Part 2 : “Thinking
Inside the Box”
The phrase “to think
outside the box” has become the archetype of increasingly
meaningless 'corporate-speak'.
Yet, from time
immemorial - long before the invention of the wheel – the first
incarnations of the box began with a folded large leaf and
hollowed-out tree trunk so as to carry water and food and the
creation of four walls and roof for shelter, thousands of years of
incremental technological development leading to boxes as the case of
a palm-held e-device, itself cyber-connected to more and more
satellite relay boxes that orbit the earth.
We live in a world
wherein 'the box' of whatever material, size and form derives its
basic utility from a contained space put to functional use. Yet as
the Zen Buddhists well recognised in their own teachings, it is not
the shell itself that is the specifically useful component of the
vessel, but the empty area within.
Beyond the plethora of
increasingly sophisticated boxes that allowed civilisation to prosper
materialistically, societies themselves must be well governed via
speedy and efficient implementation of its codes of conduct, so as to
operate as peacefully and productively as possible.
As described
previously, very much 'part and parcel' of such an aim is the central
role of the emergency services, spanning Police, Ambulance and
Fire-Rescue. These public services around the world have evolved from
basic volunteer roots (still so in many rural areas) through to
civic-run highly structured and increasingly mechanised regimes.
Throughout each
services history their development and effectiveness can be seen as
either evolutionary or revolutionary.
An example of the
evolutionary manner was the way that in some US regions the large,
heavy and laborious horse-drawn steam-powered fire pump was at the
turn of the 20th century fitted with a new motorised
'traction head'; a truly hybridised machine that on paper provided
both cost-savings by retaining the rear wagon construction and pump,
and much reduced long-life costs and comparative reliability after
initial expensive outlay; its secondary function to encourage the
popularisation of motor vehicles so as to clean-up urban areas from
the dirt and disease of street-dropped manure.
An example of the
revolutionary manner was by the mid 1970s seen with the introduction
of very specialist large and capable fire appliances for rapidly
changing airport and military-base applications. The size, material
and fuel-type of then modern planes – led by the 'Jumbo Jet' –
meant that standard appliances became increasingly impotent. Much
increased needs in water capacity, foam capacity, spray-reach and
response time meant that a new radically different generation of new
dedicated tenders were required, to be known as 'Crash Tenders'.
Thus we see that given
specific circumstances an evolutionary or revolutionary approach has
been determined by commensurate authorities, but each has its own
pros and cons: evolutionary typically cost-related, revolutionary
typically task-related.
What is required is the
ability to merge both 'evolutionary cost efficiency' and
'revolutionary task efficiency'.
Everyday Observation -
“Scaled
Modularisation”
From simple observation
of the world around us, investment-auto-motives believes it sees
opportunities for, and multiple gains to be had, from a “box
modularisation” approach for what have become ever more broadening
remit (yet also task-tailored) Police, Ambulance and Fire-Rescue
vehicles.
Modularisation has been
with us for thousands of years, as seen from the building of the
Egyptian pyramids through to the scaled basis farming which
underpinned Britain's 'Enclosure Act' in the 18th century.
Critically it sat at
the heart of 20th century industrial age, from the layout
and 'cabinetisation'of the electro-mechanics of early automated
telephone call-relay sub-stations, to its focus in 'Modernist Design'
led by the Bauhaus, to commercial and domestic shelving units, to
kitchen cabinets, to the open-plan modular office, right through to
'modularised sub-systems' in car platform design, so allowing greater
cross-vehicle type applications and so much reduced unit costs.
Yet, whilst very well
exemplified by the tea-carrying crates of the 18th century
for better arrangement of a tea-clipper's ship's hold, and seen again
in most things mass-manufactured, such as shoes, the nadir of
modularisation – indeed 'adaptive modularisation' - came with the
creation of the Multi-Modal Transport Container in the mid to late
1950s that eradicated the bottle-necks between sea, rail and road
transportation.
Thus intelligently
designed Prime and Sub-System Commonality sits at the centre of cost,
efficiency and effectiveness.
In the automotive world
modularisation has been periodically in vogue since the Model T Ford
given its multi-functionality, critical to the deployment of
'carry-over' platform engineering and the increased use of 'module
sets' in chassis and electrical engineering, and perhaps most visible
to the consumer when the likes of Rover and FIAT used a modular
instrument binnacle respectively in the 1970s on SD1 and 1980s on
Panda models in relation to RHD and LHD variants.
