FieldWare Blogs

2024 Public Safety Workforce Trends

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Feb 6, 2024 9:21:00 AM

As 2024 progresses, public safety agencies are navigating a rapidly changing environment shaped by evolving societal needs. The challenges agencies face are multifaceted, but so are the opportunities for innovation and improvement.

Looking to the year ahead, we foresee increased focus on modernizing technology solutions, including use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to effectively address these challenges. In this article, we’ll explore their impact and how public safety organizations are expected to use them to meet the needs of their workforce and the communities they serve.

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2023 Public Safety Trends Recap and How Agencies Adapted

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Jan 15, 2024 3:31:00 PM

As we step into 2024, it’s important to review the major public safety trends that shaped 2023. The past year was marked by several significant challenges, including workforce shortages, an intensified focus on mental health, expanded adoption of technological solutions, and a drive toward enhanced data transparency. 

 

Despite the hurdles of 2023, many proactive measures adopted by public safety last year will be paving the way for how they navigate through the ongoing challenges ahead this year. 

Let's take a look at a few of these.

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Hurricane Preparedness and the Crucial Role of Public Safety Responders

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Sep 12, 2023 11:25:00 AM

The onset of another hurricane season is a stark reminder of nature's unpredictable fury. Standing between the public and the chaos are our steadfast public safety agencies. From law enforcement, firefighters and dispatchers to emergency medical services, these dedicated professionals play an invaluable role in community disaster management. Let's explore how these agencies' year-round efforts in preparing for and responding to natural disasters—particularly hurricanes—benefit all of our communities.

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The Cost of Poor Scheduling in Public Safety

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Apr 24, 2023 11:31:00 AM

As law enforcement and fire departments across the nation struggle with staffing shortages, scheduling becomes an increasingly complex task. Departments must carefully balance serving the needs of their communities, protecting officers and firefighters safety, and operating within budgetary constraints. Failure to do this well can not only undermine safety but also create unnecessary costs for departments. In this article, we’ll look at some of the impacts that poor scheduling practices can have on police and fire departments and discuss strategies to improve scheduling outcomes.

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Using Data Analysis to Increase Efficiency in Public Safety Scheduling

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Apr 17, 2023 9:10:48 AM

For public safety agencies to carry out their wide range of duties effectively, employees must work in shifts that provide coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To best support public safety and avoid burnout, efficient scheduling is critical. Collecting and analyzing workforce data provides actionable insight into staffing, demand, and performance trends. Managed properly, this kind of data analysis empowers decision makers to make scheduling choices that best serve both the public and public safety employees.

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Public Safety Workforce Trends to Watch in 2023

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Apr 10, 2023 11:36:00 AM

Law enforcement, fire departments, and EMS will be facing many workforce challenges throughout 2023. Staffing shortages, maintaining community trust, and elevated violent crime rates are some of the most pressing problems facing public safety agencies this year. Fortunately, new insights and technological advances provide opportunities for agencies to better meet these growing challenges.

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The Retention Problem: How Public Agencies Can Prevent Turnover

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Feb 16, 2023 11:40:00 AM

The pandemic has had enormous impacts, especially in terms of employment. Not only has there been a massive shift toward remote work, but the “great resignation” has left many employers scrambling to fill positions—and certain industries have taken a bigger hit than others. Public agencies were among those struck the hardest, with employment in state governments dropping by 4.4% at the start of the pandemic.

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Why Public Safety Agencies Are Focusing On Cybersecurity

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Feb 8, 2022 12:05:00 PM

As a police, fire, or other public safety agency your mission is to protect the life and property of the public citizens within your jurisdiction. Thanks to technological advances over the last few decades, your department has become increasingly dependent on its information technology systems in order to deliver on this mission. 

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How Public Safety Agencies Can Handle Fatigue, Overtime and Burnout

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Sep 15, 2021 12:06:00 PM

The inevitable truth of working in public safety is that many employees will deal with fatigue, stress, sleep deprivation, and more at one time or another. As departments and agencies across the country face staff shortages, fatigue management has reached a tipping point.

Public safety managers are no stranger to the impact these jobs can have on the human body. Over time, these underlying and often hidden problems turn into chronic stress which can lead to burnout, and worse, detrimental health issues.

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Leadership Essentials for a Resilient Public Safety Workforce

Posted by Jackie Belasky

Jun 1, 2021 12:12:00 PM

First-line supervisors in public safety understand how critical it is to build strong relationships with their teams. Public safety employees rely heavily on each other and their supervisors to ensure they make it home safely at the end of their shift.

Whether you work for a fire department, law enforcement, or EMS, relationships are built on trust and strong leadership. With an operational workforce management system in place, more time can be spent fostering these relationships while optimizing employee productivity. Less time can be spent on staffing, budgets, recruiting, human resources management, and operational analytics.

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