Hazardous Contents

Aaron is the former editor of ProjectsAtWork.com

  ProjectsAtWork  

In trying to reduce the risks Austin firefighters face, a project first had to hurdle a cultural firewall.

Change isn't easy in any organization; in the world of firefighting, it's about as welcome as a blanket on a space heater. An unofficial firefighter motto, for better and worse, is "200 years of tradition unimpeded by progress." It reflects an ingrained cultural mentality that honors stability and is suspicious of variation.

It's safe to say a fire station is an unlikely setting for a major organizational change effort. Yet, in the name of safety, that's exactly what the Austin Fire Department undertook in 2001. The Special Operations Adjusted Response (SOAR) project was a complex and potentially divisive initiative that would result a year later in a revamped management structure, new procedures, relocated teams and reassigned staff.

Despite introducing significant changes to a tradition-laden environment, and having no precedent to follow, the SOAR effort escaped major conflicts. This, thanks to a systematic project management process, sustained support from an executive sponsor and thorough communication with all stakeholders.

Earlier this year, the project was completed and deemed a success. Performance standards had been institutionalized without disruption to regular operations, paving the way for improved incident management, …

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