Mock/Final Onsite Checklist

FLA-TAC ACCREDITATION ASSESSMENTS MOCK / ON-SITE PLANNING

This checklist can be used as a guide to help ensure a problem free on-site or mock assessment. There are many variables involved in the planning of an assessment, and all of these should be taken into account. The better the prior planning, the better chance the inspection will go smoothly. Remember, “Murphy’s Law” will come into play and states that whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. Try and anticipate problems and address them before the assessors arrive.

Read through the instructions, then use the checklists in the planning packet to help set up your mock or onsite. Complete the checklists with a PENCIL, so you can make changes as necessary (unless you’re the kind that does the crossword puzzle in ink and are certain no changes will occur. Wrong!).

Each item can be checked off as it is completed. Those items identified with a “” are important points to remember.

REQUESTING THE MOCK If you are planning a mock, it is up to the communications center to determine when the mock should be held; FLA-TAC does not have any official role in scheduling or setting up mock assessments, and all arrangements must be made by the communications center. A list of qualified assessors can be obtained directly from FLA-TAC.

How should a mock be conducted? That is up to the communications center and/or the accreditation manager. The best advice is this: use the mock as a “dry run” or dress rehearsal for the on-site. If you conduct the mock as if it were the real thing, you will be able to identify problems and weaknesses and correct or adjust them before the on-site.

SETTING UP THE ON-SITE The CEO or OIC of your communications center can request an on-site assessment, in writing, through the Executive Director of FLA-TAC. There are time constraints involved in this, so check with FLA-TAC to determine potential dates and make certain your mock is scheduled early enough that you will be able to repair everything prior to the on-site (six to eight weeks between the mock and on-site is a good rule of thumb). FLA-TAC may also contact your communications center to notify you that the on-site is being planned. The dates are determined by the terms of your contract with FLA- TAC.

SELECTION OF ASSESSORS For an on-site, FLA-TAC will select a minimum of two individuals from the pool of trained, Commission certified assessors and will appoint one as “Team Leader.” For large communications centers or those with remote locations additional assessors may be necessary.

For a mock, it is the accreditation manager’s responsibility to select assessors and ask one to be Team Leader. As with an on-site, at least two assessors should be chosen for a mock, but the accreditation manager can choose to have more if desired. Alternatively, a Team Leader can be chosen and asked to select his or her team.

Regardless of whether it is a mock or an onsite, after the assessors have been identified, do the following things and ask the following questions:  Make telephone contact with each assessor. Introduce yourself and provide the assessors with your office and cell phone numbers, as well as your e-mail address and fax number.

 Confirm the dates of the assessment, including travel days if needed.

 Ask if the assessor’s agency is providing a vehicle, or if your agency will need to pay a travel allowance (at the standard state rate) for the assessor to use his/her personal vehicle.

FLA-TAC Assessment Checklist 1 July, 2013  If the assessor is flying, obtain information such as flight number, arrival time, etc. If the flight is by department aircraft, provide information on the local flight service center for the agency pilot. Make arrangements to meet the flight at the airport.

 Determine if the assessor has a preference for a smoking or non-smoking hotel room.

 Ask if the assessor has particular exercise needs. This is helpful for selecting a hotel with appropriate equipment.

 Ask if the assessor has any food preferences/food allergies (this is helpful if the communications center is providing snacks during the assessment). Ask the assessor’s beverage preferences (e.g., some people prefer tea and do not drink coffee, some are allergic to ingredients in certain beverages, etc.).

 Ask if the assessor wants any documentation from your communications center in addition to that listed below.

 Determine if the assessor requires any special equipment. For example, the assessors may need extension cords or surge protectors in the hotel rooms or file review room. Will the assessor need an internet connection in his/her hotel room? For an on-site: if an assessor does not have access to a laptop, the communications center will be required to furnish a laptop or desktop computer for use by the assessor.

 Do the assessors have any other special needs?

 Determine if a written request needs to be made to the assessor’s CEO.

 For an on-site, if the Accreditation Manager or CEO wishes to reject an assessor, it must be done in writing to the FLA-TAC Executive Director, who has final authority on the subject. Valid reasons must be presented for the rejection.

 For a mock assessment, it is entirely up to the communications center CEO and/or accreditation manager who is selected for the assessment team. In general, you want to find the most thorough, detail oriented assessors possible.

ADVANCE PLANNING Research area hotels.

