Essay Sample on Department of New York Policy

The firefighter services are one of the most crucial elements of any state. They are relevant since they help a city or a community to organise itself during a crisis. However, for the services to be effective, firefighters and their respective department must be well facilitated to ensure that there is an improvement in the number of victims who survive. Most fire units report underfunding as one of their most critical issues and thus a breakdown in their efficiency. It also affects their ability to recruit more experienced and new people into the workforce. The budget limitations in the Fire Department of New York are as a result of political influences which determine the number of allocations that will be set aside for them. This challenge tends to have a trickle-down effect which influences volunteer retention and consequent recruitment. The problem of budgetary allocation is within the federal and local government jurisdictions. Therefore, the policy that should be introduced ought to focus on increased provisions for the department to ensure that its services are in line with public expectations.

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Some of the components of the budgetary allocation include the salaries and remuneration for the workers, equipment purchases and maintenance and civic education for the communities being served. However, other subcomponents such as ambulance and inspection fees help the department in collecting revenue to ensure that it meets the demands of the unit that may not be allocated for in the budgetary provisions ("Budget challenges facing fire chiefs of combination departments," 2018). Some of the exceptions in this policy include the need to cap the expenses while increasing the revenue options. This will ensure that the department reconciles its resources with Essentially, the policy on increased budgetary allocations is meant to provide improved service within the department in an era where there is an increase in public scrutiny.

The reason for choosing this policy is because the firefighting department experiences challenge that most civilians fail to understand due to the lack of proper communication channels. However, the unit is one of the most appreciated groups in various communities, and it creates an easy avenue for volunteering. For municipal services to be effective in their cities and states, they have to have approval from the community they serve. This policy is critical in diversifying the operations of the entity through the recruitment and retention of some volunteers and other workers who may feel that they are being underpaid. The policy will also help in disintegrating the recruitment pattern, which has created a shortage of minorities in the unit.

Additionally, the plan has is guided by the need to ensure that there is the employment of more Blacks in the department with equal pay. It will help in reducing the discrimination cases associated with the Fire Department officials (Feuer, 2011). Therefore, the policy should be adopted since it allows the department to improve its efficiency, and it also creates a platform for community involvement through the diversification of recruitment.

The actual question that is driving this study is, "Does underfunding affect the delivery of services in the Fire Department of New York?" Addressing this concern would benefit the government and department officials. This is because they would make an effort to increase funding to ensure that they solve the problems associated with the provision of quality services. Additionally, it would be a chance for the people of New York to understand how the department works, and they would want to be involved with the same. Having a good working relationship with the government will ensure that the community elevates its trust with the institution. Therefore, the policy will benefit the city government, and it will allow the administration to work better with the community and the volunteers.

This policy will create a significant change in the administration, and it will ensure that they are more effective. As noted earlier, resource allocation is one of the determinants of performance in the fire department. An increase in funding is directly related to efficiency since it will enable the unit to coordinate its activities with minimal financial constraints (Hopkins & Simms, 2017). Since volunteer retention is among the significant challenges in the department, increasing funds can help in rewarding the volunteers. This will increase their motivation to serve the department as well as their community. Hypothetically speaking, I would implement this idea in the capacity of a financial advisor or an urban economic planner. This will allow me to survey the needs of the department and weigh them against those of the community. Additionally, it will help in ensuring that the resources provided by the federal government are adequate. If not sufficient, an urban planner can analyse ways in which the department can supplement its sources of revenue. Some of how a public institution can do this are by investing in a property that generates regular income through rent or interest.

Some of the instruments that can be used to gather information include surveys and interviews. Surveys can be conducted within the community to get feedback about the nature of services that they are receiving. It will help in understanding and identifying the gaps within the department, and it will enable effective planning and resource allocation. Surveys will also be a vital source of data when collecting information from the employees. They will help in pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of the unit and in the administrative and financial policies. Interviews, on the other hand, will allow a financial advisor or an urban economic planner to understand the plight of the top management and the requirements of the entity. Synchronising this information with the reality on the ground helps in putting in place economic policies that allow the proper implementation of ideas.

Newspaper articles and peer-reviewed articles will be essential in this research. These sources are integral since they record the progress of the department since its inception and some of the challenges that have been facing the unit. Officials that are vital for the success of this policy include the human resource manager, the head of quality assurance and the chief financial officer of the entity. Additionally, representatives from the worker's union and the community liaison officer will also assist in the development and actualization of the policy project (Hopkins & Simms, 2017). It will also be a platform to ensure that there are community involvement and integration from the entity. This policy can be improved by creating a law within the department that allows for a kitty outside the contingency funds to be utilised for the arising needs of the organisation. It will also improve the response of the unit its unique needs that may arise. Therefore, it is the application of the policy that needs improvement. Also, the language should be streamlined to ensure that the department does not serve as a conduit for additional funds with no vital services being offered.

References

Budget challenges facing fire chiefs of combination departments. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.firerescue1.com/fire-products/Administration-Billing/articles/375066018-Budget-challenges-facing-fire-chiefs-of-combination-departments/

Feuer, A. (2011). A Fire Department Under Pressure to Diversify. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/28/nyregion/a-fire-department-under-pressure-to-diversify.html

Hopkins, B. & Simms, M. (2017). Bargaining and Social Dialogue in the Public Sector (BARSOP).