“Shaping Fire Safe Communities” – Phase II
Project Charter
Revised: May 2005
Development of “Shaping Fire Safe Communities” – Phase II
Introduction
The Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM), Ministry of Community Safety and
Correctional Services, is engaged in a “Shaping Fire Safe Communities”
initiative that is intended to introduce a systematic approach to assessing
and managing community fire risk, developing master fire plans, and ensuring
compliance with legislation.
In the first phase (2002), the OFM produced an interactive computer-based
training program on CD-ROM. The program was designed to raise awareness
amongst municipal fire departments about the principles and components of
risk assessment and risk management. At that time, the OFM also committed to
a second phase - developing and making available a tool to assist fire
departments to apply this model using a systematic approach. This project is
designed to deliver on the next deliverable towards fulfilling that
commitment.
This project will lay the foundations to transform paper-based, ad hoc risk
management and master fire planning processes to a systematic web-based
system, in order to standardize, optimize, and expedite risk management
strategies and the development and OFM review of master fire plans by
municipal fire departments. This is a key strategy for the OFM in exercising
its monitoring role under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act (FPPA) as
well as providing advice and assistance to municipalities. It will also link
an existing computer-based risk management training program (Phase I of this
two phase initiative).
This Project Charter describes the overall foundation, scope and approach
for the Shaping Fire Safe Communities (Phase II)
project. It includes an overview of project goals and objectives,
commitments, roles and responsibilities, and an overview of the
implementation strategy and key deliverables.
Context
The Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997 (FPPA) introduced a new
framework for the provision of fire protection in Ontario. This includes
specific roles for the province and municipalities. Within this framework,
municipalities are responsible for funding and delivering services and the
province is responsible for providing advice, guidance and support to
municipalities.
The vision of the FPPA is that every resident of Ontario will receive an
appropriate level of fire protection. The FPPA defined new duties, powers
and responsibilities for the Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM). Subsection
2(7) provides the Fire Marshal with the power to review and monitor
municipal fire protection service delivery systems to ensure that they meet
the newly mandated requirements of the FPPA. Municipalities also have new
responsibilities under the FPPA. Municipalities are required to deliver
public education programs and some components of fire prevention as well as
other fire protection services based on local needs and circumstances
The OFM's monitoring role is carried out in a manner that reflects the
continuing cooperative partnership with the municipal fire service, which
includes appropriate support and guidance to local municipalities and fire
departments. Municipal self-administration and self-determination, coupled
with the necessary provincial support, forms the basis of the Shaping
Fire-Safe Communities Program.
The Shaping Fire-Safe Communities Program is a key strategy for the OFM in
exercising its monitoring role under the FPPA as well as providing advice
and assistance to municipalities.
There is an extremely diverse range of local circumstances across Ontario
and there is an equally diverse range of local fire service delivery models.
This diversity means that there is the need to ensure a systematic approach
with relevance and applicability to the various stakeholders of fires
services delivery, based on local needs and circumstances.
Background:
This process is modeled after the public safety approach, Optimizing Public
Fire Safety, as illustrated below:
In Phase I, the OFM developed and distributed a CD-based training program to
municipal fire services. The CD-ROM is designed to raise awareness about
risk management principles, through a generic risk management model
approach.
In this second phase (Phase II) of the program, the user embarks on a
journey on the path to compliance, which applies the risk management model
to their community and fire department.
Purpose:
The purpose of the program can be described as follows:
- Systematic community fire risk management process to promote
optimization of fire protection services.
- Comprehensive mechanism and training program to enable users to
understand and apply risk management principles in making informed
decisions on the provision of fire protection services according to
local needs and circumstances.
- To collect, co-ordinate, and provide OFM and other relevant
resources in a cohesive manner in order to support municipalities in
taking a systematic approach in managing community fire risks.
- To assist Ontario municipal officials, fire chiefs, other fire
officials, and the OFM in understanding and fulfilling the requirements
of the FPPA.
Overall Goals:
- Optimal level of fire protection services
- Assists municipal fire services
- to develop a foundation for fire service continual improvement
- to optimize the delivery of present and future fire protection
services
- to monitor and evaluate effectiveness and efficiency of current
operation
- Informed decision-making
- Risks are managed to acceptable levels
- Consolidation of OFM programs, models, guidelines, resources and
tools
Key Project Guiding
Considerations:
- Consistency, linkage to Phase I (training CD)
- Addresses the problems experienced with existing Master Fire Plans,
planning processes
- Incorporates relevant input from a number of sources
- Leverages Optimizing Model and risk management framework from Phase
I
- The product is scalable and the process is flexible
- Following this process will lead to better compliance
- Links existing OFM programs and tools
- Identifying and planning for resolving gaps (e.g. Public Fire Safety
Guidelines, Comprehensive Fire Safety Effectiveness Model and submodels,
etc.)
