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Strategies for Managing Fire Departments in the Digital Age Length of Seminar: 1 Day Course Overview: A firefighter takes a video with his cellphone from an emergency scene, forwards it to a buddy who is off-duty, and before the crew returns to quarters, the video has gone viral on the internet. Sound far-fetched? If you have been watching the headlines, you’ll notice that the world is changing… QUICKLY.
Fire departments are playing catch up with technology and new fads. This one day program will address the key strategies for dealing with the issues associated with these new technologies, including digital imagery, social media, computer/internet use, email, and electronic monitoring of the workplace. Computers, the Internet, and Employee Privacy - The emergence of computers in our lives, and the explosion of laptops, iPads, cellphones, video recorders, digital cameras and the internet have in many ways outpaced the ability of the courts, legislatures and fire departments to keep up with the technology. Privacy concerns compete with legitimate employer needs to control how computers are used in the workplace. This program will review what a fire department needs to do to effectively manage computers in the workplace. Electronic surveillance of employees – Modern technology combined with our fast paced lifestyles have created a number of privacy issues that were unthinkable back when our Constitution was adopted 1791. The right of privacy has always been considered one of our most fundamental rights, but modern technology has been testing the boundaries of privacy. GPS tracking devices, security cameras, miniature spy cams, dash cams, and hidden recording devices raise two sets of concerns: Can the fire department lawfully use them, and can the department lawfully restrict their use by employees? Photography and Digital Imagery – Fireground photography is both a passion and a side industry for many in the fire service. Advances in digital camera technology have made it possible for us to bring durable, reliable and inexpensive cameras to emergency scenes offering exceptional incident documentation and training materials. The problem is photo taking and dissemination can breach privacy and confidentiality laws, and has cost firefighters and fire chiefs their jobs. Learn what your department needs to do to properly manage photo taking without having to resort to a total photo ban. Social Media - Social media has been both a blessing and a curse for the fire service, but one thing is undeniable: social media with all its problems is here to stay. The law that applies to social media has been evolving and continues to evolve, with new cases and considerations arising daily. The class will address fire service social media cases from the past 3 years, covering First Amendment, collective bargaining, and privacy concerns. A range of policy options will be discussed. Email and electronic records retention policies - Courts are confronted with cases involving email and electronically stored information that were unheard of ten years ago. Criminal and civil cases are being won and lost based on whether organizations have preserved emails and electronic data. Without a sound policy, your personnel are making thousands of individual decisions every day on what to delete and what to keep – decisions that can impact your organization for years to come! The evolving nature of the email retention problem has caused knowledgeable attorneys to change their approach from even a few years ago. This program covers the important issues, and what you need to do to protect your organization. Attendees will receive a comprehensive manual that includes:
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