takeout off of Brookland Park Blvd. on North
Avenue called Chef’s Island.
How would your co-workers describe
you? Hardworking, Energetic, Original, Empathetic, Honorable, Humorous and Family Orientated
What is your proudest accomplishment while working
at The Fire Department? The top ranking one at this moment because my career has not been completed would
be: Having a kid (that was deemed a risk by societal standards) call me after I had ceased working with him as his
counselor for about a year or more. He not only called me
but he also asked for my assistance in helping him choose
classes at a local community college because he had received his G.E.D and wanted to become a firefighter. I
never thought I had impacted this kid in such a magnitude,
the whole time I worked with him. Definitely one of my
proudest moments.
What do you enjoy doing with your family? I enjoy
What is your favorite snack at the office?
having life discussions with my family, dialoguing with
Beans, it doesn’t get any better (laughing)!
each and every one of my family members I come into
contact with, and sharing different ideologies about “Why
things are the way they are in today’s society, and How the
Franks &
- Kimberly Wilson-Cho
BUILDING BRIDGES
Page 4
HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE RFD?
Across
Down
1.
Fire Chief Creecy was a teacher of this subject prior to
coming to the RFD
2.
Why people love working for the fire department (2 wds.)
5.
RFD received a grant from this company to continue Fire
Prevention efforts (2 wds.)
3.
Top Code Violation
4.
9.
This many former captains were promoted to Battalion
Chief in 2010
March is also ______ American Heritage Month (HINT:
think March 17th!)
6.
Smoke detectors should be placed this many feet away
from stoves or showers
11. Leading cause of residential fires (2 wds.)
7.
Employee’s favorite color of those featured in January's
Employee Spotlight
Chief K. Taylor served as the Hazardous Materials Technician for this company (2 wds.)
Handouts on the department’s website are now available
16.
in this language
County that Chief Creasy worked in prior to the City of
19.
Richmond
8.
349 of these were given out in 2009
9.
__________ Showing, Dept. Newsletter published by the
PIO
12.
New acronym for the EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity) office
20. Name of K-9 Investigator Archer's dog
13.
One of Chief E. Taylor’s certifications
15.
RFD Headquarters' New Admin Program Support Assistant (first name)
17.
The Fire Academy was completed by _________ and
Associates architectural company
18.
Assistant Fire Marshals are sworn in by this office (2
wds.)
10. Firefighters love to eat here (2 wds.)
14.
21.
Bob ___________, Project Analyst for Procurement (last
name)
22. Staff Battalion Chief Jackson's highest Army rank
23.
Building Bridges calls for an action plan to encourage the
support and understanding of _________
24. March is _________ History Month
- Lauren Bonneville
BUILDING BRIDGES
Page 5
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT – MARILYN BURROUGHS
TEMS for payroll, process paperwork for new
recruits when they enter and leave the Academy, track training hours for the Fire Department
in FDM, and maintain daily paperwork at Training.
What do you enjoy doing with your family?
Playing and shopping with my grandchildren,
and most every Saturday night have dinner with
my brother, his wife, and two good friends.
On a scale of 1-10 (worst), how messy is your
desk? 2
Full Name: Marilyn Baughan Burroughs
Hometown: Richmond, Va.
Current City: Highland Springs, Va.
Family: (Children/Grandchildren) (2) children
(3) grandchildren
Position at the Fire Department: Administrative Assistant
Favorite movies: Anything with Julia Roberts
Favorite music: Country
Favorite Color: Blue
Jobs before the Fire Department: I had a
license to write Property and Casualty Insurance/Insurance Agent.
What is your favorite part about working at
the Fire Department? Getting to know the people that I work with, and especially all the new
recruits.
How would your co-workers describe you?
You will have to ask them, I am not quite sure
what they would say.
What is your proudest accomplishment while
working at the Fire Department?
Maintaining a good working relationship with
everyone in the Fire Department especially the
individuals that have been assigned to Training.
What is your favorite snack at the office?”
I maintain the snack box on my desk so I enjoy
everything that I buy to keep it stocked, but especially the chips.
How long have you worked for the City and
briefly describe what you do in your position
with the department?
I have been with the Fire Department for 25
years and I am responsible for entering time
and attendance for Training and Suppression in
- Nancy Hall
BUILDING BRIDGES
Page 6
2010 ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY
The Richmond Fire Department held its awards ceremony on
October 21,2010 at Richmond Centerstage.
