Why is it important for strategy to be specific to its environment?
As public safety environments changes, perhaps due to political, economic, social, technological, environmental or legislation based – it is important to be able to adapt to those changes. (Tappin, 2009) The more the external environment changes, the more opportunities there are likely to be for strategic learning. Officers in my department use strategic planning as an organizational management tool that is used to set priorities, focus energy and resources, strengthen operations, ensure that firefighters and officers are working toward common goals. Strategic planning must aim to be flexible and provide contingencies for uncertainty and change. Of all the compelling reasons for firefighters to engage in strategic planning, perhaps the most critical is the speed at which the environment on the fire ground can change. The world swirling around a firefighter can change constantly, and things they may not even know about can affect their life. This is why having a fire ground strategy is vital. The main goals on any fire ground are, life safety, incident stabilization, and conserve property.
The bigger picture is that strategic thought and action are increasingly important to the continued capability and efficiency of governments, public agencies and non-profit organizations of all sorts. (Tappin, 2009) Strategic planning is designed to help public and non-profit organizations and communities respond effectively to their new situations. Without strategic planning it is likely that these organizations would not be able to meet successfully the abundant challenges that face them.