Standard of Excellence

Declaration of Ideals

Excellence

• We are committed to the delivery of high quality and timely emergency and non-emergency services.
• We place a high value on the quality of life and actively promote programs that enhance community health, and safety.
• We conduct ourselves professionally. We believe our performance and attitude are essential to earning our citizens confidence and trust.
• We believe that prudent management of the community’s resources demonstrates our respect for the citizens whose monies support this organization.
• We have respect for the community, the organization, each other, and those we serve.

Workforce

• We are united in our efforts to support, respect, and encourage individual talents and contributions.
• We are committed to building a workforce that is representative of the community we serve. We place a high value on equal employment opportunity and a work environment free from discrimination.
• We place a high value on individual responsibility and accountability. We recognize self-discipline as the cornerstone of organizational success.
• We are committed to education, training, and employee skill development. We encourage actions which keep employees motivated and competent.
• We are committed to maintaining as safe a working environment as possible given the hazardous nature of the duties we perform in service to our community.
• We value open communication and sharing of ideas. We encourage ideas that improve our member’s health, safety, and wellness.
• We are committed to a positive and productive labor/management process.

Elected Officials

• We recognize the importance of the process which elected the Board of Directors.
• We recognize the importance and the difficulty of the Board of Director’s job.
• We are committed to supporting the Board of Director’s efforts in reaching policy decisions that establish the District’s goals and direction.

Code of Conduct

The following list of directives represents the personal conduct standards for members of Superstition Fire & Medical District (SFMD).

Professionalism

Every member of the Superstition Fire & Medical District is expected to conduct him or herself in a highly self-disciplined manner and is responsible for his/her conduct in a positive, productive, and mature way.

ALL Members Shall:

• Follow all operational manuals and written directives of the SFMD.
• Use their training and capabilities to protect the public at all times, both on and off duty.
• Treat with respect the public and District employees regardless of race, sex, religion, color, national origin, age, marital status, or disability.
• Work competently in their positions to cause all organizational programs to operate effectively.
• Always conduct themselves to reflect positively on the organization.
• Supervisors will manage employees in an effective, considerate manner; subordinates will follow instructions in a positive, cooperative manner.
• Obey the law.
• Communicate with one another as to activities, suggestions, problems, and status of their respective units, companies, station facilities, and shift.
• Always act in a manner that creates good order within the organization.
• Keep mentally and physically fit to perform the essential functions of your positions.
• Be concerned and protective of each member’s welfare.
• Observe the work hours of their position.
• Operate safely and use good judgment.
• Be careful with district equipment and property.

ALL Members Shall Not:

• Engage in any activity that is detrimental to the organization.
• Engage in a conflict of interest with the district or use their position with the organization for personal gain or influence.
• Fight.
• Remove, damage, or tamper with another member’s personal property or the property of the Superstition Fire & Medical District.
• Abuse their sick leave.
• Steal.
• Display potentially offensive or sexually suggestive materials at all district facilities.
• Use alcoholic beverages, debilitating drugs, or any substance that could impair their physical or mental capacities while on duty.
• Engage in any sexual activity while on duty.
• Use personal cell phones, photo/electronic communication devices, music devices, while driving fire apparatus, responding to or at emergency incidents, or at public events/appearances.

16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives

Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives by the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation. For more information, visit their website.

1. Define and advocate the need for a cultural change within the fire service relating to safety; incorporating leadership, management, supervision, accountability and personal responsibility.
2. Enhance the personal and organizational accountability for health and safety throughout the fire service.
3. Focus greater attention on the integration of risk management with incident management at all levels, including strategic, tactical, and planning responsibilities.
4. All firefighters must be empowered to stop unsafe practices.
5. Develop and implement national standards for training, qualifications, and certification (including regular recertification) that are equally applicable to all firefighters based on the duties they are expected to perform.
6. Develop and implement national medical and physical fitness standards that are equally applicable to all firefighters, based on the duties they are expected to perform.
7. Create a national research agenda and data collection system that relates to the initiatives.
8. Utilize available technology wherever it can produce higher levels of health and safety.
9. Thoroughly investigate all firefighter fatalities, injuries, and near misses.
10. Grant programs should support the implementation of safe practices and/or mandate safe practices as an eligibility requirement.
11. National standards for emergency response policies and procedures should be developed and championed.
12. National protocols for response to violent incidents should be developed and championed.
13. Firefighters and their families must have access to counseling and psychological support.
14. Public education must receive more resources and be championed as a critical fire and life safety program.
15. Advocacy must be strengthened for the enforcement of codes and the installation of home fire sprinklers.
16. Safety must be a primary consideration in the design of apparatus and equipment.

Risk Management Plan