Airport Fire: a Change Initiative
DFW Airport Fire Driver Engineer’s Initiative
Jessie Gentry
Grand Canyon University: LDR 615
June 5, 2013
DFW Airport Fire Driver Engineer’s Initiative In the thirty-six year history of DFW Airport department of Public Safety (DPS) the organizations has grown into a professional public safety organization that rivals that of many moderately sized communities in the United States. Starting as a true DPS covering all three disciplines; Police, Fire, and EMS, and growing into an organization of dedicated Firefighters and Police officers covering their assigned duties in Fire Services and Police Services. Fire Services alone now maintains approximately 240 firefighters and officers operating out of six fire stations, and consists of four Divisions; Fire Operations, EMS Operations, Bureau of Fire Prevention and Planning, and Career Development and Training. To continue to grow effectively and sustain professional fire services including emergency fire response the organization must develop and institute a Driver Engineer’s Program. This change initiative would be considered an organizational culture shift essential to sustaining efficient and effective emergency fire response aligning with one of the Airport’s strategic plans for operational excellence. The existing Field Training Officer (FTO) Program can serve as model for this change as it is somewhat similar in nature and has worked effectively for years. The ADKAR model for change is used as it allows for teams to focus on a specific activity for specific results (Hargovind, 2007). Introducing a change initiative adding the rank of Driver Engineer will be no easy task. It is critical that all elements of the change model are carefully organized and communicated throughout the process to all stakeholders. Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement (ADKAR) aids in the creation of focus with a results-oriented approach toward the production of a successful end (Hargovind,
Jessie Gentry
Grand Canyon University: LDR 615
June 5, 2013
DFW Airport Fire Driver Engineer’s Initiative In the thirty-six year history of DFW Airport department of Public Safety (DPS) the organizations has grown into a professional public safety organization that rivals that of many moderately sized communities in the United States. Starting as a true DPS covering all three disciplines; Police, Fire, and EMS, and growing into an organization of dedicated Firefighters and Police officers covering their assigned duties in Fire Services and Police Services. Fire Services alone now maintains approximately 240 firefighters and officers operating out of six fire stations, and consists of four Divisions; Fire Operations, EMS Operations, Bureau of Fire Prevention and Planning, and Career Development and Training. To continue to grow effectively and sustain professional fire services including emergency fire response the organization must develop and institute a Driver Engineer’s Program. This change initiative would be considered an organizational culture shift essential to sustaining efficient and effective emergency fire response aligning with one of the Airport’s strategic plans for operational excellence. The existing Field Training Officer (FTO) Program can serve as model for this change as it is somewhat similar in nature and has worked effectively for years. The ADKAR model for change is used as it allows for teams to focus on a specific activity for specific results (Hargovind, 2007). Introducing a change initiative adding the rank of Driver Engineer will be no easy task. It is critical that all elements of the change model are carefully organized and communicated throughout the process to all stakeholders. Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement (ADKAR) aids in the creation of focus with a results-oriented approach toward the production of a successful end (Hargovind,
References: Egan, R. W. (2004). Change and resistance, Help for the practitioner of change, Retrieved from (http://bluehawk.monmouth.edu/glosoft/papers/Egan_HICSS-38_2005.pdf FAA, (2013). FAR 139 requirements; fire apparatus, Advisory Circular, Federal Aviation Administration. Grand Canyon, (2013). Lecture 5, Grand Canyon University. Hargovind, A. (2007). Organizational change models: a comparison, Retrieved from http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1016981 Kotter, J. P. (1996). Successful change and the force that drives it. The Canadian Manager, 21(3), 20-24. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/213657908?accountid=7374