Performance Evaluation

Much of the fire services performance is evaluated on a variety of response time measures. How much time it takes to travel to the scene, how long it takes to put out a fire, or elapsed time to put out a fire are vital measures of success to fire departments. The accreditation opportunities that exist for fire departments offer benchmarking evaluation guidelines for departments and can help set performance evaluation standards for both the department and individual employees.

An emerging trend in fire services is the 360° method of performance evaluation. This method requires a individual performance evaluation to include evaluations from the supervisor, the employee, and a peer. This method aids employees in evaluating their own job performance, as well as their perceived strengths and weaknesses within the team setting. In programs like the fire department where teamwork is vital to successful service delivery, this method is proving to be a useful feedback mechanism for individuals.

The growing use of data within municipal services provides additional ways for fire departments to measure their performance. Departments should regularly record and evaluate the services provided by organizing data on the causes of emergencies and their response. This information should be used for changes in inspection patterns, code provisions and enforcement, as well as prevention strategies.

Customer service surveys have proved to be a useful tool for fire services to determine their deficiencies. Many departments require customer service trainings for employees, and they can be utilized to provide feedback for fire services personnel.