Fire officer 2 Exam Questions & Answers Graded A

Define Manager - Answer the act of influencing, controlling, monitoring, or directing a project, situation or organization through authority, discipline or persuasion. To be an effective manager, a company officer must - Answer •Understand development of management theories •Know the various management functions that managers perform •Recognize the skills necessary to manage •Understand the management of change within the organization Resources available to the Company officer - Answer Human resources Finacial resources Physical resources Information resources Time Resources 4 Functions of management - Answer Planning Organizing Leading Controlling OPlanning function of management - Answer setting goals and objectives determining the direction of the organization or unit to achieve results. Organizing funtion of management - Answer Coordinating tasks and resources to accomplish goals and objectives. Leading function of management - Answer Influencing, inspiring and motivating employees to achieve goals and objectives. Controlling function of management - Answer Establishing and implementing the mechanisms to ensure that objectives are attained What are Management skills - Answer •Technical skills - computer skills •Human and communication skills •Conceptual and decision making skills - ability to understand ideas and solve problems Define Motivation - Answer the company officer is responsible for inspiring and motivating the members of the unit and instil energy into the group What are motivational methods - Answer Training Career Planning Pride in accomplishment Respect the humanity of the employee Mutual trust Assign Authority with responsibility Remain committed to high level of quality in service and products Focus on safety and well-being of employee Actions that destroy motivation - Answer •Micromanage •Be vague with employees' role •Permit employees to compete in an unfriendly manner •Permit employees to criticize each other Managing change in the organization - Answer Support must come from top down in order to have change be successful Change in the organization can come from two sources: - Answer •From within the organization oOrganizational restructure oRealignment of duties oNew SOG's •From outside the organization oCommunity service demands oPolitical decisions oFinancial decisions The prospect of change can cause people to go through the following 4 process stages - Answer Denial Resistance Exploration Commitment Define Denial to change - Answer People refuse to believe that they will be affected by the change Define Resistance to change - Answer when threat of change becomes real, they resist it, resulting in anger and dissatisfaction Define Exploration to change - Answer start to gain a better understanding of the potential change through training Define Commitment to change - Answer increased understanding leads to increased commitment Types of change - Answer Strategic Structure Technology People Define Strategic change - Answer change in short term or long term goals Define Strutural change - Answer change in the organizational design Define Technology change - Answer change in equipment Define people change - Answer change in the skills, performance, attitudes, behaviors, culture of the workforce Why is there resistance to change - Answer Uncertainty Loss of control or power Fear of loss Self-interest Learning anxiety Lack of trust lack of shared vision Change can be overcome by following 7 steps - Answer Create a climate for chnage Plan for change Communicate the advantages and effects of change Meet the needs for both employee and organization Involve employyes in the change process Porvide support for employees during the change Seek input and support of the opinion leaders in the organization What is a change agent - Answer a person who leads a change project or initiative by defining researching planning, building support and carefully selecting members of a change team. The change agent must possess three qualities: attitude, knowledge and skill Reason change fails: - Answer 1.The change is too complex 2.The change process lacks universal support 3.Lack of clear vision and not understanding the importance of having one 4.The failure to communicate the vision of the organization 5.Allow barriers to be in placed in the way of the vision and change process 6.Not planning for and recognizing the short term results 7.Declaring completion of the change process prematurely 8.Failure to make the change a permanent part of the organization's culture What do you do to minimize the effects of change failure - Answer 1.Simplify the change process by dividing it up into smaller chunks 2.Gain support from key actors 3.Define the desired results and state them clearly 4.Communicate the vision to all members of the organization 5.Develop arguments against the change and prepare strategies to answer these arguments 6.Include objective or milestones for the planning process 7.Ensure all objectives have been met and final goal is complete before the declaration of victory. 8.Implement the change and monitor that it becomes permanent Levels of Governement - Answer 1.Federal 2.Provincial 3.Municipal Types of Municipal Government - Answer Council-Mayor government Council-Management government Commission government Describe Council-Mayor government - Answer Mayor and council are elected officials Mayor is a full time job Separation of powers between the mayor and council Mayor has executive powers while council has legislative powers Descibe Council-Manager government - Answer Council and Mayor elected the general administration, makes policy, sets budget City administrator hired - runs day to day operations of city Describe a Commission government - Answer Similar to council system and may or may not have a mayor Voters elect individual commissioners to a small governing board Each commissioner is responsible for one specific area of service Effects of local government on fire department - Answer •Allocates funds •Approves purchases •Approves staffing levels •Implements ordinance •Approves interagency agreements •Oversees the operation of other internal agencies Who is Canada's Head of Executive Board - Answer Prime Minister Who is Canada's head of State - Answer Governor General FO2 officer may be assigned the following tasks or duties - Answer •Acting as the organizations representative in planning the agreement •Creating training scenarios •Implementing the process within the organization •Monitoring the results or evaluating the effectiveness of the agreement What are Local aid agreements - Answer Internal aid agreements External aid agreements Internal aid agreements - Answer agreements with departments within FD's boundaries, authority to request aid rests with the IC oStreet department oPolice department oEngineering External aid agreements - Answer 1.Automatic aid - a formal written agreement between jurisdiction that share boundaries i.Closest unit dispatched regardless of location ii.Any fire or emergency involving a given number of alarms iii.When jurisdictions share a unique resource - high angle a.Determine proper radio frequency b.Determine location of command post c.Report to the IC d.Adhere to accountability system 2.Mutual aid - reciprocal agreement 3.Outside aid - same as mutual aid but requires payment for services Automatic aid - Answer 1. a formal written agreement between jurisdiction that share boundaries i.Closest unit dispatched regardless of location ii.Any fire or emergency involving a given number of alarms iii.When jurisdictions share a unique resource - high angle Mutual aid - Answer Reciprocal agreement Outside aid - Answer same as mutual aid but requires payment for services Interagency and Intergovernmental relations - Answer Agreements between other fire departments and other agencies - rcmp etc