On last Tuesday, I visited Hong Kong Fire Services Department and the administrator told me lots of information about the operation of the department.Firstly, the duties of HK Fire Services Department were diversified – it’s not only responsible for fire-fighting of marine, military and air, but also for rescue operations and fire safety. The mission of HK Fire Services Department was to protect lift and property from fire or other accident, to give proper advice on fire protection measures, to educate the community, to promote the public awareness on fire safety. It’s the goal attainment of HK Fire Services Department in order to mobilize and manage the efforts to achieve the goals.
It triggered me of several concepts of organizational learning and I would like to share some of them. Paradigm Shift:
As the technology was developed at a tremendous pace gradually, HK Fire Services Department continuously improved its performance and efficiency. For the paradigm shift, it emphasized much on knowledge rather than products. For example, the staffs of HK Fire Services Department depended on facilities with high technologies to perform their tasks, like using the Automatic Vehicle Location System in order to ensure the position of the vehicles accurately. Also, the management skills and information of customers were essential to facilitate the staffs to manage and solve the problems effectively. Thus, knowledge was extremely vital as it could enhance the quality of service and advance the abilities of the staffs to achieve their tasks.
Moreover, for the leadership attention and organizational priorities, HK Fire Services Department focused on customer (citizens) more than worker. How to satisfy the needs of the customers? How to improve the customer service to give a better impression? These aspects were highly concerned. For example, when a citizen called the HK Fire Services Department for emergency help, the average arrival time of the emergency ambulance is five minutes that it should be as quick as possible. The HK Fire Services Department utilized the Third Generation Mobilizing System to accomplish its performance expeditiously. Hence the response time of the telephone from the citizen should be highly efficient and the attitude should be patient as well.
Moreover, for the leadership attention and organizational priorities, HK Fire Services Department focused on customer (citizens) more than worker. How to satisfy the needs of the customers? How to improve the customer service to give a better impression? These aspects were highly concerned. For example, when a citizen called the HK Fire Services Department for emergency help, the average arrival time of the emergency ambulance is five minutes that it should be as quick as possible. The HK Fire Services Department utilized the Third Generation Mobilizing System to accomplish its performance expeditiously. Hence the response time of the telephone from the citizen should be highly efficient and the attitude should be patient as well.
Learning at individual level:
Besides, the entire operations was processed in an operational level as the staffs followed a routine steps. For example, when a citizen called the department, the Third Generation Mobilizing System firstly identified the telephone and the address of the caller. Then the Mobile Data Terminal found the shortest route and distributed the suitable emergency ambulance to the address.
For conceptual level, it’s important for the staff to know-why of several steps. For example, when a staff was controlling the operation of a emergency ambulance, he/she should know why the signals were shown on the screen, like TRC meant traffic congestion, RES meant responding etc. In my opinion, the conceptual level was much important for a operator as the operator needed to have sufficient experience and skills so as to understand the reasons of various steps and operations.
Besides, the entire operations was processed in an operational level as the staffs followed a routine steps. For example, when a citizen called the department, the Third Generation Mobilizing System firstly identified the telephone and the address of the caller. Then the Mobile Data Terminal found the shortest route and distributed the suitable emergency ambulance to the address.
For conceptual level, it’s important for the staff to know-why of several steps. For example, when a staff was controlling the operation of a emergency ambulance, he/she should know why the signals were shown on the screen, like TRC meant traffic congestion, RES meant responding etc. In my opinion, the conceptual level was much important for a operator as the operator needed to have sufficient experience and skills so as to understand the reasons of various steps and operations.
Please feel free to browse the above video. It shows some pictures of several facilities of HK Fire Services Department.