It is a great honor and privilege for me to congratulate each of you.
Your professionalism, positive attitude and willingness to help are
commendable and well worthy of public recognition and praise.
- Robert Creecy.
Page 7
BUILDING BRIDGES
2010 ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY
Firefighter Wesley Amos
Lieutenant Kurt Gran
Firefighter Michael Anderson
Lieutenant Robert Hagaman
Lieutenant William Andrews
Firefighter James W. Harris, III
Firefighter Leonard Archer
Lieutenant Kevin House
Firefighter Charles Barkley
Firefighter Anthony Johnson
Captain Robert Baumgardner
Lieutenant Anthony Jones
Firefighter Elton Stinson
Captain William Beatley
Lieutenant Shawn Jones
Firefighter Edward Stokes
Firefighter Antonio Bediako
Firefighter William Jones
Mr. Arthur Tate
Firefighter Mary Bell
Firefighter John Kuper
Firefighter Stewart Thiel
Firefighter Gregory Bembry
Firefighter Courtland Lambert Firefighter James Turner
Mr. John Birchfield
Lieutenant Bryan Law
Firefighter Rodger Walker
Firefighter Jeffry Bohn
Firefighter Clinton Lewis
Firefighter Linwood Waltrip
Firefighter Eric Brown
Firefighter Donald Little
Firefighter Ronald Washington
Firefighter Ronald Brown
Firefighter John Lukhard
Firefighter Michael Watson
Lieutenant Stephen Brown
Captain William Martin
Lieutenant Garland Weymouth
Lieutenant Antonio Bullock
Firefighter Phillip McCarter
Firefighter Shaun Whiteley
Lieutenant Ludenilo Castro
Captain Terry McGirt
Firefighter Michael Wilkins
Firefighter Thomas Chenault
Firefighter Francis McKearin
Firefighter John Williams
Firefighter Linwood Cousins
Firefighter Adam Mesco
Lieutenant Sheldon Williams
Firefighter Michael Crabtree
Firefighter Marshall Moran
Mrs. Mary Davis
Staff Battalion Chief David
Creasy
Lieutenant Carroll Smith
Chesterfield Auto Parts
Firefighter Scott Smith
Mr. Jeff Clark
Firefighter Steven Curry
Firefighter William Smith
Mr. Lindsay Tycer
Lieutenant Brian Dalrymple
Lieutenant John Spanbauer
Mr. Todd Parnell
Captain Earl Dyer
Lieutenant Christopher
Spencer
Mr. Danny Lee
Firefighter Bryan Elrod
Firefighter Malcolm Epps
Firefighter William Spindle
Captain Rodney Epps
Lieutenant Melody Spivey
Firefighter Keith Fleming
Lieutenant Kevin Spruill
Lieutenant Donald Foreman
Firefighter Adam Stewart
Lieutenant William Goode
Firefighter Patrick Stewart
Lieutenant Bobby Burnette,
Chesterfield Fire and EMS
-Kimberly Wilson-Cho
BUILDING BRIDGES
Page 8
FIRE STATION ALERTING
The City of Richmond is currently soliciting proposals from experienced and qualified vendors to design, implement and maintain a fully-functional,
turn-key, scalable Fire Station Alerting (FSA) System that can be integrated to other necessary systems. This will likely include the need for software
and the necessary hardware to support the FSA
System. Our goal is to have a state-of-the-art fire
station alerting system that meets the needs of our
department today and into the future.
The focus of this project is to provide a modern,
standards-based FSA System and related technologies to facilitate the dispatch of Fire & Emergency Services first responders to a call-forservice. This was formerly handled with the Intergraph CAD System acting as the front end and
initiating all alert requests automatically upon acceptance of the fire assignment recommendation.
Because of system reliability deterioration, fire station alerting is now handled directly with a MOSCAD client application that is manually activated
by the fire radio operator. The City is undertaking
the acquisition of a replacement Fire Station Alerting System for multiple reasons:
in the manual alerting process have increased.
3. Because the current MOSCAD FSA relies
on 800 MHz radio frequencies, the RF factor
has not been 100% reliable and sometimes
prone to “atmospheric conditions”.
4. The check and balances to alert appropriate
personnel when an alerting failure occurs
has not been timely in some cases and has
resulted in one or more fire stations missing
an alert.