Ideally, the hotel should be close to the communications center and close (walking distance) to restaurants. If there are multiple locations and extra assessors have been assigned, they should all stay at the same hotel and transportation arrangements made to coordinate with the assessors activities.

 Make hotel reservations and obtain a reservation confirmation number for each assessor.

 Determine the method of payment and arrange with hotel staff when and how the payment will be made (assessors should be able to check-in and check-out without a problem and without being asked to pay for their room).

 Obtain the name of a contact person at the hotel in case questions or problems arise.

 It is customary and acceptable for the assessors to be asked for a personal credit card for incidentals. The communications center is NOT required to pay for calls home, the honor bar, dry cleaning or any other services.

Mail (snail mail or electronically) to each assessor:

 Self-assessment report (electronic tracking chart)  Current organizational chart  Service area (jurisdiction) demographics

FLA-TAC Assessment Checklist 2 July, 2013  Policy outlining written directive system  Previous two FLA-TAC annual reports (reaccreditation only)  Annual report distributed to the community, if published  Itinerary of the assessment  Mock team names and dates  Hotel accommodation information (confirmation numbers)  Maps  Map to hotel from assessor’s home city.  Map from hotel to communications center  Instructions on parking  Previous onsite team Final Report (reaccreditation only)

 For a final on-site, FLA-TAC will send a letter to the accreditation manager listing all the above items, which MUST be sent to each assessor. FLA-TAC may also ask that some of the above items be sent to the FLA-TAC office. For a mock, you should send the same documents as listed (with the exception of those that don’t apply, like the list of mock assessors).

 Some communications centers have created a booklet or three ring binder containing everything listed, which although is not required, makes a very nice, professional presentation.

TWO TO FOUR WEEKS BEFORE THE ASSESSMENT Through whatever method is appropriate to your communications center, obtain and mail per diem allowance (and any travel allowance) to the assessors.

 If it is decided to present the per diem to the assessors after their arrival, you may want to consider providing it in cash instead of by check, due to the difficulty in cashing checks by assessors from out of town. Assessors should sign whatever documentation or receipts your communications center requires to receive their per diem. Contact each assessor and inform them in advance if the per diem will not be presented until their arrival.

 If for some reason, per diem will not be available until after the assessment, notify the assessors in advance. It is common for some organizations to take up to six weeks to mail a per diem check to an assessor, so let them know if this will occur.

Brief the Command Staff. This may be through a memorandum outlining the process, a staff meeting or by whatever means is most effective. An overview of the process and what to expect (and what NOT to do) is the objective.

 Brief other organization personnel. This is necessary for “buy-in” of personnel and to relieve anxiety the process may have created. Again, an overview of the process and what to expect (and what NOT to do) is the objective.

 Brief other agencies, if appropriate. For example, if personnel hiring practices are not controlled by your communications center but by the city or county Human Resources Section, meet with the proper persons and provide an overview of the process to them. Remember, even if a service is provided by another entity, whether government or private, they must be in compliance with the applicable standards.

But you have of course, been providing all of the above people with regular briefings, reports and updates throughout the entire accreditation process...... haven’t you??????????????

Providing a continuous flow of information to personnel, both those you work with and those from other organizations, is important to the successful completion of accreditation. Personnel are directly affected by this process, and need to develop some ownership over it to achieve maximum comfort levels. At this point it is crucial to keep everyone informed

FLA-TAC Assessment Checklist 3 July, 2013 of the status and progress of the project, so it is critical to keep everyone informed.

 Advertise the onsite. This can be done in any manner the agency feels appropriate (newspaper, television or radio) as long as the public is informed. FLA-TAC can provide a sample press release, and it contains instructions for contacting FLA-TAC if members of the public wish to comment about the agency. A copy of your advertisement (or a tape if using radio or television) should be given to the team leader, as it must be included in his/her final report.

 Check with key personnel (HR Director, Training Officer, etc.), to make sure they will be available during the mock and onsite. If vacations, schools or anything else have already been scheduled, have them get a back-up person trained and familiar with what will need to be done during the assessment.

ONE WEEK BEFORE THE ASSESSMENT  Visit the hotel and confirm all arrangements have been properly made.

 Contact the assessors and determine if any of their plans have changed, or if they require anything beyond what has already been discussed or provided.

 Confirm the assessors have received the packet of information mentioned above.

 Prepare a checklist for communications center personnel. Anything that still needs to be attended to prior to the on-site or mock, or anything that needs to be done during either should be included.

 Distribute the checklist to EVERY person who is even remotely connected to the assessment.

