Members Graduate from FDNY Officers Management Institute

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Fifteen members graduated from the FDNY Officers Management Institute (FOMI) program on June 2, 2011.

"This program means a lot to the members and has a profound impact on this Department," Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano said during a ceremony at FDNY Headquarters.

He described the class as the FDNY's "future leaders," adding, "I know all of you will shape this Department for years to come."

Open to fire and EMS officers, FOMI offers a customized curriculum of leadership and management training, which includes presentations by experts from the corporate community, government and homeland security.

As part of their studies, the chiefs created projects that they believe will enhance the Department's policy and strategy. This year's projects included: Developing Criteria to Evaluate Grant Projects, High Reliability Organizations, Providing Emergency Response to Bariatric Patients, and Evaluation and Specifications for Bunker Gear.

"The skills you learn will permeate through the Department," said Chief of Department Edward Kilduff, who was part of the first FOMI program. "It's a total learning experience that will change the way you look at things."

FOMI is a six-month program offered through Columbia University's Picker Center for Executive Education. Since its inception, 150 officers have taken part in the program.

It is funded by the FDNY Foundation and is taught at Jack Welch Executive Training Center in Crotonville, NY.

"I am never disappointed by the members that come through this program," said Joann Baney, FOMI Faculty Director. "I feel a deep affection and admiration for all of you."

Each year the graduates present representatives from GE with a token of their appreciation. This year, Deputy Chief Jay Jonas donated the bunker coat he wore on Sept. 11, 2001. Chief Jonas, who was then a captain of Ladder 6, was caught in the collapse of the North Tower with five firefighters from his company and a woman they were trying to rescue, Josephine Harris.

"They've done a great job teaching us and mentoring us," Chief Jonas said. "The people graduating here today have an edge - knowledge in leadership, management and the inner workings of city government."

The projects included *:

Developing Criteria to Evaluate Grant Projects
By Captain Robert Amato, Assistant Chief Fire Marshal John D. Lynn, EMS Deputy Chief Steve Morelli and Battalion Chief John Nykiel
The Department is anticipating a dramatic cut in grant funding from the Department of Homeland Security over the next few years. This team researched the impact of such a reduction and developed enhancement information toward the performance of existing grant funded projects.

High Reliability Organizing
By Battalion Chief Keith Cartica, Battalion Chief Steven Fitzgerald, Supervising Fire Marshal William Law and EMS Deputy Chief Jonathan Pistilli
Many organizations that have to operate reliably or risk catastrophic results, such as aircraft carrier operations and nuclear power plants, are described as high reliability organizations (HRO). This team developed an understanding of HRO principles and how to apply them to the FDNY, considered the challenges of an organizational culture adjustment for the FDNY to embrace these principles and recommended ways the Department can move to become an HRO.

Providing Emergency Response for Bariatric Patients
By Battalion Chief James Boylan, Captain Michael Kendall and EMS Deputy Chief Andrew Werner
Since bariatric patients pose specific challenges to emergency responders and require specialized resources and responses, this team thought a coordinated response by Fire and EMS members is needed to ensure overall patient care and good customer service. They reviewed ways in which the Department can alter its protocol to improve services offered to this group of patients, which is growing in number.

Evaluation and Specifications for Bunker Gear
By Battalion Chief Peter Blum, Deputy Chief John Esposito, Captain Joseph Jardin and Deputy Chief Jay Jonas
This team interviewed doctors, members of the Department and personal protective experts to learn more about the design of the FDNY's bunker gear. Although they found the gear exceeds national requirements for safety, has an optimal balance of breathability and thermal protection, and members are satisfied with its design, they offered suggestions for a number of design improvements to make it more comfortable and user friendly.

* The four team projects were presented to the Fire Commissioner and Chief of Department in the morning before the graduation. In the past, projects such as these have been integrated into the FDNY's strategy, such as modified response.

Republished with permission of the New York City Fire Department. View original article here.



Author:Emily Rahimi - PIO - FDNY