5. Because fire station personnel are not made
aware when a communications failure occurs, companies have been delayed in responding to emergency calls.
We are aiming for a June – July 2011 completion
time for this project. In a later article I hope to
detail for you what features we are looking for in
the new FSA. We will keep the organization updated on our progress.
1. The current FSA MOSCAD system, manufactured by Motorola, is ten years old and
has reached the end of its life cycle. Motorola is no longer able to support the current
version of Richmond’s MOSCAD system.
2. The interface between the current FSA MOSCAD System and the Intergraph CAD system is not reliable. Because existing interface is not reliable and prone to errors, the
interface between the Intergraph CAD System and MOSCAD has been discontinued.
This means that fire radio operators must
now manually select each fire station to be
alerted and then trigger the alerting sequence manually. This has resulted in an
increase in response times by as much as
30 seconds in many cases. Mistakes made
-Elmond Taylor
BUILDING BRIDGES
Page 9
WHO ARE OUR CUSTOMERS?
“We pride ourselves in providing quality customer
service”
When we talk about our values, it is clear that
quality service is a key to measurable success. We
are a community-minded department with a strong
sense of service, working to protect the life and
property in our community from fire, medical
emergencies and other natural or man-made
disasters. How do we identify our community? How
do we know how to provide quality customer service
if we don’t know what services are needed? The
answer lies in identifying the most valuable part of
the equation - the Customer – one key with multiple
facets and definitions. Customer Service without the
customer just doesn’t make sense. In other words,
our customers are as much a part of the service
equation as are the men and women who provide it.
How we define our customer may be difficult
because we don’t know our immediate customer
until they dial 9-1-1 or stop by the station for a child
safety seat check or blood pressure check. We may
meet our customers at fire prevention events, public
events such as the Monument Avenue 10K, or when
they call or arrive at headquarters requesting a
report, permit or other service.
One of the best ways to prepare to meet the needs
of the
community is to have a basic understanding of the
individuals who live in Our City on a full-time basis.
Describing our customer base, or potential
customers, requires us to utilize demographic data
from agencies such as the U.S. Census Bureau.
The available information ranges from the basic
categories such as age, race, and gender to more
complex categories such as income, mobility,
lifestyle, and health, types of dwellings, education,
and employment. Combining these factors provides
more detailed information about our potential
customers and helps RFES prepare for their needs.
Thanks to the US Census Bureau, we know that the
City’s estimated population is 204,451 - a 3.3%
increase in the City’s residents since 2000. We also
are able to identify the “at risk” populations based on
data obtained from the US Fire Administration the
Virginia Department of Health.
Knowing this
information helps us prepare to meet the needs of
the individuals who are at greatest risk of injury and/
or death from fire or other medical ailments, as well
as to develop education and prevention programs
that can be focused to any specific demographic
based on the identified risk based on nationwide
(Continued on page 12)
data.
BUILDING BRIDGES
Page 10
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT: KIMBERLY ROBERTS
Full Name: Kimberly Michelle Roberts
Hometown: Franklin Lakes, New Jersey
Current City: Richmond, VA
Education: Bachelor of Science, Communications,
James Madison University
Marital Status: not married, but attached.
Pet (s): 2 cats; Nike and Dakota; 3 dogs; LabAbby; Beagle-Joey; Siberian Husky-Denali
Do you have any children? Just the furry kind.
Position at the Fire Department: Level IV Firefighter, assigned to Rescue 1.
Movies: The Blind Side, Pirates of the Caribbean
trilogy, Fight Club, Shrek, and most Disney Pixar
films to name a few...
Music: Anything these days, but mostly country,
rock and hip hop/dance
Favorite Color: Blue/Green
probably be a 2.
Do you cry at movies? If so, which movies
make you cry? I can only think of 2 movies that
made me “tear-up”: Marley & Me and Charlie St.
Cloud.
What would you do if you had a million dollars?
Travel the world!
Favorite Quote: “There are no secrets to success.
Are you a good dancer? No comment!
It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.” - Colin Powell
What is your favorite part about working at The
Richmond Fire Dept? I love the spontaneity of the
Jobs before the Fire Department: Bank Teller
and Loan Officer for Wachovia.
job. Every day and every call offers a different
challenge and/or reward.