 Be aware that personnel who will be on vacation or on days off just prior to the assessment may not be aware of last minute changes. These will be the first people to let you down, but it won’t be their fault if you haven’t updated them on the “game plan.”

DAY BEFORE THE ASSESSMENT Remember: if something can go wrong, this is the time it will!!!!!

Re-contact the hotel and confirm all arrangements are in place. You may even want to personally visit the site and meet with your contact person just to inform them of any last minute changes.

Contact any other essential personnel and ascertain all final arrangements are in place.

Set up the file review room.

 Relax (this will be virtually impossible, but it sounds nice!). Don’t forget to buy that fifty-five gallon drum of antacid. 

MEETING THE ASSESSORS If it has been arranged ahead of time, meet with the assessors as they arrive in your town and welcome them (consider including your entire accreditation staff, also). It is acceptable to meet them for lunch or dinner, however, it is not appropriate to buy meals for them. As you are paying per diem to the assessors they will each expect to pay for the meal themselves.

 Regardless of whether you have met the assessors when they arrived in your city, be prepared to hold a formal meeting prior to the beginning of the assessment during which the Team Leader will outline the ground rules for the inspection, define strategies, etc. When this meeting is held is solely up to the Team Leader, so you must be flexible FLA-TAC Assessment Checklist 4 July, 2013 in your availability. Team Leaders will want to meet somewhere privately with their team so assignments can be made and procedures explained. These are training sessions for the assessors, are required by FLA-TAC and agency personnel do not attend.

The following is optional, but creates a professional presentation: upon meeting each assessor, present a packet with the following:

 Contact list (communications center contact numbers, home phone numbers, hotel phone number, time/temperature phone number, walk-in clinic number for sudden illnesses, etc). Some organizations have prepared a laminated wallet size card for this purpose.

 List of restaurants (with average prices, types of food, etc).

 List of local attractions.

 One organization had a map of the city affixed to the wall in each assessor’s hotel room. During the night a midnight shift “business checklist” was slipped under each assessor’s door to show the assessors were given a safety check. Another organization had plastic “Assessor” name badges with photographs made for each member of the team. These things are, of course above and beyond what is required by the communications center, but present a very impressive image to the assessors.

 Work out details with the Team Leader for transportation arrangements the first day of the mock or on-site. Will you or your staff drive the assessors to your center? Will you drive but have them follow in their own vehicles? Will they have to find their way to your location without you? Don’t forget the maps!

 If the assessors are driving to your facility and parking requires a special permit, sticker, sign, key, or gate code, have these ready and present them to the assessors the night before the assessment. DON’T LEAVE THE ASSESSORS HANGING – GET 'EM A PARKING SPACE SOMEWHERE!

ASSESSMENT AGENDA Generally the assessment, regardless of whether it is a mock or onsite, will follow this sequence of events:

1. Meet the assessors. 2. Get everyone settled in the file review room. 3. Hold the entrance interview. 4. Conduct the tour. AND GOOD GRIEF – KEEP IT SHORT! 5. File review begins. Some interviews or inspections of organizational components will be done. 6. File review continues for the second day. Interviews or inspections of organizational components will be done and any last minute interviews or inspections are done. 7. Assessors will need time to prepare notes for the exit interview. 8. Exit interview occurs. 9. Assessors leave. 10. You go home and collapse, totally fatigued.

The exact sequence of events may change depending on the needs of the team and the communications center. For example, the CEO or OIC may not be available for an entrance interview until the afternoon of the first day or even the morning of the second day. Be flexible. Be prepared.

What follows are detailed instructions for each day and component of the assessment. Read on in breathless anticipation!

ASSESSMENT - DAY ONE Pick up the assessors and transport them to your office if this has been agreed upon. Otherwise, greet the assessors on FLA-TAC Assessment Checklist 5 July, 2013 their arrival at your office. Allow enough time prior to beginning the entrance interview or tour for everyone to get acquainted and comfortable in their surroundings.

 If security badges/passes with the assessor’s photo or signature are required in your facility, they should be made as soon as the team has arrived (a specially designated pass also becomes a nice souvenir). If non-photo security passes are required, these can be presented the night before with the packet mentioned above. If assessors are required to sign-in before entering the facility, make sure this is accomplished.

Attend the “Entrance” meeting with the assessors and agency Chief Executive or OIC. Anyone the CEO wishes may attend this meeting, but it is usually desirable to keep the meeting small.

