Independent assessment finds strong firefighter commitment but identifies leadership, communication and hiring issues

An independent assessment commissioned by the city found the Lynchburg Fire Department has a committed workforce but faces organizational problems the report says are solvable with consistent leadership, strengthened processes and added HR and training capacity.

Greg Patrick of the city introduced the Rafelis team and Jonathan Ingram, the project leader, explained the assessment approach: a February employee survey (96 questions; 172 responses, a 77% response rate), 31 on-site interviews and focus groups, stakeholder interviews (including the NAACP and the Progressive Firefighters Association), and a policy review of recruitment, hiring, promotion and discipline.

Tom Dement, Rafelis's subject-matter expert, summarized engagement themes: community stakeholders voiced concern that the department is not representative of the city's population (the report cites 7% of the workforce as Black versus 27% of Lynchburg's population), and survey findings showed uneven trust in upper leadership (about 42% of employees) and inconsistent application of discipline. Communication was identified as the department's most significant gap: only roughly 38% of respondents said communication in the department was effective. The assessment also documented operational issues: limited access to consistent outside training for some employees, perceived inequities in selection and station transfers used informally as punishment, facility shortcomings (shared bathrooms, HVAC problems) and high EMS workloads that contribute to paramedic burnout.

The consultants presented 14 recommendations organized under leadership and management systems and employee life-cycle processes. Key near-term priorities are (1) transition to permanent leadership (the city had interim roles in top ranks), (2) establish clear communication and engagement pathways (two-way feedback and crisis communication), (3) strengthen hiring and promotion documentation and oversight (panel training and retention of panel notes), (4) create dedicated HR capacity and an expanded training program, and (5) evaluate EMS staffing/deployment and shift schedule alternatives to address high call volumes and paramedic fatigue. The consultants proposed a phased implementation plan covering immediate (first 30/90 days), six-month and 12-month steps and a five- to 10-year work plan to sustain change.

Council members and staff discussed follow-up: the new chief is scheduled to begin July 1, and city management indicated it may propose an FY27 budget amendment to add an HR position and a training support FTE so the chief can begin implementing the plan earlier than waiting for the FY28 cycle. Staff said the full Rafelis report will be published online and recommended follow-up briefings with stakeholders and periodic status reports.