Thus is used as a CapEx
reduction ploy on such relative small in-vehicle parts, ultimately
the same philosophy's adoption at a whole vehicle level, would
provide for a prosaically far more important 'mix and match' / “plug
and play” system used upon the Emergency Vehicle vans fleet.
So providing a true
leap-forward regards the big-picture of logistics rationalisation
At this critical
juncture, with the UK still much affected by governmental spending
constraints, and the need to fundamentally re-organise and
rationalise the public sector over the long-term, it now that the
methods of the Emergency Services should be holistically
reconsidered.
Thus, instead of having
to invariably order a specific body-type on a specific wheelbase from
a specialist 'body-building' firm – so wedding forever body on
frame/mechanicals - the fleet would consist of independent 'rolling
chassis' (with possibly extendible and retractable wheelbase) and
independent body structure, conjoined with appropriately standardised
mechanical and electrical connectors.
Ultimately, in the
medium-sized van segment – obviously the central basis for such a
scheme - a designed suite of conventionally purchased ('COTS')
“Mobile Platforms” and specifically task-tailored “Modular
Bodies”; attached as necessary.
The Emergency Services'
Budget Challenge -
Although ingrained in
the citizen's consciousness, the very brevity of their titles do a
disservice to appreciating the spectrum of tasks undertaken.
As societies develop to
become ever more humanitarian, sophisticated and diverse, so these
services inevitably become increasingly more complex. This so in
terms of social and commercial activities, public and specific
regulations, improved and new technologies etc. Numerous PESTEL
influences which put ever greater demands upon the everyday
operations of each emergency service.
Central government and
local operational budgets inevitably swell and diminish over time,
themselves directly affected by the broad economic cycles of the
national economy. With this fluctuation senior-level decision-making
likewise becomes concomitantly more complex.
Which areas must be
expanded so requiring new technical and manpower investment? Which
areas can remain effectively static? Which may be reduced?
An overtly simplistic
observation, but unlike in the corporate field, where the outcome is
that of increased profitability, stagnation, or bottom-line losses,
these services directly impact upon the population, at a group and
personal levels, and even indirectly and so sub-consciously, in turn
determining individual and social habits.
As has been experienced
with negative social effects, the impact of the 'Great Recession' has
been felt across all western nations, now also similarly seen since
2012 or so in the once booming EM countries.
The desired outcome of
Quantitative Easing did indeed have the desired effects of systemic
financial re-stabilisation, and new stimulus within the nation's
banking sector - albeit with substantial flows of such QE funds
actually invested abroad by proprietary trading banks even with
rebuilt Chinese Walls between Retail and Investment - the fact is
that at governmental level the UK has been forced to endure prolonged
“Austerity Budgeting”, as unpopular but seemingly necessary major
cut-backs in government expenditure seek to 're-balancing the books'.
The Credit Boom and
Bust of the 'Social Good' -
Here it should be noted
that during the mid 1990s to mid 2000s (the boom years), the various
portions of the Public Sector – excluding the Emergency Services –
seemingly grew in bureaucracy far beyond a socially useful level.
This expansion of the public sector, using debt, to essentially
create a vast array of 'non-jobs' so as to keep the housing and
consumer economies growing. When Britain should have been developing
ever more advanced production and services internally and attracting
FDI for notionally called 'post-industrial' areas to then be
re-exported, it instead relied upon short-termist gains, much of this
based upon the internalised holy-grail of management consultants and
'corporate speak' to equate to the dynamic corporate world; yet in
reality adding little fundamental true value to most citizen's
everyday experiences in terms of positive social good.
The 'snap-back' of such
a blinkered approach toward real value is that the few truly useful
'social services' with profits to be had will be taken-up by private
enterprise at lower cost (such as satiating the mobility needs of
comparitively well-off OAP's), whilst other demographic groups
experience “service retraction” and so even greater
socio-economic exclusion.
Herein, the monies of
the newly expanded payroll budget for state-worker's increased
salaries would have better served society by helping those – often
socially invisible because of their inability to interact – in most
dire need.
The Corresponding
Social Cost -
So the social cost of
the now induced and seemingly everlasting “Austerity Budgeting”
has been huge. From the single person relying upon very scant
benefits, to whole families now hit hard by the loss of those
previous parental 'non-jobs', to the multi-aspect external
consequences of a 'broken society'; which the Police, Ambulance and
Fire-Rescue must deal with, and best 'patch-up' in the moment.
