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EMS Communications: The Role of Management and How
to Spread the Word Laura Fiffick
Gresham, Smith and Partners
Senior Management Support
• Without Management Support, EMS will fall behind or fail completely– Staff has other priorities
• Poor Meeting Attendance• Incomplete Documents• Cavalier Attitude• Environmental is assigned to the poor performing
staff
• Two Case Studies: Port of Houston and City of Dallas
Port of Houston Authority
• EMS Fenceline: Container Terminal and Maintenance Facility; 100 employees
• Start of EMS = No Management Support
• A Few Small EMS Sucesses Led to Full Executive Support – Discussion in Meetings– Expectations Set – Frequent Updates
Port of Houston Authority
• Difference in Middle Management Support– Maintenance Facility
• 100% Support of Manager• Competitions Between Maintenance Sections• Exceeded EMS Expectations
– Container Facility• Manager Quote “We Have to Do This, But I Don’t Want to
Either!”• Continually Struggle with Surveillance Audits• Disinterested Staff
“What Interests My Boss Fascinates Me”
Port of Houston Authority
• Communication Tools– Brown Bag Lunches – With Lunch Provided!!– Stall Talk– Posters– Fliers Sent to All Employees– Environmental Awards– Publications in Port Magazine– Huge Press Conference with ISO 14001
Certification• First Casual Day in the History of the Port
City of Dallas
• Fenceline: 11 City Departments; 450 facilities; 11,000 employees
• EMS Started with $2 million EPA Consent Decree
• EMS Started with Management Support from one Assistant City Manager; Limited to No Support from Department Directors– Result: Some Departments Were Left Behind
City of Dallas
• Used Directors Meetings to Update on EMS– Power Point of “Ugly” Pictures…Before and
After– Ranked Each Department “Ahead, On Track,
and Behind– Displayed Number of Spills and Enforcement
Actions by Department
• OEQ Graded Each Department Director for Annual Reviews (A,B,C,D, or F)
City of Dallas
• Departments With “Behind” Rating– Frequent Emails to Department Director– Weekly meetings with Department
Representative• Daily Before ISO 14001 Certification
– All Else Fails • Email to City Manager’s Office • Joint Meetings
City of Dallas
• Communication Tools– Briefings to Council Every Six Months– Monthly Report Card to Directors
• Spreadsheet on Status Handed out at Directors Meeting
– Emails– Posters– Stall Talk in Streets Department– Training, training, training…
Lessons Learned
• Share Successful Communication Tools Between Departments– Posters Cost a Lot Less the More You Order!
• Management Support Has to Be in Many Forms– Written, Verbal, Formal, Informal
• Coach the Manager Until They are Comfortable With the EMS
• Management Support Can Come From All Levels of Management– Find the Appropriate Level for the Issue You are
Facing