How long have you worked for the city and
briefly describe what you do in your position Where is your favorite place to go out to lunch?
with the department: I have been with the fire de- Olive Garden.
partment for 8.5 years. I currently am assigned to
How would your co-workers describe you? I’m
the Swift Water Rescue and Dive Team. While perpretty sure they would say I’m quiet!
forming firefighter and rescue company operations,
my company also responds to incidences that oc- What is your proudest accomplishment while
working at The Fire Department? I feel proud
cur on the river.
every time I get to help someone that needs our
What do you enjoy doing with your family? We assistance.
love to travel and spend time outdoors.
What is your favorite snack at the office?
On a scale of 1-10, how messy is your desk? I
Chocolate chip cookies
don’t have a desk, but if I did have one it would
-Kimberly Wilson-Cho
BUILDING BRIDGES
Page 11
WHAT’S NEW IN THE PROJECT RESOURCE TEAM (PRT)?
So, what’s going on with the PRT these days?
Before I answer that question I would like to
briefly revisit just what the PRT is, for those of us
that may have forgotten or have never known
what it is.
Back in the summer of 2008 our department contracted with a consulting firm that specialized in
public safety organizations, in an effort to address a number of issues that existed in our organization. This firm, Tridata, conducted a broad
analysis of our organization through a variety of
methods including an online survey and what
was probably best remembered by most of us the
“Building Bridges Orientation Sessions” which
became also known as the “Gripe Sessions”. The
assessment and action plan that Tridata eventually developed addresses the issues and problems as identified by all of us through these sessions and surveys.
Tridata also used various focus groups, interviews, and a “Project Resource Team” to help
clarify the issues that had been identified and to
help identify possible solutions. It was during this
phase of the “Building Bridges Process” that the
PRT was formed. It is important to note that, by
design, the PRT is a diverse group comprised of
personnel from all subgroups of the department
i.e.; rank, age, sex, race, job function, etc. in an
effort to be truly representative of everyone in our
department. The PRT’s first assignment was the
development of our “Mission, Vision and Values”
statements which can be seen hanging in all of
our Fire Stations today. During those first days
the PRT also assisted Tridata in prioritization of
issues and coming up with goals and objectives
to address them.
Today, the PRT still exists as an advisory committee to the Fire Chief and Fire Administration; it
is still made up of personnel from all areas of the
department. Everyone on the PRT has volun-
teered to be there and is tasked with representing all of the various subgroups in our department in its recommendations to the Fire Chief.
Recently, the PRT was instrumental in the development and roll out of our new mentorship program. We are also working on a number of other
initiatives that address problems as identified by
you; these include, but are not limited to:

Recommendations for a new disciplinary
process.

Recommendations for new qualifications
and standards for the positions of Acting
Lieutenants and the new proposed positions of Field Training Instructor/Officer
and Master Firefighter.

Recommendations for an updated promotional process.

Recommendations for new training requirements for Firefighters and Officers.

Recommendations to the Firefighter recruitment process.
Soon, the PRT will be seeking new volunteers
with fresh ideas, energy and enthusiasm who
would like to work towards making our department a better place to work. If you care about
your department and would like to see it reach its
full potential, please give becoming part of the
PRT some serious thought.
-Bill Vytlacil
BUILDING BRIDGES
Page 12
NEW RECRUIT CLASS BEGINS
Some of you may not be aware that we have started
another Fire Training Academy on Jan 31st 2011.
There are 24 students in the Academy with Capt.
Aycock, Lt. Travis Preau and Lt. Douglas Clevert
leading the Academy. This Academy brings our
staffing to capacity and was only able to come together thanks to great grant writing
by Theresa Hunter. Seventeen of
the positions are being funded
through a SAFER grant from the
federal government. There has
been some confusion as what that
means as far as requirements for
the grant- the fire department
agrees to maintain sworn staffing
at 413. We can not drop below that number or we
lose one position’s worth of funding. The staffing on
a day to day basis does not affect the SAFER grant;
it is only if our overall staffing level lowers.
This Academy is also different than previous academies due to the length of the class. Due to an additional 40 hours of EMS requirements and 40 hours of
FF1 and FF2 requirements, this Academy will be our
longest at 22 weeks. The Academy is slated to
graduate June 30th, 2011. More details will be sent
out about the ceremony as we get closer to the
graduation date.
