The in-basket exercise has been around forever and is one of my
favorites. A candidate is given a list of items that must be
addressed within a certain time frame. He or she is asked to
prioritize the items and justify his reasons to the panel. Its up
to the candidate to determine what is important, and what is
urgent. The exercise gives the department a snapshot of the
candidates ability to perform the administrative functions of the
position. While the Operational portion of the Battalion Chief,
Captain, or Lieutenants position is very important, so too is the
administrative component. This exercise outlines time management,
writing, and setting priorities.Here is an example of a simple
in-basket exercise:MoreYou will have 30 minutes to address the
following items and explain your reasoning to the panel. Please
place them in order of importance and be prepared to discuss your
rationale with your raters.It is 0800. Official shift change occurs
at 0745.Test yourself: Rearrange the numbers in the boxes according
to priorities. 1. You have battalion inspection at 11AM today. 2.
The firefighter assigned to your crew approaches you and informs
you that he cannot locate his gloves. 3. The Battalion Chief calls
you to say there has been a complaint about the way your paramedics
were driving. 4. There is a message from Mr. Robert Jones regarding
a recent fire prevention inspection. 5. The engineer approaches you
and says there is a nail in one of the inside rear dual tires. 6. A
paramedic assigned to your crew approaches you and says he is too
hung over to work and asks to be placed off duty on sick leave. 7.
You have a message to call Mrs. Smith about speaking to her group
about firesafety. 8. The paramedics are scheduled to have a ride
along from 0800 to 1700. 9. A school tour is scheduled at 1115.
ANSWERSHere is an example of how to prioritize and justify the
above list (check it against your answers):Number 1. The engineer
approaches you and says there is a nail in one of the inside rear
dual tires.I would prioritize this as number one as it affects our
operational readiness. Just because there is a nail in the tire
does not mean that I would take the engine out of service. It may
be a short nail and may not have punctured the tire. I want to know
if the air pressure is low. Is it leaking? I would instruct him to
use a soap and water solution and determine it is leaking. If the
tire pressure is low, I will ask him if he is comfortable driving
the rig to the shop. If not, I will instruct him to call the mobile
mechanic. He will provide the correct tire size to ensure the
mechanic brings the proper size tire. I f the tire is low, and the
rig is unable to respond, I will call dispatch and advise them of
the situation. I will ask them to notify the Battalion Chief.Number
2. A paramedic assigned to your crew approaches you and says he is
too hung over to work and asks to be placed off duty on sick
leave.I would advise the paramedic to stay put and I would attempt
to catch one of the off-going paramedics to temporarily ensure my
staffing. Once I have staffed the rig, I would notify the staffing
pool of my need for a paramedic. I would not allow the off-going
paramedic to leave the station, as I am concerned that if he is too
impaired to work, he is too impaired to drive home in his private
vehicle. This would be a liability to the fire department. I would
evaluate the paramedic to see if he is still under the influence.
At minimum he will be counseled for showing up to work unfit for
duty. This has impacted our operational readiness.Number 3. The
firefighter assigned to your crew approaches you and informs you
that he cannot locate his gloves.I would instruct the firefighter
to borrow a pair of gloves from another firefighter. He is to leave
a note on the firefighters turnouts so the other firefighter is not
caught without his gloves. In addition, he is to fill out a lost
property report and order a new pair of gloves. Lastly, I will
coach and mentor him to take the initiative to do all of the above
before coming to me to solve his problem.Number 4. The paramedics
are scheduled to have a ride along from 0800 to 1700.I would call
the paramedics to the office and notify them of the ride along and
make certain that they have the proper forms filled out.Number 5.
You have battalion inspection at 11AM today.I would call the
Battalion Chief and ask permission to reschedule the inspection for
the afternoon informing him that I had a school tour set up for the
same time. While I was on the phone with the BC, I would let him
know that I had several pending issues. First and foremost the
engine may have to be put out of service (pending the answer from
the engineer), I would get the information regarding the citizen
complaint about the paramedics driving.Number 6. A school tour is
scheduled at 1115.I would inform the crew that the station
inspection had been rescheduled for the afternoon and that we had a
school tour at 1115.Number 7. The Battalion Chief calls you to say
there has been a complaint about the way your paramedics were
driving.I would call the person who had a complaint about the
Paramedics driving and get the facts of when and where the issue
had occurred. I would assure him that I would look into the issue
and would call him back after I speak to the paramedic. I would not
give him the results of my investigation, as personnel issues are
confidential. I would then conduct a fact-finding interview with
the paramedics.Number 8. There is a message from Mr. Robert Jones
regarding a recent fire prevention inspection.I would review the
fire prevention record regarding 1234 Main Street. I would review
the codes relating to the infraction he was given and return Mr.
Jones call.Number 9. You have a message to call Mrs. Smith about
speaking to her group about fire safety.I would return Mrs. Smiths
call regarding the fire safety lecture and set a time we could
speak to her group.Step 3: Oral PresentationsStep 1: Plan for
Promotion
Guide to Promotion: Table of ContentsStep 1: Plan for
Promotion
Step 2: Assessment Center ExercisesTactical Scene ScenariosOral
InterviewEmployee Counseling SessionIn-Basket Exercise
Step 3: Oral Presentations
Step 4: Practice Interview QuestionsScoring Criteria
Step 5: Assess Your Leadership Skills
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