Santa Maria Fire Department to present first-ever strategic plan at tonight’s city council meeting

SANTA MARIA, Calif. -- The Santa Maria City Council is set to receive a presentation from Fire Chief Todd Tuggle tonight on a new multi-year Strategic Plan for the Fire Department.

According to Tuggle, the plan consists of five strategic initiatives that include enhancing the organization's ability to meet its mission, build community risk reduction capabilities, refine training program, professional development, and succession planning.

The 32-page plan was developed through a collaborative effort by a team of participants within the fire department, including Tuggle.

During the creation of the plan, participants identified several strengths and weaknesses within the department. It also pointed out the vision and mission of the fire department, as well as threats and opportunities within it.

After determining those key points, the strategic planning team laid out five specific goals and set priorities for the accomplishment of those objectives.

It stated goals that carried higher priorities will be scheduled for completion first and lower priority objectives scheduled later.

In addition, specific timelines for the next several years were established to direct completion of the goals, as well as more general timelines.

The five goals identified in the Strategic Plan are:

• Goal 1 — Develop an effective organization responsive to the needs of its members and the community
  it serves.
• Goal 2 — Effectively manage the organization's financial and capital resources.
• Goal 3 — Deliver effective and efficient emergency services to the community.
• Goal 4 — Develop a safe community through proactive fire prevention, public safety education and risk mitigation.
• Goal 5 — Provide comprehensive training and professional development to ensure personnel are fully prepared to effectively perform their duties and responsibilities.

To view the Santa Maria Fire Department's Strategic Plan, click here.

The Santa Maria City Council will meet on Tuesday, Feb. 15 at 5:30 p.m. The meeting will be open to the public and also be conducted via Zoom and broadcast live on the City's website via its YouTube channel and on Comcast Cable Channel 23.