New York is recognized as one of the largest cities in the globe. The city attracts thousands of visitors every year and is home to millions. Despite the iconic status of the city, there are some challenges that it faces. Fire hazards are among the troubles that the city grapples with. In an effort to ensure that the residents of the city are insulated from fires, the city has established the Fire Department of New York City (FNDY). In addition to responding to fires, this agency is also charged with the mandate of rescuing victims of various emergencies (“Mission & Values”, n.d). The FDNY is the subject of this paper. The paper examines the agency’s internal and external environment with particular focus given to its mission and the role that external forces play in shaping its mandate.
Origin and history
The FDNY has a long and interesting history. 1648 marks the beginning of the department. However, it would not be until 1865 that the department began to take proper form (“History”, n.d). At the time of its establishment, the department was referred to as Metropolitan Fire Department. Since the technologies in use at the time were not advanced, the department relied on basic tools and equipment to execute its mandate. For instance, instead of the trucks that are in use today, the department employed ladder trucks that were drawn by horses. In 1870, the department acquired a new name: FDNY (“History”, n.d). In addition to the new name, other reforms were carried out. For example, the leadership structure was changed and the tools that the department used were renamed. In 1898, the mandate of the FDNY was expanded to include all the boroughs in the city(“History”, n.d). Over the years, the FDNY has continued to evolve to keep up with the changes in the challenges that the department is required to respond to. Today, the FDNY continues to deliver emergency services to the residents of New York.
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Mission statement
The mission statement of the FDNY reads as follows:
“ As first responders to fires, public safety and medical emergencies, disasters and terrorist acts, FDNY protects the lives and property of New York City residents and visitors. The Department advances public safety through its fire prevention, investigation and education programs. The timely delivery of these services enables the FDNY to make significant contributions to the safety of New York City and homeland security efforts” (“Mission & Values”, n.d).
No mention is made of the parties responsible for developing this mission statement. However, since the FDNY is part of the wider New York City government, it can be argued that the city’s leaders were responsible for drafting the statement. These leaders must have sought to ensure that the residents of New York remained safe from all hazards. The mission statement is rather long but still manages to be effective. It is made effective by the fact that it identifies the key objectives that the FDNY seeks to achieve. For example, the department is committed to responding to emergencies and disasters and preventing fires. One would expect that the staff, board members and volunteers of the FDNY would fully support and subscribe to the mission of the FDNY. This is because the mission captures the essence of effective and comprehensive disaster response. While fire fighting is the main focus of the department, it is also dedicated to preventing fires and responding to emergencies. The mandate of the FDNY can only be executed when all the stakeholders offer their full support. This is why one would expect the stakeholders to support the mission.
The mission statement offers insights into the needs in the New York City community that the FDNY set out to address. Emergencies and disasters are the primary causes of these needs. The FDNY’s primary mandate is to respond to these emergencies and ensure that the residents of New York City are shielded from the dangers posed by disasters (“Mission & Values”, n.d). There is no indication that the mission of the FDNY has undergone any revisions. This suggests that the department is fully committed and focused on its mission. The mission statement presents meaning for me as regards my professional aspirations. I desire to participate in community empowerment initiatives. I think that the FDNY serves as an example that I can emulate as I build the skills and perspectives that I need to attend to the needs of communities.
Demographic features of customers
The FDNY serves over 8 million residents of New York. New York is cosmopolitan and this means that the clients that the department serves are drawn from a wide range of ethnic, racial, social and economic backgrounds. The white community constitutes the bulk of the clients that the department serves. This community accounts for over 3.6 million of the city’s residents (“DPO5: ACS Demographic”, 2015). The African American community and the Asian community are the other major racial groups that the department offers its services to. Hispanics and Native Americans also enjoy the services that the department provides. The composition of the population of New York City by age is also diverse. The residents of the city are as young as 0 years old and there are some who are over 85 years old. Gender is also an important feature that defines the demographic profile of the city. 52.3% of the city’s residents are female who number over 4.6 million (“DPO5: ACS Demographic”, 2015). The number of males in the city stands at over 4 million.
Demographic characteristics of employees
The FDNY employs over 15,000 individuals who perform a number of different functions. 91% of these employees are male while the proportion of the workforce that is white stood at a whopping 76% (“Workforce Report Profile”, 2013). There is a mismatch in the composition of the workforce and the residents of New York City. The department employs too many males most of whom are from the white community. There is clearly inequity in the distribution of opportunities in the department. There is need for the department to take action to resolve this issue.
Services delivered and measures of bottom line results
There are a number of services that the FDNY delivers. These include fire prevention and responding to emergencies and disasters (“Mission & Values”, n.d). In the many years that it has been in operation, the organization has responded to various situations. For example, the FDNY was among the agencies that responded to the 9/11 terrorist attack. In addition to responding to emergencies, the FDNY also offers medical services that are urgently required. There are a number of parameters that the FDNY relies on to assess its performance. These parameters include fatalities and average response times (“Annual Report”, 2012). The quality of customer service and the pace of recovery following a disaster are the other measures that the organization uses.
Additional organizational measures
The measures discussed above are the main ones that the FDNY relies on to evaluate its effectiveness and performance. In addition to these measures, the organization also employs other parameters. Its financial performance is among these. For every year since 2014, the FDNY has spent over $1.6 billion (Riester & Wright, 2016). For all these years, the amount of funds that the department received exceeded the expenditure. This is clear indication that the city is wise in its spending. The organizational structure of the FDNY is another measure for evaluating its performance. At the top of the organization is a fire commissioner who is responsible for managing all the operations of the organization. Below the fire commissioner, there are other officials who perform different functions. The organizational has adopted a top-down (vertical) hierarchy.