- Hallie Neville
MDA’S MOST WANTED CITIZENS
MDA’s most wanted jailbirds were unfortunately
released after being held for an hour. Because of
your support, MDA is able to continually provide
help & hope to hundreds of thousands of children
and adults living with neuromuscular disease.
Donations from the Lock-Up will support local
families and guarantee that MDA can continue its
mission to find treatments and cures, as well as
provide vital services. I wanted to thank everyone
that donated money to assist with our bail. The
donation website will remain open until the end
of April for anyone who still wishes to donate.
https://secure.mdausa.org/donate/
- Shawn Jones
Battalion Chief David Creasy and Lieutenant Shawn Jones
WHO ARE OUR CUSTOMERS?
(CONT’D)
Identifying the basic data is just a start to being able to
provide quality customer service. Using the data to
develop education and prevention plans for the community is also helpful. Getting to know the community
by making face to face contact builds trust through the
development of relationships and gains support for the
department. Getting to know the community means
being able to provide the quality customer service
To see more about the City Demographics, go to: https://
based not only on meeting their needs but also ex- quickfacts.census.gov or http://www.city-data.com
ceeding their expectations.
- Christina Smith
Page 13
BUILDING BRIDGES
BUILDING BRIDGES EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT:KEVIN GIBSON
Full Name: Kevin Gibson
Hometown: Richmond, VA
Current City: Richmond, VA
Education: Bachelor's of Science - Business Administration
Marital Status: Married for Twenty-one years.
Pet (s): 1 Dog
Do you have any children? One Son age 14.
Position at the Fire Department: Captain
Blue
Favorite Color:
Jobs before the Fire Department: Fence Contractor for Fourteen years.
How long have you worked for the city and
briefly describe what you do in your position
with the department: I have worked for the department for 20 years. Currently, as a Fire Captain I am responsible for administrative oversight
of my station, equipment, apparatus and all activities pertaining to such within my station.
ments’ camaraderie.
Where is your favorite place to go out to
lunch? Applebee’s
How would your co-workers describe you?
Hardworking, dedicated and likes to have fun.
What do you enjoy doing with your family? I
enjoy skiing and vacationing at the beach.
What is your proudest accomplishment while
On a scale of 1-10 (extremely messy), how
messy is your desk? Seven
working at The Fire Department? My proudest
What would you do if you had a million dollars? Buy a house at the beach.
Are you a good
dancer? No
What is your favorite
part
about
working at The
Richmond
Fire
Dept? I enjoy working with the public.
However, I really
admire the Depart-
accomplishment was saving the life of a citizen.
What is your favorite snack at the office? Pea
-nut Butter and Jelly .
-Kimberly Wilson-Cho
BUILDING BRIDGES
Page 14
HISTORY OF WOMEN IN THE RICHMOND FIRE
DEPARTMENT
The City of Richmond Fire and
411 sworn firefighters. Currently
velopment and Equal Opportu-
Emergency Service has steadily
27 of the 411 firefighters are
nity Officer and Jamie Potter
increased the number of women
women.
The number will in-
who was also promoted. The re-
in our department since the first
crease to 30 in July after the re-
maining nineteen women hold
woman, Barbara Hicks-Spring,
cruits of 2011-1 graduates.
the title of firefighter, one in fire
was hired on November 3, 1979.
Our
department
now
stands
above the national average in
metro fire departments with female employees.
A survey of U.S. Metro Fire Departments reported that in 2009
the average metro fire department employed 4.5 % women in
the position of firefighter. In the
City of Richmond, 7.32% of our
current sworn firefighters are
women.
Our department has a total of
Our department has one female
Staff Battalion Chief, Tracy Thomas, and recently promoted two
prevention, two in Rescue Companies, and sixteen in Quint companies across the city.
female Fire Battalion Chiefs,
Christine Richardson and Tina
Watkins.
On January 27th, the department
promoted three women; Robin
McCarter,
Melissa Russ and
Melody Spivey to the rank of
Captain. In the position of Lieutenant, our department has two
women; Hallie Neville in the po-
FF. Melissa Noblin
sition of the Organizational De-
- Laura Neville
FIRE STATION 17 PROJECT
The Station 17 Project committee is aggressively working to remain on schedule. Please
review our progress this period:

Finalizing the Station sign “RICHMOND
DEPARTMENT OF FIRE & EMERGENCY
SERVICES.”

