The LAFD held an Envision Our LAFD Summit mid April 2012. The PRNC was ably represented by Board Member Pat Pope. He presented information about the summit at the May 1, 2012 PRNC meeting and shared this update from LAFD Chief Cummings:

Last week's Envision Our LAFD Summit was the culmination of an inclusive data-gathering process during which 160 Department members and 60 external stakeholders shared their stories about what the Department looks like when we are at our best.  Department facilitators identified common themes across interviews, and then over 70 Department and non-Department Summit participants refined those themes and suggested actionable next steps. The Strategic Planning Leadership Team now is hard at work incorporating that feedback into the Department’s five-year strategic plan.

The common themes that emerged from the 220 participants in the pre-Summit interviews and focus groups suggested the outcome on which the Summit focused: Providing Unparalleled Public Service. Through one-on-one interviews and small group discussions, Summit attendees identified the LAFD’s core strengths and discussed how to leverage them in ways that will enable us to achieve the vision of being a premier, world-class all-risk safety services provider. Twenty-seven (27) strategic priorities were listed and then voted on to determine the most critical; seven major priorities emerged from the vote:

1.      Technology-enhanced operations; includes, but is not limited to, three aspects: GPS vehicle dispatch, GPS-driven response time, and on-line building inventory
2.      Expanded community outreach and involvement
3.      Overhaul the promotion process; includes update of the digital Department library
4.      Professional development; includes mentoring, support for formal education, and employee enhancement through technology/social networking
5.      Expanded public/private partnerships
6.      Comprehensive risk analysis of LAFD
7.      Leadership at all levels; includes flattening the organization and the decision- making process

Immediately after the Summit, the Strategic Planning Leadership Team met to refine those priorities.  By combining two of the above priorities (promotional process and professional development) and simplifying their names, we came up with six priorities that are the Strategic Pillars of the Department’s strategic plan:

1.       Technology
2.       Community
3.       Professional development (including the promotional process)
4.       Partnerships
5.       Risk management (to include a risk assessment)
6.       Leadership

Using information from the Summit as well as from the pre-Summit interviews and focus groups, the Leadership Team will identify goals and action plans for each Strategic Pillar. The strategic plan will be completed and presented to me by May 31, 2012.   Following approval by the Board of Fire Commissioners, the plan will be released to our members and the public.

Again, thank you for sharing your vision of the LAFD.   I invite you to follow our progress as we develop the Department’s strategic plan.

BRIAN L. CUMMINGS
Fire Chief