 As Accreditation Manager, it is your responsibility to make introductions. Include the assessors name, rank/title, agency and city. Next, introduce agency personnel starting with your CEO/OIC and working down in rank. Alternatively, once the CEO/OIC is introduced he/she can introduce the other attendees.

The CEO/OIC should give a short statement concerning agency commitment, goals, history, etc.

Try to limit the length of the entrance meeting. Remind everyone there is a lot of work to do. Be flexible in the format of this meeting, but demonstrate you are organized. Ten to fifteen minutes is a good rule of thumb.  Have a prepared list of those attending the meeting from your agency. If someone does not attend, draw a line through their name. This list is given to the Team Leader, who must include the list in the final on-site report. This list is not required for a mock.

Interviews and inspections of agency components may begin. Some teams will wait until the second day to do this. Shift briefings may be attended.

By the end of the first day the Team Leader should be able to establish a tentative time for the exit interview on the final day.

ASSESSMENT - DAY TWO  Make certain the file inspection room has been cleared of trash, empty cups, etc. and is generally cleaned up. There is nothing worse than leaving that half-eaten donut or half-empty coffee cup on the table overnight. On the other hand, if your kid needs a science project, leaving food out for the duration of the assessment may be the way to go.

File inspection will continue. Interviews and inspections may continue.

Brief the CEO/OIC at the beginning of the day of the progress to this point. Include any problem areas.

Confirm the time for the exit interview with the CEO/OIC and Team Leader.

Any last minute interviews or details the team needs to clear up will be done at this point.

Be certain the team stays on track. They will need time to prepare notes for the exit interview. During last minute interviews and inspections, assessors have been known to lose track of time, so make it your job to remind them.

Have a prepared list of those attending the exit meeting. If someone does not attend, draw a line through their name. This list is given to the Team Leader, who must include the list in the on-site report. This list is not required for a mock.

Finsh the fifty-five gallon drum of antacid. Go home. Sleep better than you have in weeks 

AGENCY TOUR Pre-plan the tour. Keep the number of those on the tour to a minimum. Too many persons will slow your progress. If those

FLA-TAC Assessment Checklist 6 July, 2013 on the tour are not familiar with the standards, they will hinder more than help your efforts.

Develop a route that is efficient and “flows” well. If this is a mock assessment, the tour will provide an excellent opportunity to gauge the exact time required for the tour. Invariably, tours take longer than the time provided for them. The mock gives you a means to readjust the route and timing for the on-site.

REALLY, REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT NOTE, SO READ THIS TWICE: The tour should not take more than a few minutes, and is designed to orient the assessors with the layout of your facility. It is not the purpose of the tour to meet personnel or to explain the work going on in each office. Assessors will have to interview key personnel and visit key components later during the assessment, so now is not the time to make introductions at each and every office you pass on the tour.

Identify each observation standard. Brightly colored signs placed on those items proved through observation draws attention to them and eliminates questions later.

 Placing a corresponding photograph of each “observation” item in the appropriate file helps to reinforce the assessor’s observations. It is not mandatory to do this, as a photo does not prove compliance with a standard but it does help the assessors.

 An alternative is to prepare a booklet of observation standards that the assessors can carry on the tour and make notes as each item is observed.

 Don’t try to show everything in every drawer, closet, etc. Point out areas of significant interest. If the assessors wish to see anything else, they’ll let you know. If you have weak areas, let the assessors find them (except during a mock, in which case weak areas should be brought to the attention of the team immediately so they can recommend ways to address the problem).

Keep comments brief and to the point. Exhibit your knowledge of standards and methods of compliance, but no “long winded speeches.”

Keep the tour focused on the task at hand. Keep the tour moving. If an assessor wants to wander off, try and keep the group together (remembering, of course that ultimately if the assessor wants to look at something which has caught his or her eye, he or she should be allowed to do so). Despite your best efforts, the entire team or an individual member may want to linger in a particular area or do an in-depth interview of an individual. There may be little you can do if a team member is insistent, but you should at least try.

These are general guidelines which will change from agency to agency. The Team Leader also may have some definite ideas about how and where they want to go (or not go) on the tour, and this must be taken into account. The tour should be pre-planned, but should be flexible enough to allow for individuality among on-site teams.

FILE INSPECTION Arrange for a large enough room to accommodate the team. No other personnel, including accreditation team members or the agency CEO/OIC will be allowed in the room during a final on-site. However, during a mock, the accreditation team and/or CEO/OIC is welcome to sit in, ask questions, take notes, etc.

