The Everyone Goes Home® Advocates have been busy this fall supporting National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) programs. From volunteering at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend and 9/11 Memorial Stair Climbs, to working at trade shows and other events, the Advocates have spread the message about the Foundation’s efforts to 1,484 firefighters from 118 different fire departments.
During the first week in November, the Advocate Management Team – consisting of the Eastern and Western Advocate Managers, the Training and Education Coordinator, the Regional Advocates from all 10 FEMA regions and a Department of Defense representative – met in Austin, Texas to work on the strategic plan. The Pflugerville Fire Department began the four-day work session by providing the group a first-hand account of leadership lessons from three fires they experienced Labor Day weekend of 2011. The events of these days pushed their agency to their performance limits, and were instrumental in strategic planning changes within the organization.
The planning session was facilitated by Mr. Brad Brown and Mr. Rob Pease from the Invica Performance Improvement Group of Grand Rapids, Michigan. They provided a highly personal and interactive method of investigating the background, visualizing the current state and improving the processes. The final plan will guide and direct the Advocate activities for the next few years. The outcomes should make the Advocate program more engaged in the Fire Service and promote NFFF programs to more fire departments than ever before.
The work that was accomplished by everyone involved was spectacular; we are excited to have had the opportunity to work with the entire group.
