This workshop presents lessons learned and best practices that are common among high-performing combination fire departments. Topics include developing local ordinances that establish authority for organizational consolidation, establishing a healthy relationship with all stakeholders, developing training standards for volunteer and paid members, policies and procedures for career and volunteer members, accountability and discipline, and aligning interests of organizational members. At the turn of the millennium, the Hanover Fire Department and the Hanover EMS Department were forcibly merged to form Hanover Fire & EMS. At the same time, the new organization was experiencing its first integration of “paid” first responders. The instructor shares the best practices and lessons learned as his department has evolved over the years into a trend-setting combination emergency services organization. In addition to that experience, the presenter has also worked with volunteer and combination departments all over the country and will relate his observations of which traits build successful combination departments and those traits and behaviors that deter organizations from achieving successful and healthy organizations.