This ranges from the
breakdown of family and inter-personal relationships because of scant
or unwisely spent monies, such stresses leading to to an increase in
alcohol and substance abuse, and so increasingly erratic and
unthinking behaviour. Causing often unintentional but very
destructive situations. Such outcomes appear across a vast field of
human activities: from severe motoring accidents causing death or
disability, through to the development of a 'them and us' mentality
amongst tribal-like social groups (including middle-class adults
aswell as street gangs) to the inevitable effects upon children,
developing poor playground and classroom behaviour, which eventually
results in the societal dilemma of the disaffected teenager and so
disaffected adult.
Thus it is sadly
paradoxical that during such periods when the emergency services are
called upon the most, that they themselves have proportionately
reduced resources by which to fulfil their expanded roles.
Budget Reality vs
Social Expectations -
Unfortunately within
advanced nations, the very economic success over the preceding 150
years which underpinned creation of the modern emergency services –
with budgetary peaks in the 1950s/60s and 1980s/90s – has perhaps
led to an over-expectation of what can now be achieved without
internal implementation reforms of varying magnitude.
This high expectation
perhaps especially so the attitude amongst older members of both the
emergency services and the public at large, those who have themselves
enjoyed the heyday periods when society was calmer and budgets
proportionately bigger.
Such reforms,
understandably resisted by those at the coal-face, have been
under-way for some time, mostly in more subtle, less immediately
visible 'back-office' and operational ways – so affecting civilian
staffing capabilities as much as the prime concern of numbers of
'beat officers' and core staff numbers.
Over a decade ago the
London and York Fire Brigades themselves sought to reduce costs by
leasing its Fire Tenders from an external private equity backed
supplier called AssetCo. What (on the surface) appears either bad
management or more likely a case of deliberate over-leverage to allow
for personal rewarded 'financial engineering'. The apparent
deliberate 'run-down' of service support to the London Fire Brigade
meant as the firm faltered caused very real problems for the LFEPA
(the Brigades Planning Authority) and resulted the AssetCo Premier
division's liquidation in Novermber 2012, thereafter sold to the
military and civil services group Babcock International for a nominal
fee.
This case highlights
the manner in which some Municipalities, keen to off-load budget
responsibilities for such services – can be drawn by the 'easy
money' of Private Equity deals whilst the services themselves (and
the public) suffer the consequences of value-extraction ploys.
Elsewhere, even with a
firm negotiation stance by locally independent vehicle procurement
managers, seeking to maximise budget stretch by offering their own
'tenders for contract' to the manufacturers and body-builders, it is
noted that the car-parc age of many Police, Ambulance and Fire
vehicles inevitably increased as internal assets were sweated ever
harder.
Having done so to cut
costs, the new crop of replacement vehicles, from tactical-response
Police BMWs to multi-role Vauxhall estates to NHS 'quick response'
MPVs, will have no doubt been procured with sizeable discounts,
especially after 2008.
But herein procurement
is typically undertaken on a regional/county basis often using local
dealerships (though price compared to other non-regional dealers to
ensure reduced prices).
However, the fact
remains that given the relatively small number of model specific
vehicles needed at the local level, such discounts on smallish
volumes will inevitably be less than if cooperatively bought with
other regions to boost the volumes purchased.
As such, there is a
strong argument for inter-regional and cross-service collaboration
when replacing vehicles or indeed adding new.
Budget Reality vs
Technologically Improved Practice -
Such cost-saving
efforts across the board by the Emergency Services as seen to date
have undoubtedly had a positive effect on CapEx and Operational
cashflow drain; obviously relating to the overhead costs and
unit-based costs (from head-count to fleet-count)as recognised in
everyday standard practice.
Given central
government budget allowances and targets, Police Commissioners, NHS
Transport CEOs and Fire-Rescue Heads together with their various
supporting departmental managers, have sought to cut as “far back
to the bone” as they dare.
Whilst simultaneously
trying to maintain visible levels of law and order, medical response
and other categories of emergency response, from burned-out stolen
cars to the proverbial 'cat up a tree'. Whilst also knowing that the
criminal element sees such cut-backs and response times as manna from
heaven, recognising that response times, effectiveness and outcome
may inevitably suffer and so allow greater opportunity for crime.
Thus any alteration of
conventional practices because of budgetary expansion or contraction
simply alters the size of the 'traditional pie', which inevitably
result in consequential acclaim or criticism as political, union and
public perception notes the changes made - usually pertaining to the
number of publicly seen 'beat officers', police cars, ambulances and
fire trucks.
To combat this and seek
scaled efficiencies some regions have created the role of
Cross-Service Commissioners, so as to merge commonalities.
