Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Customer Complaints & Inquiries PDF

TO: ALL PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE PERSONNEL FROM: PATRICK J. KENNEDY FIRE RESCUE ADMINISTRATOR PREPARED BY: FIRE RESCUE PPM COMMITTEE SUBJECT: CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS AND INQ...

TO: ALL PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE PERSONNEL FROM: PATRICK J. KENNEDY FIRE RESCUE ADMINISTRATOR PREPARED BY: FIRE RESCUE PPM COMMITTEE SUBJECT: CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS AND INQUIRIES PPM #: FR-A-106 ISSUE DATE EFFECTIVE DATE November 15, 2022 December 13, 2022 PURPOSE: To establish uniform guidelines for the receipt and investigation into complaints or inquiries from dissatisfied customers. The goal is to satisfy the customer’s concerns, while identifying and addressing factors that lead to their dissatisfaction. UPDATES: Future updates to this PPM are the responsibility of the Deputy Chief of Administration, in conjunction with the PPM Committee, under the authority of the Fire Rescue Administrator. AUTHORITY:  Fire Rescue Administrator SCOPE: This policy applies to all Palm Beach County Fire Rescue personnel and anyone representing Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. ATTACHMENTS: Attachment A: Customer Complaint Form Attachment B: Customer Complaint Checklist Attachment C: Customer Complaint and Inquiry Operating Guide Attachment D: Customer Inquiry Log DEFINITIONS: 1. Inquiry – A request from a customer for information. (i.e. - a lost item, securing property, how to obtain information, expressing gratitude, etc.). 2. Complaint – An expression from a customer of dissatisfaction in Fire Rescue services. (i.e. - allegations of misconduct, allegations of purposely taking items of significant value, dissatisfaction with our decisions regarding policy or procedure, etc.). POLICY: All customer complaints and inquiries shall be documented and an examination of the matter shall be documented, completed, and submitted within the parameters below: 1. The District Chief/Supervisor shall contact the affected customer within one business day of being notified of the complaint. FR-A-106/Page 1 of 4  2. The District Chief/Supervisor shall complete and submit the final customer complaint file within 30 days located on the Fire Rescue Intranet (SharePoint). PROCEDURE: 1. Customer Inquiries and Comments: a. To assure consistency in documentation and investigatory procedures, Operations, in conjunction with Administrative Services, shall be the central clearinghouse for all customer inquiries and comments from the public. b. Customer inquiries shall be documented and tracked on the Customer Inquiry Log (FR-A-106 Attachment D), located on the Fire Rescue Intranet (SharePoint). c. Customer Inquiries do not require the Customer Complaint Checklist (FR-A-106 Attachment B) or crew statements as outlined below. A thorough review shall take place to attempt to satisfy the customer’s inquiry. 2. Customer Complaints Concerning Incidents, Procedures, and Personnel Matters: a. Customer complaints concerning Fire Rescue incidents, procedures, and personnel matters, shall be documented on the Customer Complaint Form (FR-A-106 Attachment A), located on the Fire Rescue Intranet (SharePoint). b. The Customer Complaint Form (FR-A-106 Attachment A) can be initiated by a Lieutenant or higher ranking officer. The initiating officer shall complete the information received section of the Customer Complaint Form (FR-A-106 Attachment A) before transmitting the form to the District Chief/Supervisor of the affected employee. The initiating officer making first contact shall attempt to contact the District Chief/Supervisor verbally. If the District Chief/Supervisor is unavailable, the initiating officer shall inform the appropriate Battalion Chief/Supervisor of the customer complaint. The District Chief/Supervisor shall contact the Administrative Secretary or the Fire Operations Officer to obtain a Customer Complaint Tracking number. c. When a Customer Complaint Tracking number has been automatically issued through the Fire Rescue Customer Complaint tracking system, the Administrative Secretary or Fire Operations Officer shall contact the appropriate Deputy Chief and/or Division Chief/Supervisor and inform them: i. That a Customer Contact complaint/inquiry has been initiated ii. Which District Chief/Supervisor is responsible for the Customer Contact Complaint Form (FR-A-106 Attachment A). d. The District Chief/Supervisor shall follow-up with the customer and designate an EMS Captain or higher ranking officer to conduct a fact-finding review with all persons involved. All elements shall be documented in a summary which shall be included in the final Customer Complaint file. e. The Customer Complaint Checklist (FR-A-106 Attachment B) shall be filled out completely. The checklist serves as a guide