After a rocky start, serious progress was made in 2018 under Planning Chief Matt Henss, Strategic Planning Officer Michael Tiernan and myself, serving as the accreditation manager. The strategic planning process included an audit of the core competencies found in the CFAI’s Fire and Emergency Services Self-Assessment Manual (FESSAM). Situational awarenessAnother major shift occurred with a schism between the executive staff meetings and quarterly planning meetings. Planning chief roleThe final piece of the puzzle has been the planning chief informally performing chief of staff-like duties within the department. Executive staff meetings, KPI tracking, quarterly planning meetings and a clearly defined planning chief role created structure without stifling initiative.