The role of such men
and women is to sure 'visioneer' the strategic and operational
futures of both their region and importantly the complete UK
Emergency Services network.
One of the few very
useful reality TV series have been those following the everyday
workings of a local police constabulary or unit. Whilst filmed in a
somewhat sensationalist manner, it does allow for that large portion
of viewing public removed from such, to far better understand at
least some of what actually goes on underneath the veneer of a
seemingly 'civilised' society.
These TV shows have
illustrated how various technology have allowed for rationalised and
so improved law enforcement, ranging from at the lowest end the use
of a simple 'zip-tie' as restraining instrument to the tyre-shredding
'stinger' to much improved communications to heat-sensing helicopter
cameras.
Similarly the modern
ambulance is a far cry from the stretcher shuttle of decades ago,
today operating as a minuscule medical-centre on wheels, in which
paramedics can assess far more than the vital signs of life, and so
provide a useful briefing to the staff and doctors upon arrival at a
hospital.
Indeed it is often able
to offer the appropriate medical aid on the spot, so negating the
need to even travel to hospital which itself takes up far more
resources.
And the Fire Brigade
long ago took on far broader responsibilities in the areas of urban,
rural and highway rescue; the latter most prolific. The implements
used for cutting occupants from the body-shells of crashed vehicles –
inflatable airbags to upright overturned or precarious vehicles
through to the sensitive air-controlled pincer cutters which act as
'tin-openers' - have become ever more sophisticated through
experience, research and development by specialist supplier
companies.
Technological
applications and their advancements, whether low-cost or high-cost,
have assisted the Emergency Services almost immeasurably as their
multi-various fleet vehicles and trained personnel undertake ever
more socially assistive responsibilities and overall productivity
increases.
Yesteryear was about
operational centralisation, best seen by the example of a large 1960s
General Hospital. It has to deal with everything from the results of
self-inflicted stupidity (eg Johnny's head stuck in a saucepan),
through to highly emotive 'life or death' situations.
Today and tomorrow
seemingly continues to see the decentralisation of operations, again
the hospital example proving most useful, seeing far more specialist
centres set-up to deal with important cases, the 'accident and
emergency' department dedicated to important tasks rather than having
to deal with facile cases, and the less serious being dealt with in
situ.
This trend of
decentralisation, assisted by technological progress, means that the
very shape of the Emergency Service fleet looks to continually
evolve.
Long-Termism over
Short-Sighteness -
But critically it must
evolve along truly long-term rational lines and not simply in a
short-termist reactionary manner to the immediate 'commercial
imperative'.
The leadership
committees of the Emergency Services together with government
ministers should explore into how the very fundamentals of
conventional practice could and should be intelligently and radically
altered so as to provide more for less.
Both in terms of direct
and in-direct expense and the effectiveness of functional service
implementation.
Time to Think Afresh -
Recognising how a
system might be improved through both cost-saving and performance
improvement is the raison d'etre of management science. And it is
typically only at times of crisis, or those of fundamentally changed
conditions, that any organisation seeks to adopt meaningful change.
With regard to the
Public Sector we have seen how the seemingly more adroit eye of
private enterprise has sought to raise efficiencies and cost savings.
But alas, we have also
seen how overtly commercial (and indeed personal-reward) parent
company pressures can severely undermine any one Service; the AssetCo
experience will long live with seniors of the London Fire Brigade.
The UK's utilities
(telecoms, water, electricity) were privatised long ago, with the NHS
currently under-going a slow process of re-organisation and
rationalisation from Trusts to next generation entities through Trust
consolidation or new entity introductions – with good, mediocre and
some reportedly bad results.
Public Sector services
plainly originated from the desire to improve society, with the
utilitarian edict of “the greatest gain for the greatest number”.
And so whilst rightly seeking the reduction of waste, government must
also ensure that the tide of gradual part and full privatisation
should be properly weighed against the likelihood of “profits
before people”.
And this is where a
nation-based long-term planning schema for Emergency Service
vehicles, by an independent body, needs to be asserted, so as to span
much from high volume procurement to future-facing powerful Research
and Development.
Herein the roles and
multi-various functionalities of the Emergency Services is a hot
topic for debate.
Unlike the wholly
dedicated building infrastructure required, from hospitals to police
stations to fire-rescue training facilities, the issue of
transportation (and its increasingly task specialisation) looks to be
prime for creative review, perceived – pun intended - from a very
high altitude “helicopter viewpoint”.