Preparing our Station 17 ribbon cutting
ceremony

Preparing responses to all design questions

Security System Meeting - 3/21/11

Public Arts Commission Meeting
The Station 17 project committee would like
to thank the department and the community
members for all the support that has been
given.
-Kimberly Wilson-Cho
BUILDING BRIDGES
PROMOTIONS
Congratulations to the Newly Promoted!
Captain
Lieutenant Christopher Aycock
Firefighter Douglas Clevert, Jr
Lieutenant Rodney Berbert
Firefighter Christopher Cozzie
Lieutenant Kevin Gibson
Firefighter Dariel Green
Lieutenant Bailey Martin, Jr
Firefighter James Herbin, Jr
Lieutenant Robin McCarter
Firefighter Robert Maass
Lieutenant Mark Rada
Firefighter Shawn McGovern
Lieutenant Harold Ring
Firefighter Jody Moore
Lieutenant Melissa Russ
Firefighter Lawrence Plaskett, Jr
Lieutenant Melody Spivey
Firefighter Jamie Potter
Lieutenants
Firefighter Mark Ryals
Firefighter George Bridgers, Jr
Firefighter Anthony Smith
Firefighter William Bullock
-Christina Smith
2011 ANNUAL DEPARTMENTAL AWARDS
A reminder notice!!
I am pleased once again to request nominations for the 2011 Annual Awards. I
hope that you will take the time to reflect on previous activities and sort out incidents that are worthy of recognition. Please participate and select candidates who have
gone beyond the call of duty to serve their City.
- Kimberly Wilson-Cho
BUILDING BRIDGES
Page 16
THE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM EXPLAINED
Mentoring has always been a tradition of the Fire Service.
So, it was no surprise when the Tri-Data group came in to
review our department, they found an informal mentoring
process. They also found that it was really only being
seen in certain areas of the department. The PRT resolved to take on the challenge of recommendation 16 –
a department wide formal mentoring process- and start
with the Probationary Firefighter. The Mentorship Committee felt that was the best place to start. In the fall of
last year, the department was asked to respond to a survey asking everyone to list the informal mentors in the
department. The response was great and we started
contacting potential mentors.
The Mentors received training from the Va. Mentorship
Partnership, as well as the City of Richmond’s Central HR
Training Division. Seven months after the survey, we are
now in our third cycle meetings of the Probationary Firefighter Mentorship program (PFMP) with mentors hand
picked by the department. We are experiencing ups and
downs like any new program, but so far have been well
received by the mentees, firefighters and officers in the
stations.
While designing the PMFP, the mentorship committee
had many long discussions about key points of the program, including overtime payment, mandatory vs. voluntary and officers or no officers just to name a few of the
debates. We are sure if we were having these debates,
then they are going on around coffee tables all over the
department as well.
Below, we will try to answer several questions we have
received along the way:
Why, if I volunteered, did I not get selected to be a
Mentor?
and adapting to “The Richmond Way”. It also provides a
great way for our department to create a better social network as we have hired and retired so many in our department in the last 5 years.
Twenty four hour shift work also poses a challenge for not
only the Recruit, but for the family members who must
learn to adapt to their loved ones being gone for an entire
day and night. On top of that adjustment, we often return
home exhausted from our shift and will need to sleep or
defuse which can cause resentment within the family. The
Mentor is in place to be a sounding board for all of these
issues. In one form or another, the Mentor can bring advice
and personal experience to the Recruit to help make these
transitions a little easier.
Why is the program mandatory?
Whenever one is designing a program it is always best to
look at other departments to see what information or ideas
you can glean from programs that are already in existence.
One of the departments we spoke with was Chicago Fire
Department. The director of the HR for the CFD gave us
an analysis of programs they were using. One of the biggest pieces of advice was to make any programs for Probationary members mandatory as they had a very low success rate with the initial program they had implemented.
The reason were many; the members either did not recognize there was a problem or felt too inundated with information until it was too late for mentorship intervention or recognized a problem but did not want to act on it. This is one
example of reasons why the Mentorship Committee felt that
for this program it should be mandatory participation.
How do we assign a Mentor to a Recruit?
The Fire Training Academy and the Mentor Committee
work closely together to match each recruit with a Mentor.
The mentors were selected based on scores returned on
an anonymous survey done department wide where we
asked “Who mentored you?” The top scoring names
were then solicited for their interest in the program.
