Page 6 - In Command Volume 18 - Ohio Fire Chiefs Association

I Did it My Way! By Retired Chief Bernie Ingles, OFE
Author Bio
Bernie began his fire service career as a volunteer with the Hilliar Township-Centerburg Volunteer Fire Department in 1977. After completing his full-time training, he worked for the city of Lancaster from 1985-1989, and for the city
of Westerville from 1989-2014. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1997, Deputy Chief in 2000, and then Fire Chief in 2004, retiring after 37 years in 2014.
Retired Chief Ingles has an associate degree in Fire Science from Columbus State Community College and a bachelor’s degree in Public Safety Administration from Franklin University. He also is a graduate of the Ohio Fire Executive Program, Class 2.
The most recent publications com- and provide feedback on the individuals
mittee meeting found us sitting
around the table discussing this issue and its theme. We were throwing around ideas when the discussion turned to preparing for retirement and selecting someone to take over as Fire Chief.
One member thought he had a pretty good plan. He not only selected an individual for his position, but identified others to backfill positions once the promotion occurred, including hiring
a new firefighter. Unfortunately, the person selected to be Chief turned down the position. Another member chose
his Assistant Chief to succeed him, and spent time allowing him to get familiar with the budget, trustees and other management staff. Eventually, he was selected as the new Fire Chief. Both options worked themselves out, but when I explained how I chose to identify a successor, I was asked to write an article on my process; so, here goes.
My city charter states that the Fire Chief is appointed by the city manager. I felt an obligation to provide him with a group of individuals that he could choose from, instead of assuming some sort of natural progression in rank.
The fire division had a succession plan that passed on knowledge to interested individuals in the department to ensure continued success in the community.
After outlining a process, my first
step was to inform my city manager
and get his approval well in advance of my retirement date. This allowed me plenty of time to go through the process, update him on the progress of training,
participating.
A candidates’ list was completed by
identifying individuals who had taken it upon themselves to attend management and leadership training, whether through the OFCA, college coursework, or other training opportunities. Speaking with their class instructors also provided some insight into their interest and qualifica- tions. I then approached each individual to inquire about their level of interest and explained to them what the process involved. There was never any guarantee that this training would make them a chief officer, but it would provide them with some tools and insight into what they might need to know and expect moving into an administrative position.
We ended up with a group of 7-8 people, and each month we met for a couple of hours to discuss the aspects and expectations for the position of Fire Chief. This information could also be applied to other administrative positions, since that too was a possibility. I laid out topics for discussion in advance of each month’s meeting including: funding sources; payroll; purchasing; human resources; grievances; labor negotiations; municipal code; disciplinary action; various software programs; etcetera; etcetera; etcetera. Participants were given a brief overview of each topic at the start of each session. Discussion and questions ensued.
Some sessions were a little different in that I invited others to come and speak. Instead of solely explaining my perspec- tive, I invited other department heads
6 InCommand APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2017 • www.ohiofirechiefs.org