Catalog Description

Prerequisite: Meet the educational requirements for Company Officer by one of the following: completion of FIRE 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, and 179 with grades of “C” or better; or completion of Office of the State Fire Marshal Company Officer 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, and Instructor I courses; or equivalent as determined by the Fire Technology Program Coordinator
Hours: 18 lecture
Description: Provides a basic knowledge of the budgeting requirements related to the roles and responsibilities of a Chief Fire Officer, including developing a budget management system, developing a division or departmental budget, and describing the process for ensuring competitive bidding. (not transferable)

Course Student Learning Outcomes

  • CSLO #1: Develop a fire service budget management system to keep the division or department within the budgetary authority.
  • CSLO #2: Outline a divisional or fire service departmental budget.
  • CSLO #3: Describe the agency's process for ensuring competitive bidding, including developing requests for proposal (RFPs) and soliciting and awarding bids.

Effective Term

Fall 2019

Course Type

Credit - Degree-applicable

Contact Hours

18

Outside of Class Hours

36

Total Student Learning Hours

54

Course Objectives

1. Develop a budget management system to keep the division or department within the budgetary authority.
2. Outline a divisional or departmental budget, determining and justifying capital, operating, and personnel costs.
3. Describe the agency's process for ensuring competitive bidding, including developing requests for proposal (RFPs) and soliciting and awarding bids.
4. Identify Alternative funding sources.

General Education Information

  • Approved College Associate Degree GE Applicability
    • CSU GE Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU approval)
      • Cal-GETC Applicability (Recommended - Requires External Approval)
        • IGETC Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU/UC approval)

          Articulation Information

          • Not Transferable

          Methods of Evaluation

          • Objective Examinations
            • Example: Students will be given a multiple choice test where they will identify key components of the Budgetary Process. A traditional grading scale will be used. Example Question: The first step in the budgetary process is: A. Planning, B. Justification, C. Budget Augmentation, D. None of the above.
          • Projects
            • Example: Following a lecture on creating a departmental budget, students will draft a department budget and provide justifications for each line-item. Grading will be based on an instructor provided rubric.

          Repeatable

          No

          Methods of Instruction

          • Lecture/Discussion
          • Distance Learning

          Lecture:

          1. The instructor will lecture on Alternative Funding Sources and lead a discussion on how these sources benefit fire departments with generating additional income.
          2. The instructor will lead a lecture on the 4-part Budgetary Process and lead a discussion each step: Formation, Transmittal, Approval and Management.

          Distance Learning

          1. Online instructor lecture on alternative funding sources, followed by student identify, outlining and posting various alternative funding sources with rationale for each source. Students will also comment on all other student posts.

          Typical Out of Class Assignments

          Reading Assignments

          Reading assignment may include reading a specific chapter of the course textbook, for example on the Budgetary Justifications, filling out a structured reading guide to promote understanding of key topics and then taking a quiz which assesses comprehension of the main ideas and important information. 2. Reading assignments may include completion of assigned articles, for example on "Cost Recovery" recording reading notes and then bringing notes to class for discussion.

          Writing, Problem Solving or Performance

          1. Students may be assigned group activities which require students to develop a draft budget to be presented to class. 2. Students may be required to complete a short critical thinking and writing assignment which require students to justify "line-item" budget requests.

          Other (Term projects, research papers, portfolios, etc.)

          Required Materials

          • Chief Officer Principles and Practices
            • Author: International Association of Fire Chiefs and National Fire Protection Association
            • Publisher: Jones and Bartlett Learning
            • Publication Date: 2015
            • Text Edition: 1st
            • Classic Textbook?:
            • OER Link:
            • OER:

          Other materials and-or supplies required of students that contribute to the cost of the course.