Public Safety Workforce Blogs

The Cost of Poor Scheduling in Public Safety

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Apr 24, 2023 6:14:37 PM

As law enforcement and fire departments across the nation struggle with staffing shortages, scheduling becomes an increasingly complex task. Departments must carefully balance serving the needs of their communities, protecting officers and firefighters safety, and operating within budgetary constraints. Failure to do this well can not only undermine safety but also create unnecessary costs for departments. In this article, we’ll look at some of the impacts that poor scheduling practices can have on police and fire departments and discuss strategies to improve scheduling outcomes.

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What Leaders Can Do About Occupational Stress in Policing

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Nov 28, 2022 12:00:45 PM

 

Life as a police officer is incredibly stressful. Not only do officers have to deal with dangerous and stressful situations, but they’re also often excluded from their communities. The continued popularity of social media and the stereotyping it often fuels has only increased the impact of forced isolation on police officers. Pair these stressors with the hundreds of others that can impact your officers in their work, and you have a recipe for police burnout.

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Leadership Essentials for a Resilient Public Safety Workforce

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Jun 1, 2021 10:35:52 AM

First-line supervisors in public safety understand how critical it is to build strong relationships with their teams. Public safety employees rely heavily on each other and their supervisors to ensure they make it home safely at the end of their shift.

Whether you work for a fire department, law enforcement, or EMS, relationships are built on trust and strong leadership. With an operational workforce management system in place, more time can be spent fostering these relationships while optimizing employee productivity. Less time can be spent on staffing, budgets, recruiting, human resources management, and operational analytics.

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6 Steps Fire/EMS Can Take with Fewer Volunteers During COVID-19

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Sep 24, 2020 10:55:11 AM

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous impact on first responders. Not only has it created a new normal that’s changed the way fire and EMS agencies operate, but it’s also left agencies short on volunteers as people take time off to quarantine or recover from illness. Many past volunteers are now unavailable: some are caring for sick family members; some are minimizing exposure to protect their health or that of loved ones who are at higher risk; and some have full-time jobs that currently prohibit them from doing volunteer work in order to minimize the exposure of other staff members. In the face of the volunteer shortage, what can agencies do to ensure they continue meeting public safety needs? 

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Evolving Technology for Public Safety’s Unprecedented Scheduling Needs

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Sep 2, 2020 6:14:40 PM

In a year of on-the-job dangers posed by a viral pandemic and civil unrest, public safety agencies nationwide are going through massive change. With officers, firefighters and EMS personnel working in extremely volatile situations, many agencies have the added stress of staffing shortages. Some vacancies are caused by the fatigue of managing civil acts of violence. Others are due to employees testing positive for or being exposed to COVID-19.

The inability to back fill vacancies with qualified personnel and equipment is not an option. Scheduling and managing a workforce with these concerns in mind is tough using Excel spreadsheets. Many agencies have adjusted their practices and are relying on technology to effectively manage the safety of their personnel.

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Preparing Fire & Rescue for the Workforce Challenges Ahead

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Aug 14, 2020 12:37:51 PM

 

When emergency situations strike, the world relies on first responders to help. But what happens when the Fire and Rescue workforce is adapting to the unknown? Global issues like the COVID-19 pandemic have shone a light on workforce challenges that won't be going away anytime soon.  It's crucial to understand what to look for and how to plan for the road ahead. 

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How to Protect Jail and Prison Populations from COVID-19

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Jul 18, 2020 1:15:00 PM

As organizations nationwide adapt to life during the COVID-19 pandemic, public safety agencies are among those facing additional challenges. This includes jails and prisons, which must implement protocols to keep inmates safe from the life threatening virus. Reducing the spread may be difficult, but there are several ways to prepare and prevent against the illness for the incarcerated and workforce staff within these facilities. 

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It’s Time to Rethink How Your Agency Operates

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Jun 18, 2020 7:08:59 PM

 

There may never have been a more challenging time to be working in public safety than right now.  Since the outbreak of COVID-19 many first responders have been working excessively long hours, often for several weeks in a row to keep our communities safe.  These past few weeks have been incredibly tough for law enforcement with civil unrest and calls for reform, de-funding and even dismantling of police agencies. With overtime already spiraling out of control and the long term impact of the economic slowdown, many agencies are looking back in order to chart a course forward.

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