Innovations

[Tone7]

Over the past few years I have come up with some pretty good ideas, but only to have them shot down either further up the ladder or right then and there.

I would like the CFS to set up an innovations Team

This team ideally would consist of 2 paid staff and 4 volunteers.  The role of this team would be to research the idea/s, costing, feasibility, and report directly to the CEO.
 
How I envisage the program to be set up is, that a standard form is brought out asking information about the idea etc… this form goes directly to the committee to discuss and research the idea further.  If the idea isn’t feasible or doesn’t meet a certain criteria then a letter is sent back to the individual.

The whole process would have a time frame to adhere to.

This would allow all people who have an idea a way of having them fairly heard.  Therefore giving the people a voice that perhaps otherwise would be ignored.

[bittenyakka]

This would be very good if it is able to make individual brigades get their ideas into the field. But of course where is the money  going to come from?

[bajdas]

Make it a SAFECOM committee and both SES/CFS/MFS can utilise the ideas. The small cost of the committee would be distributed.

Some ideas will be specific to a fire service, some not.

How would the committee evaluate an idea ?? The committee would not have the expertise to evaluate every idea properly. Would you farm the idea out to another project group to evaluate, or what would you do ??

[Tone7]

Money, trust me... some times some ideas can actually change the way something is done and save heaps of money...

But as for a project... if the idea is good enough im sure the money would be around...

This forum is set up so your ideas get heard... NOT squashed at local levels.  Hell i have been trying to get a innovations team going for ages and everyone that i have spoken to and im sure everyone in this form will agree its a good idea but still the program isnt in place... Also this idea has been squashed at local level.

Go figures... so to get my other ideas off the ground.. im trying to get this to happen.... there is always a method to my madness.

As for SES or MFS... feel free to make your own committee... no offense im sticking to the KISS principal for this idea....

Evaluate that would be up to the committee to decide..

[bittenyakka]

So essentialy it is jumping the chain of command.

But it is probarly a good idea as there are various sugestions that I have made in my brigade that ae supported by the yonger membars of the brigade but shot down by the older members for no real reason other than it is diffrent from the way it has been done in the past. it also means that more peope hear of the idea faster and thoughts aern't contained to the brigade.

[Pipster]

I wouldn't see a properly set up innovation committee as ignoring the chain of command......but a proper channel for ideas to go...

Chain of command is something that really peeves me......people seem to use it as an excuse not to pass relevant info along, of to stop others from actually doing something.

Chain of command, in my opinion, is about who answers to who, within an operational environment.

Outside of the Operations, there is an appropriate procedure to follow, as to who to speak to about what...but it doesn't necessarily follow that you must speak to your Captain, who must speak to the Group officer, who must speak to the Regional Officer etc.....

This is not to say you ignore everyone, and go straight to the chief for any issue that you see, BUT if you set up an appropriate committee, you can make it clear that individuals can present info direct to the committee, without stepping on the toes of the so called "chain of command"

Pip

[Tone7]

Exactly what i was talking about bittenyakka   

Couldnt put it better myself pip you hit the nail on the head... 

[2090]

Why shut out the MFS? We are both FIRE services...

But they are different because they get paid 

[Tone7]

Reason why i dont want other agencies or SAFECOM involved is because if you have too many different inputs into the committee you may as well not set up the committee because ideas will get shot down again.  90% of the time ideas are shot down because they either dont like change, they are too old to understand, or dont like technology.  No offense.

We need people on the committee that are willing for change, willing to investergate ideas.  Think we need one volunteer rep from each region and maybe 2 paid staff. Meet every 6 weeks or 3 mths. whats your ideas on how the committee should be set up?


Other services need to form their own committee i think for there own needs.

[bittenyakka]

I wouldn't see a properly set up innovation committee as ignoring the chain of command......but a proper channel for ideas to go...

Chain of command is something that really peeves me......people seem to use it as an excuse not to pass relevant info along, of to stop others from actually doing something.

Chain of command, in my opinion, is about who answers to who, within an operational environment.

Outside of the Operations, there is an appropriate procedure to follow, as to who to speak to about what...but it doesn't necessarily follow that you must speak to your Captain, who must speak to the Group officer, who must speak to the Regional Officer etc.....

This is not to say you ignore everyone, and go straight to the chief for any issue that you see, BUT if you set up an appropriate committee, you can make it clear that individuals can present info direct to the committee, without stepping on the toes of the so called "chain of command"

Pip

I agree to that. I think i put my words badly

[Camo]

I think a committee should be setup to investigate the idea of the committee and then a sub committee can be setup to investigate the findings of that committee.

[bittenyakka]

I think really we just need a group of people to develop the saftey, tranning, stowage, financial stuff and anything else that a new idea needs to be put through before it can go onto the fire ground.

[Tone7]

ya making it too hard..  sub committee..??  this innovations idea will end up breaking the budget before it gets started.....   just keep in mind ppl's travel its not just an sadelaide thing.

[Scania_1]

I think Camo is being sarcastic.

[Tone7]

well cmon guys we are the only ones that can make this happen... we need some way of making change.  Us volunteers run the show not SHQ...  I think people keep on forgetting its us that make this what it is.... not anyone else..

If we all speak loud enough someone will hear us...Only takes one person to start a revolution

[bittenyakka]

How do we start this? who do we talk to? how can we prove it warrents two paid staff?

[Camo]

I think Camo is being sarcastic.

So im not the only one here who can see that?

[5271rescue]

well,we cant to mfs.we cant ask safecom for money to set up the committee so may be tone 7 is going to pay for it or better still he is going to backing from a private fire protection company??

[Ryan]

or maybe we could ask CFS to set up the innovations commitee.

[SA Firey]

As brigades already have a management committee who budget for items wanted by the brigade, and most brigades have a monthly meeting it doesnt take long for an idea to get through to those who are at the top.

We have VFBA reps who are supposed to take ideas and issues to the VFBA, to get fed up the chain, so why not use the resources already in place instead of subjecting members to drive huge distances for another committee.

Look at how long it took to get intercoms on appliances all those years ago...but we got there in the end