Try to anticipate what the assessors may require while inspecting the files. Consider providing items such as pens, pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, staplers, legal pads, etc. Don’t forget extension cords/power strips/surge protectors and computer hook-ups for laptops.

Be certain the “resource table” has been set up. The resource table should contain reference materials, items that are too bulky to be placed in files, and complete copies of manuals. For example, you may have excerpts from your S.O.P. manual in each file, but the complete manual should be on the resource table so an S.O.P. can be reviewed in its entirety.

 Other items to consider for the resource table include: a complete copy of the Florida State Statutes; complete city FLA-TAC Assessment Checklist 7 July, 2013 code or county ordinance manual; videotapes that prove training issues; videotapes used for community awareness programs; large, bulky books like comprehensive disaster plans; photo albums of various facility activities; copy of the asset inventory log (which will probably be a massive document in larger organizations), specialized manuals, copy of the budget or anything else you feel necessary.

 Consider creating a virtual resource table – an electronic file folder with items normally found on the resource table. This can be loaded on your computer. This may contain links to Florida Statutes, city ordinances or any other file that would normally appear on a physical resource table. This eliminates the need for an actual table with “stuff” on it.

Exactly what is needed for the resource table will vary from facility to facility; it is up to the Accreditation Manager to anticipate what is needed and make it available.

 For the on-site, since no one will be allowed in the room with the assessors, arrange for a room nearby for the accreditation staff. It should be near enough to the file inspection area that assessors can easily find you to ask questions about files.

Explain at the outset your file construction methods. For a mock, explain “up front” any areas you feel are particularly weak, so the mock team can provide suggestions to resolve the issue.

 Arrange for refreshments (optional). Alternatively arrange for morning and afternoon coffee breaks (optional). It will be a long couple of days and you may want to have beverages and/or snacks continuously available. This is entirely optional and at the communicatoins center’s discretion.

Lunch will be at the discretion of the Team Leader. Some will want to have lunch delivered and continue working. Others will want to eat out. This is up to the team and you should be flexible. Assessors will expect to pay for lunch themselves. Make sure you have collected menus from nearby restaurants in case the assessors want to order lunch and eat while working.

 Occasionally a CEO will want to hold a large “get together” for the assessors and agency staff during the lunch period. This is not wise, as it takes valuable time which should be devoted to the assessment process. In most cases the team leader will decline the invitation, so check prior to the assessment if the CEO wants to plan some special event for the assessment team during the work day.

At the end of the day the assessment team should brief you on their progress (and should have done so throughout the day). A good on-site or mock team will not have any surprises for you.

It is important to keep your CEO and other staff members apprised of the progress of the assessment and any significant issues.

It is possible that for one reason or another, sufficient progress has not been made during the day. It is fairly common for assessors to work all day, break for dinner, and return to work during the evening. The Accreditation Manager should be prepared for this eventuality.

Agencies do not “pass” mock assessments. During a mock, assessors will attempt to find as many deficiencies as possible, including very minor issues. One purpose of a mock is to identify weaknesses and provide suggestions for improvement. The theory is that if all the suggestions made by the mock team are implemented, the on-site should go very smoothly. The mock team will also be looking for strengths and will identify those for the Accreditation Manager.

A good rule of thumb is to allow six to eight weeks between the mock and the on-site in order to address all the issues found during the mock.

It has been consistently found that those who experience tough on-sites usually have failed to take the mock teams suggestions seriously.

FLA-TAC Assessment Checklist 8 July, 2013  During a mock, the team will make handwritten notes either on special forms provided by the accreditation manager, on a legal pad or in the accreditation file (the method for providing these notes is up to the accreditation manager). Generally speaking, there is no final report for a mock. If the communications center CEO or accreditation manager desires a final report on a mock, arrangements should be made with the Team Leader when the mock is first arranged.

Key personnel may be required to be present for interviews by the on-site or mock team. Determine who these are in advance, and be sure they have not planned any days off during the on-site.

 Vacations, conferences, or schools that have been previously scheduled may preclude key personnel from being available. If so, be certain someone reliable is thoroughly briefed, available, and knows what to expect.

 Always plan for sudden illnesses or other emergencies of key people, and have someone ready as “back-up” should it be necessary.

DEFENDING YOUR FILES Be prepared to defend your files. Part of the accreditation manager’s job is to explain his/her agency’s position and philosophy. Assessors are only at your facility for a short time, and do not understand the “ins and outs” of your operations and those things which make you unique. If an assessor questions you or any other staff about the contents of a file, specific practices or anything else, it is probably because they are trying to understand your operation. Often, with an explanation from the accreditation manager, a confusing or problematic issue can be easily resolved.