to the fact-finding officer and as a cover sheet to the final Customer Complaint file. f. The Customer Complaint & Inquiry Field Operating Guide (FR-A-106 Attachment C) serves as a procedural document to guide the process along and be used as a reference. The appropriate District Chief/Supervisor shall ensure that all actions taken are summarized in the “actions taken” section of the Customer Complaint Form (FR-A- 106 Attachment A). This shall include all dates, times, and methods of contact that FR-A-106/Page 2 of 4  were used to communicate with the customer. g. The fact-finding officer shall obtain written statements from personnel that were directly in contact with complainants. Statements shall be obtained when: i. A customer claims that an article, item or their property is damaged due to negligence. ii. A customer claims that they or another customer has received poor treatment (i.e.; patient care, rudeness, attitude, etc.). iii. A customer claims that decisions by Fire Rescue personnel did not align with the customer’s wishes (i.e.; incorrect transport decision, wrong hospital, improper refusal, failed to secure residence or property, etc.). iv. The fact-finding officer determines written statements are relevant. h. After completing the fact-finding, if the issue involves the possibility that the matter may result in disciplinary action, a consultation with the District Chief/Supervisor shall take place. If disciplinary action is determined to be warranted, Firefighters Bill of Rights (PPM FR-A-102) shall be followed. If disciplinary action is not warranted, counseling and corrective measures should be documented as outlined in Professional Development (PPM FR-T-101) or Employee Development (PPM FR-A-105). i. After a customer complaint has been addressed internally and with the customer, the fact-finding officer shall contact the District Chief/Supervisor with their findings. The Customer Complaint Form (FR-A-106 Attachment A) and all related documentation shall then be forwarded to the District Chief/Supervisor for review. j. The District Chief/Supervisor shall ensure the customer is contacted and advised of the outcome of the matter and any action which was taken. The results of that conversation shall be documented on the same Customer Complaint Form (FR-A-106 Attachment A), and all supporting documents shall be uploaded to the Fire Rescue Intranet (SharePoint) and change the status from open to submitted. The District Chief/Supervisor shall determine the disposition of the complaint and assign it to the appropriate Deputy or Division Chief for review. k. The appropriate Deputy or Division Chief shall review the documentation and assure all appropriate actions have been taken. The Deputy/Division Chief or Supervisor shall forward the document to the Assistant Fire Rescue Administrator and Fire Rescue Administrator for final review. The review process is done electronically on the Fire Rescue Intranet (SharePoint). l. The Administrative Secretary shall maintain the Customer Complaint and Inquiry Logs and all documents generated in the process. After all reviews have occurred, the Administrative Secretary shall close the document in the status section of the Customer Complaint Form (FR-A-106 Attachment A) on the Fire Rescue Intranet (SharePoint). The Administrative Secretary shall retain on file the original Customer Complaint Form (FR-A-106 Attachment A) and all related material. 3. Customer Complaints Concerning Matters of Fire Safety: a. Complaints or inquiries that are solely based on fire code issues, (i.e.; overcrowding, parking in fire lanes, etc.) shall be handled by Community Risk Reduction with notification to the appropriate District Chief and/or Battalion Chief. 4. Customer Complaints Concerning Communications Center Personnel: a. Complaints and inquiries related to Communications Center personnel shall be received by the on-duty Communications Center Supervisor. The Communications FR-A-106/Page 3 of 4  Center Supervisor shall obtain a Customer Complaint Tracking number from the Fire Operations Officer (FOO). The complaint shall be documented in the Customer Complaint Form (FR-A-106 Attachment A) by the FOO. The FOO shall notify the Alarm Office Manager and Deputy Chief of Support Services to inform them of the complaint. 5. Completed and closed customer complaints and inquiries may be reviewed at regular intervals by a customer service review team. Files will be evaluated for quality, data collection and identifying educational opportunities. _____________________________ PATRICK J. KENNEDY FIRE RESCUE ADMINISTRATOR Supersession History 1. PPM#FR I-51, issued 08/23/1991 2. PPM#FR I-51, issued 09/12/2011 3. PPM#FR I-51, issued 03/24/2014 4. PPM#FR A-106, clerical 03/01/2018 5. PPM#FR A-106, clerical 10/17/2018 6. PPM#FR A-106, issued 11/14/2019 7. PPM#FR A-106, issued 12/21/2020 8. PPM#FR A-106, issued 11/15/2022 FR-A-106/Page 4 of 4