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Location:  Publications > Communiqués > Communiqué #2003-06

March 21, 2003

2003-06

BENEFITS OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE

(External Distribution)

Since the launch of the Performance Measurement and Benchmarking Project in February 2002, project activities have advanced at a fast rate, with significant input from municipal fire departments and Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) staff members at meetings, brainstorming sessions and interactive workshops.

One of the early findings of the project has been the existence of a wide diversity of performance management initiatives currently in use by the OFM and its fire services partners. Through a number of fire service initiatives involving municipalities, fire departments, and the OFM, several attempts have been made to independently develop frameworks and measures for improving their management and reporting tools. Some of the benefits of the Performance Measurement & Benchmarking Project will be greater coordination, consistency, common language, and shared-purpose for these efforts.

From the work carried out to date, the OFM and fire service team members firmly believe that the united effort of stakeholders has created a solid platform for the introduction of an effective and sustainable fire services performance management system (see figure 1).

This framework, developed and validated by project participants, was:

• designed in a coordinated manner to benefit all fire services in Ontario;
• designed to provide a consistent framework for measuring progress towards the goals of Ontario’s fire services; and
• designed and built by municipalities and fire departments, for municipalities and fire departments.

In addition, the framework is:

• flexible enough to be relevant to all fire service providers because it supports broad 'outcomes' i.e. reduction in fire losses, rather than dictating how municipalities should achieve that outcome.
• implemented as a departmental management tool for improved and transparent decision making, rather than as a reporting mechanism which could be perceived as 'mandated from above';
• focused on continuous improvement benefits that result from performance management.

The Performance Measurement and Benchmarking Project began with a mobilization phase (planning, recruiting and training).
 

Figure 2

The project continued with a diagnosis phase where considerable effort was directed at establishing a common vision that can be translated into strategic goals and quantifiable outcomes that are applicable to all communities in the province:

The design phase involves matching outcomes with potential performance measures, and identifying the best methods for interpreting results. Further information on the outcomes of the design phase will be provided in an upcoming project update.

Further information on the Performance Measurement and Benchmarking Project, including a list of participants and the project charter, can be found at Benchmarking. Communiqué 2003-04, issued on January 29, 2003, also provides additional information on the project.

The attached ‘Project Update’ sheet contains comments from project participants as well as questions and answers.
 

Attachment/