"market research" for VFD support business

[vonirkinshtine]

So, I've had this business idea floating around in my head for a while and really never had an application for it.  The other day I think I figured out the missing link to my idea.  What I need to know from my volunteer/combo department brethren is kind of a business snap shot.  What I mean is, how do you operate the business-side of your department?  I'll lay out some specific questions I'd like to have the answer of:

1. Is your department incorporated (in the business sense)?  What does your state say about the business structure of fire departments?
2. Who is responsible for record keeping?  How organized would you say you are?
3. Who sets your budget?  What are your sources of income?
4. Do you pay anyone (internally or outside the dept) to help you manage the behind-the-scenes stuff?
5. Do you struggle to keep up with the "non-firefighting" aspects of your department?

My business idea centers around the idea that most smaller fire departments - most likely unincorporated (in the population sense) departments who do not have many resources outside of their walls - don't like, and aren't equipped to deal with the professional aspects of operating a fire department.

Do you think there's a need there to be met?

 

[JazzDad]

1. Is your department incorporated (in the business sense)?  Non-profit charitable designation.  What does your state say about the business structure of fire departments?  Some volunteer departments in my area have NO business structuring.  (Just good ol' boys hanging out, putting out fires.)
   
2. Who is responsible for record keeping?  We are.  Each incident officer completes their reports.  Each FF completes paperwork on apparatus checks, logging fuels usage, etc.  A department secretary keeps us all in line.  How organized would you say you are?  Very.
3. Who sets your budget?  The board of directors.  What are your sources of income?  Donations, fundraisers and grants.  We do not have taxing authority.
4. Do you pay anyone (internally or outside the dept) to help you manage the behind-the-scenes stuff?  No, only outside legal assistance when needed.
5. Do you struggle to keep up with the "non-firefighting" aspects of your department?  Not really, but some in my area do.  None of the 10 departments in my county have paid positions.

Your business idea could work based on the principle of centralized services reducing the need for local specialists.  Be sure to include inventory control in your services offering.

 

[vonirkinshtine]

Thanks for the input Jazz. "Equipment management" is definitely a bullet point on the business plan.

 

[proudfirefighter]

While I don't think my old department really needs it, I can DEFINITELY see some departments who need services like this. There are some smaller departments who, like Jazz said, are just "good ol' boys putting out fires." While some are likely not willing to admit this, I could definitely see the need for someone to handle the business side of things.
What it will likely come down to however, is are they willing to pay for it? If the volunteer departments aren't willing to pay a full time secretary, which is all what most of them (in my area) really need, would they be willing to pay for your service. I guess you have to find a way to market yourself as a necessity to those departments. I'd like to see your full business idea fully fleshed out before I comment more, but I definitely think so far it's got potential to be a good idea

 

[vonirkinshtine]

I'd like to see my business idea fully flushed out too, haha.  As far as the willingness to pay for such a service, I believe the way I could pitch it is, "Think of how much you would need to pay someone to have an honest full-time salary.  Now add in benefits and insurance.  We can give you the same services as an in-house admin or secretary for a fraction of the cost."

I figure that a single person within my business model could manage several departments.  Therefore with each department paying in a less-than-full-time-salary rate, my business could maintain full-time staff for the benefit of these departments.

 

[JazzDad]

Pitch typical hourly legal expenses vs what your service would be to avoid those legal costs.

 

[Station 3]

Our department is out in the sticks.... Our station is an old post office and we keep our fire trucks in a Cotton Gin...... im not making this up.... Our department covers a huge area but its all ranch land and expressway and we only have a population of like 1k people that live here. Its all %100 volunteer fire and we also do medical calls. Our department is not really run by the Chief its run by a group of people that live in the town that don't fight fires or anything, They are more like a fire board of commissioners. They are old people that decide how much money we get and what we can spend it on and stuff like that. The fire chief runs the actual fire part of the department and the old people deal with the money and buying stuff.

We just bought a million dollar station and a 200k fire truck so I guess we do have money in the bank for a small department.

we only have 12 firefighters in our department.

And the fire station is about 18 miles from my home all long range response stuff.