Scheduling
Submitted by jbaker6953 on Wed, 05/27/2009 - 21:30.
Has there been any discussion about modifying the process by which shifts are assigned to volunteers applying for them? I noticed that more than 50% of the weekend shifts at Vetter are booked by just 5 members. It seems a little unfair to newer members who can't sign up until after their in-tower training to have everything booked before they even have the chance to apply. It also doesn't seem right that whoever gets there first can book up almost 20% of the weekend shifts for themselves. People like myself who are waiting until the calendar is populated before we request a shift are also being penalized.
The entire 2009 season has only 90 shifts available on weekend days, and by the time the schedules even appeared on the Web site today there are only 13 weekend shifts available for the whole season (only 5 whole day shifts). Something just doesn't seem right about that.
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Re: Scheduling
The system we use for scheduling shifts at a fire tower in the ANFFLA is a system that was designed to be just the way it is today. It has been proven to be a reliable system that ensures maximum coverage and provides lots of opportunities for people to network and work the tower with other volunteers. We think it works great! Here's why:
1. Volunteers who work the tower(s) for more than one season can sign up for shifts at their Reconnect Meeting. They get "first crack" at the signup sheets. This is a great way to say Thanks For Coming Back. At the Reconnect we pass around both schedules and ask only two things: That you sign up for shifts you are sure you can work and that you not take more than one weekend per month. The returning hosts do sign up for lots of weekends, and that's great, we need them to work with the New Lookouts !!! Because:
2. New Lookouts are required to work their first season with an experienced Lookout Host. There's a lot to remember in these towers and we believe one in-tower training is not always enough to absorb all the things you need to do in the tower. Sometimes we might allow two newcomers to work a shift together without a "veteran" but that's only after a shift or two with an experienced Lookout.
3. New Volunteers are not allowed to sign up for shifts until they have completed all their training, including their in-tower training. Here's why. In the past we tried allowing new volunteers to sign up at Orientation. Guess what? Some never complete the training. This created huge holes in the schedule that were a rescheduling nightmare. And the returning hosts found themselves with fewer shifts. So we found out, through experience, that this way is the best. Also, some new volunteers found out during their in-tower that this is not the volunteer opportunity they desired after all.
4. Vetter is a HIGH Traffic tower. We can have many many guests arrive in a day, sometimes over a hundred!! That is why we feel Vetter Tower is not staffed adequately on a weekend unless there are AT LEAST two Volunteers on shift. (Three would be preferable.) So I defer to jbaker's post and remind you all that there are LOTS of weekend shifts available at Vetter Tower. (39 as i write this!)
I hope this makes things a little more clear why we schedule as we do. By the way, when looking at the schedules, always check the shift time by the volunteers' name. Sometimes it is AM only, PM only or Overnight (O/N) only. You might find we need someone to cover the other half of a day too!!! See you up the Hill ...
The system we use for
The system we use for scheduling shifts at a fire tower in the ANFFLA is a system that was designed to be just the way it is today. We think it works great!
I have no doubt that those with the first opportunity to access a wide-open season schedule think it works great. Those who are faced with a booked calendar when it's their turn might have a different perspective.
Whether a particular strategy is effective depends on your goals, of course. If your goal is to give everyone an opportunity to have at least one shift of their own, or at least maximize their opportunities given the limited openings, the current model is flawed. On the other hand, if your goal is to provide returning volunteers with unlimited, preferred scheduling without any consideration for openings being left for others, then the current system is working as designed.
One major issue with the current system is that the "one weekend per month" rule is insufficient to leave enough weekend shifts open for those not present at the first reconnect meeting. Under the current system, it would only take four volunteers at the first reconnect meeting to completely monopolize the weekends for the entire season if they so chose. Although this hasn't happened, it has happened that 5 volunteers were able to reserve nearly 60% of the weekend shifts, and one reserved 16%.
Of course I have no say in the process, as it is ANFFLA's choice how to schedule the towers. I just want to offer the view from the bottom, so to speak. My first season I never returned after my in-tower training because there were no weekend openings. It looks like this is likely to happen again this year. I imagine I'm not the only one.
I realize there are some opportunities to schedule a shift with other volunteers, and signing up for 8 hours with people you have never met might be something a lot of people enjoy. I'm just asking ANFFLA to consider the possibility that not everyone feels the same way. Talking with visitors is great because they circulate through, but signing up for hours-long assignments with strangers is not appealing to everybody.
EDIT: In your reply to my original post, you stated that you prefer more than two volunteers on duty at Vetter, implying that new volunteers can look for shifts with two or less volunteers and try to schedule with them. I tried this approach and my request for a weekend shift where only two people are scheduled was denied. Is there another method I should try?
Direct coordination with the hosts on duty
On at least one occasion when Harry Heflin and I were on duty, other volunteers also came up. They had alerted us (and the team leader) in advance (and were in uniform) so they were able to go in service with us. Covering the shifts was still our responsibility. I did a lot of Fridays my first year. That's life and it gave me added incentive to come back. Fortunately, my situation allowed for those occasional Friday getaways. In fact, some people prefer weekdays - they are often quieter. Things is, I'd like to see things be looser on weekdays. Why not allow someone to take T-W-Th? I couldn't do that; but lots of folks would love it.
I believe, on many occasions, volunteers have also come up as visitors. There are no rules against dropping by and saying "Hello".