- Enhancing value-added time on master fire planning processes
Project Approach & Deliverables:
The full project is planned as a two-stage development assignment. The first
stage of development will consist of developing the basic web site, in
consultation with the Project Team. The OFM is engaging the services of an
application architect (web developer/programmer) for this purpose.
Simultaneously with the web site development, the OFM is engaging the
services of a Data Analyst to work with the Project Team to identify and
build extended database structures for the second stage of development. The
Second stage of development will include building the Risk Assessment and
Gap Analysis engine, providing an interactive and iterative decision-making
environment for users.
Stage 1 - Preliminary Product (by March 31, 2005 for
piloting)
- Web-based environment
- Users can follow pathway and understand requirements for master fire
planning
- Users can complete a step-by-step readiness checklist
- Links to related applications (e.g. www.ofspmbs.ca) and view other
OFM tools, guidelines, model resources with explanations of when/how to
use
- Downloadable templates (limited set)
- Incorporates learning content from Phase I CD and links to CD as
Tutorial
Stage 2 – First Full Release Version Product (by Q4
2005-06)
- All features of (a) above, revised based on pilot testing and
feedback
- Users can build and manage Master Fire Plan on-line (document
management)
- Users can apply other models for problem-solving
- Database stores responses, enables broader query/analysis
- Downloadable templates, import capabilities, document management
- Built-in business logic organizes and manages responses,
re-introducing “posted” responses at appropriate steps in process for
decision-making and documentation
- Administrator features to make changes, maintain system
Consultation Approach:
The Project Team is employing a wide range of communications tools to
execute project deliverables, including:
- Weekly (or as scheduled) conference calls
- Electronic distribution of draft materials and prototypes
- Periodic on-site workshops to brainstorm challenging issues, build
consensus, and formulate strategies on technical issues.
Project Team:
- Project Manager – Carol-Lynn Chambers, OFM FFPS
- Program Specialist – Meredith Crawshaw, OFM Program Specialist
(contract)
- Technical Lead – Stan Otok, OFM DATS
- Content Advisors – OFM and stakeholders (Appendix A)
- Review question bank and provide input on business logic
- Provide input into final design/build/test
- Stage 1 Vendor (TBA – January 10, 2005)
- Business Analyst (1) – develop business logic and data modelling
- outsource expertise (engine for Stage 2)
- Application Architect – write code based on data model/business
logic - outsource expertise (product for Stage 1)
- Stage 2 Vendor (TBA – Summer 2005)
Appendix A – Project Participants
The development of this project requires the expertise and
input of many individuals for participation in a project team as illustrated
below. It is made of representatives from the OFM, municipalities and fire
departments in order to ensure a maximum degree of input, buy-in and
applicability based on the broad diversity of fire service stakeholders and
communities.
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Project Management
|
|
Project Champion |
Bernard Moyle
Fire Marshal
|
- Provide program
mandate
- Provide project
approval
- Provide strategic
direction
- Provide necessary
resources required for project completion
- Confirms project
scope, deliverables and timeframes
- Monitor project
process and progress results
- Communicate project
process and progress as required
- Develop project
charter
- Establish
stakeholder focus groups
|
|
Project Sponsor |
Tony Mintoff
Assistant Deputy Fire Marshal, OFM |
|
Project Manager |
Carol-Lynn Chambers
Operations Manager, FFPS, OFM |
|
Technical Lead |
Stan Otok, OFM Data,
Applications and Technical Support |
- Provide technical
guidance/consultation on all relevant aspects of the project.
- Assist with vendor
selection and oversight of technical deliverables.
- Oversee technical
specifications, quality assurance, and adherence to OFM technical
standards.
|
|
Project Management
|
|
Project Coordinator |
Meredith Crawshaw
Program Specialist, FFPS, OFM
|
- Establish, organize
and circulate draft content for stakeholder input
- Liaise with
stakeholders.
- Review stakeholder
input and feedback into project
- Revise program and
content as necessary
- Work with vendor to
translate user needs into software design, that reflects Content Working
Group input
- Establish and
facilitate conference calls and support mechanisms for internal staff
and stakeholders.
- Develop and
establish pilot testing based on diversified municipalities
- Facilitate the
implementation, evaluation and validation of the pilot projects
- Prepare and provide
regular updates on process and progress; project management tracking and
reporting.
|
|
Content Advisors |
See attached Project Team
list |
- Review developed
material
- Provide timely
input, direction with verbal and/or written (e-mail) comment/feedback in
the development of forms, templates, sample documents/templates, screen
designs, business logic, questions, scenarios and final design.
- Attend weekly
conference calls as required to evaluate and validate draft designs and
contents; receive project updates.
- Participate in pilot
project to evaluate, monitor and validate the process
- Validate designs and
content design to ensure their specific circumstances are met.
- Contribution to
collective team success
- Bring practical
experience to the team work
- Present project
findings to home locations and seek input, as required; recommend ad hoc
experts.
- Be prepared to
promote the implementation of project results in home location
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Ad Hoc Content Specialists |
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