Someone may have volunteered, but he or she may not
have fallen into the top numbers and have received an
invitation to apply.
Why do we need a mentor program?
The Mentor program is design to help new recruits better
adapt to the life style changes that come with being a Firefighter. For a person who has never worked in the fire
service, paid or volunteer, the culture and traditions within
the fire service can often leave you feeling like you have
moved to a new planet. For the seasoned recruit with prior
experience, the Mentor can be very helpful with explaining
- Laura Neville
BUILDING BRIDGES
Page 17
RAPIDS
It is my pleasure to introduce you to RAPIDS
which is the City’s enterprise resource planning
support
vices
solution. RAPIDS stands for RVA: Advancing
Proven Innovation Direction. This initiative will
modernize the City’s full range of administrative,
financial and human resources systems which will
serve to help move Richmond in the direction of
However, RAPIDS will likely
modify how we do time and attendance record
keeping as well as employee status maintenance.
becoming a Tier One City. RAPIDS will streamline and improve many of our financial and business operations which will enhance the City’s
strong fiscal foundation.
In the months to come you will be seeing more
serside.
Several members of the Richmond Fire Department serve on one of the RAPIDS implementation
teams. These members include: Robert Creecy,
Melvin Carter, Elmond Taylor, Carl Jackson, Christopher Morris, and Nancy Hall. Others will likely be
added as we move closer to implementation.
information about RAPIDS. Much of the functionality of RAPIDS will be on the administrative and
- Elmond Taylor
NEWSLETTER RECIPES
FIREMAN SALSA
Prep Time:
15 min Level: Easy
Yield:
4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
 1 small red onion, finely diced
 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
 1 large avocado, peeled, seeded and diced
 Salt and freshly ground black pepper
 1 mango, peeled, seeded, and diced
 1/2 cup pineapple chunks, fresh or canned, if canned, drained
2 limes, juiced
Directions
In a large glass bowl, combine all ingredients.
Stir well with a spoon.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill until serving time.
Tips
Add cilantro!
- Lauren Bonneville
INCLUSION & DIVERSITY CALEDAR
January
Martin Luther King Jr. Day - January 17
July
Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act - July
26
February
African-American History Month
August
Women’s Equality Day – August 26
March
Women's History Month
Irish American Heritage Month
St. Patrick's Day - March 17
September
Hispanic Heritage Month –September 15 to October
15
German American Heritage Day – September 15 to
October 15
April
Celebrate Diversity Month
October
May
Jewish Heritage Month
Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month
Senior Americans Month
Cinco de Mayo – May 5
Disability Employment Awareness Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Polish American Heritage Month
November
American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month
Veterans Day - November 11
June
Gay and Lesbian Pride Month
UPCOMING EVENTS
April 18th, 2011 – Hanover Fire
Basic Pump Operator Training*
APRIL
April 2nd, 2011 – Virginia Dept. of
Fire’s HazMat Train the Trainer MAY
course
May 7th, 2011 – Hanover Fire
nd
April 2 , 2011 – HazMat AwareOfficer II Training*
ness & Operations (for existing
May 14th, 2011 – City of RichHMAO only)
mond’s Driver/Operator Aerial
April 2nd & 3rd, 2011 – Virginia
course*
State Fire Instructor SympoMay 17th, 2011 – Hanover Fire
sium
Rural Water Supply Training*
April 9 & 10th, 2011 – Galax ReMay 21st & 22nd, 2011 – Hanover
gional Fire School
Fire PHTLS Training*
April 9 & 10th, 2011 – SouthampJULY
ton County Regional Fire
School*
July 16 & 17th, 2011 – Hanover
Fire EPC Instructor Class
April 16 & 17th, 2011 – Caroline
County Regional Fire School
th
INFORMATION BOX
Anyone interested in writing articles for the
newsletter, please contact Lt. Bailey Martin.
Future Issues of this Building Bridges Newsletter will include:

SEPTEMBER
April 16 & 17 , 2011 – Rockingham Regional Fire School
September 17 &18 , 2011 – Virginia State Weekend
April 16 & 17th, 2011 – Hanover
Fire ACLS Instructor Class
*Please see announcement for
specific class dates and times
as these may vary
th
Safety Is Our Business
 Black & Gold Spirit Day
 Fire Station 17 Project - Update
 Employee Spotlights