Organizational environment
Changing demographics of customer groups and evolving community issues
The demographic profile of the New York City population is changing. While the white community still dominates the city, minority groups are ballooning in size. It is likely that the minority groups will soon outnumber the white community. When this happens, the FDNY will need to adopt new approaches. Apart from the demographic shifts, the communities in New York City are also experiencing new issues. For instance, terrorism is one of the new challenges that New York City faces (Schram & Steinbuch, 2016). Since it is an economic and cultural hub, it is a prime target for terrorists. There is need for the FDNY to focus its efforts on preventing terrorist attacks and responding quickly when these attacks occur.
Cultural and social trends and Trends in the local economy / funding environment
As already mentioned, New York City welcomes thousands of visitors every year. These visitors bring new cultures and trends with them. As a result, the city is witnessing new cultural and social trends that will transform how the FDNY performs its functions. One of these trends concern economic growth and an influx of visitors. Such boroughs as Manhattan are witnessing an economic boom that is fuelled by technology (“Borough Trends & Insights”, n.d). As a result of the economic growth, New York City has seen an increase in the number of visitors. The FDNY needs to revise its strategy to reflect the trends that are reshaping the city. The higher number of visitors mean that New York City will become more congested and the FDNY will struggle in executing its mandate.
Since it delivers essential services, the FDNY enjoys priority as regards funding. The local economy appears to be performing well. The evidence for this lies in the increased funding that the organization received for the 2017 financial year. This amount that the FDNY received for this year was higher than the amounts received in previous years (Riester & Wright, 2016). Furthermore, the organization received funding to acquire new equipment and to set up new programs. For example, funding was set aside for EMS ambulance tours. The increased funding suggests that New York City recognizes the importance of the services that the FDNY delivers.
Politics, legislation and regulation
The political and legal environment in which the FDNY operates is undergoing changes that will affect how the organization executes its duties. In late 2016, the New York state legislature enacted a new law that will extend insurance coverage to firefighters who sustain injuries while working (“Mayor De Blasio”, 2016). This change is likely to motivate firefighters in the FDNY and attract more individuals to join the organization. The change also points to the fact that FDNY is dedicated to working with other bodies to safeguard the interests and welfare of its employees. The political environment in New York City is undoubtedly conducive.
Competition and strategic alliances
The FDNY does not face any competition per se. It is the only organization in the New York City area that has the capacity to deliver services to the millions of New York residents. Private entities such as hospitals which offer emergency medical services are the only form of competition that the organization faces. This competition is not fierce and it only means that there are other organizations that offer some of the services that FDNY delivers. FDNY has entered into strategic alliances with other entities. The New York Police Department (NYPD) is among the organizations that the FDNY has partnered with (“FDNY Strategic Plan”, 2011). This alliance is intended to strengthen the effort against terrorism.
New technologies, models and methods
Strategic alliances are not the only approach that FDNY is employing to tackle the challenges that New York City faces today. The organization has also embraced computerization and modern technology. For instance, it has established an electronic system for monitoring patients (“FDNY Strategic Plan”, 2015). The organization has also developed an electronic fireground accountability system and an electronic command board. These new technologies will allow the organization to continue to pursue its mission. In addition to embracing technology, the FDNY has also acquired new tools and equipment.
In conclusion, the FDNY is one of the most effective agencies in New York City and the wider United States. This organization continues to keep the residents of New York City safe. The efforts of the organization are in pursuit of its core mission of responding to fires and other disasters. Whereas the organization is effective, there are some issues that it needs to address. The racial and gender disparities are among these issues. The organization need to hire more women and individuals from minority communities.
References
Annual Report 2012/2013. (2012). Retrieved 13th April 2017 from http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/pdf/publications/annual_reports/2012_annual_report.pdf
Borough Trends & Insights. (n.d). Retrieved 13th April 2017 from https://www.nycedc.com/resource/borough-trends-insights
DP05: ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates. (2015). Retrieved 13th April 2017 from http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/planning/download/pdf/data-maps/nyc-population/acs/demo_2015acs1yr_nyc.pdf
FDNY Strategic Plan 2011-2013. (2011). Retrieved 13th April 2017 from https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/fdny/downloads/pdf/FDNY_strategic_plan_2011_2013.pdf
FDNY Strategic Plan 2015-2017. (2015). Retrieved 13th April 2017 from http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/pdf/ofc/FDNY_strategic_plan_2015_2017.pdf
History. (n.d). Retrieved 13th April 2017 from
https://www1.nyc.gov/site/fdny/about/overview/history/history.page
Mayor De Blasio, Fire Commissioner Nigro, UFA President Cassidy and UFOA President
Lemonda Praise New Law Restoring Three-Quarter Accident Disability Protections for Firefighters. (2016). Retrieved 13th April 2017 from
http://www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/727-16/mayor-de-blasio-fire-commissioner-nigro-ufa-president-cassidy-ufoa-president-lemonda-praise
Mission & Values. (n.d). Retrieved 13th April 2017 from https://www1.nyc.gov/site/fdny/about/overview/mission-and-values/mission.page
Riester, S., & Wright, E. (2016). Report on the Fiscal 2017 Preliminary Budget and the Fiscal
2016 Preliminary Mayor’s Management Report. Retrieved 13th April 2017 from http://council.nyc.gov/budget/wp-content/uploads/sites/54/2016/05/057-FDNY.pdf
Schram, J., & Steinbuch, Y. (2016). Feds Warn NYC Officials about Possible Al Qaeda Attack.
Retrieved 13th April 2017 from http://nypost.com/2016/11/04/fbi-warns-of-possible-pre-election-day-terror-attacks/
Workforce Report Profile. (2013). Retrieved 13th April 2017 from http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcas/downloads/pdf/misc/workforce_profile_report_12_30_2013.pdf