If, after a reasonable explanation on your part, the assessors still are not satisfied, no further attempts to clarify the issue should be made. Above all, don’t argue with the assessors - their decision will be based on their experience and training and nothing personal is meant if they do not accept your explanation. There can be a fine line between arguing/being combative and defending your position.

During an on-site, if a standard is found to be out of compliance, the Team Leader must telephone the FLA-TAC Executive Director and discuss the matter. Often, these discussions lead to practical suggestions for coming into compliance with the standard. The assessors, in their final report, will list those areas they feel are not in compliance with the standards, and it is up to the Executive Director/Commission to make the final determination regarding issues of compliance/non-compliance. If you feel strongly enough about your agency’s position, you can appeal the assessor’s report.

In many cases during an on-site, if an issue can be resolved and brought into compliance prior to the end of the inspection, the communications center will be allowed to make the necessary changes to accomplish this.

EXIT INTERVIEW Arrange for a large enough room to accommodate the assessment team, accreditation team and any persons the CEO/OIC invites. If the CEO/OIC wishes to have the exit interview taped, arrange for video equipment.

If necessary, arrange for accommodations for the media (please see comments below).

The Accreditation Manager must ensure the team has sufficient time to prepare their report for the exit meeting. In the rush to get things done, this may sometimes be overlooked, so monitor the time carefully.

The Accreditation Manager again introduces the team, should introduce those present at the meeting and should thank the team for their efforts. The meeting is then turned over to the Team Leader.

Although the format may vary depending on the needs of the team, generally each team member will give a verbal report of the chapters/areas he or she inspected. Strengths as well as weaknesses will be covered, problems identified and exemplary programs discussed.

FLA-TAC Assessment Checklist 9 July, 2013 At the conclusion of the report, the team should allow a question/answer period from the attendees.

After the report has been given, the CEO/OIC should be provided an opportunity to thank the team and make any other comments he/she finds appropriate.

 Have a prepared list of those attending the meeting from your agency and from other organizations (city or county commission, City Manager, etc.). If someone does not attend that is on the list, draw a line through their name. This list is given to the Team Leader, who must include the list in the final report. This is not required for a mock.

 At the agency’s discretion, the team members can be presented with mementos or souvenirs of their visit. These can be presented either at the exit interview or privately. It is also appropriate for the CEO to write a letter of appreciation either to the assessor or to FLA-TAC to thank the assessors for their time and efforts.

 If the CEO/OIC wishes to treat the team to breakfast or lunch, it is appropriate to do so on the last day, but is totally optional, and should only be done if the assessors are not receiving per diem for the final meal of the day.

SPECIAL NOTE: Some organizations have invited the press to the exit interview. Be certain you want them there. Remember that weaknesses and deficiencies may be discussed at this meeting. Generally, if the CEO wants to hold a press briefing it is preferable to have it after the exit meeting. If a member of the team is to be interviewed by the media, the responsibility falls to the Team Leader.

MISCELLANEOUS First impressions are extremely important! If your building sparkles, there are no unusual odors, no cobwebs and everyone acts and looks professional, it will help form a favorable opinion in the minds of the assessors. Get rid of those boxes that have cluttered the hallway for years! Dispose of all that “stuff” you’ll never use that’s been piling up for the last decade!

The assessors must interview staff to complete the inspection. The number of personnel interviewed and when it is done is solely at the discretion of the Team Leader, but be assured “informal” interviews will be occurring constantly. Formal interviews are totally confidential, may be held on any shift and are not under the control of the Accreditation Manager (with the exception that off-duty personnel can not be required to report for an interview). The interview process is mandatory for the assessment team. For an on-site, a list of persons interviewed must be provided by the Team Leader in his/her report.

Be prepared for the assessors to attend shift briefings; the assessors will pick the briefing(s) they wish to attend.

Have miscellaneous facts/figures about your agency, jurisdiction, etc. available. Assessors may ask for community population figures, crime statistics, calls for service, etc. You may wish to prepare a booklet or handout of some type in advance with this information. It will be incorporated into the final report for an onsite. In many cases, the Team Leader may request you put some of this information (agency profile) on computer disk so it can be imported easily into the report.

During the on-site, assessors will open doors, drawers, cabinets, etc. and should be given the freedom to do so.

If your agency requires special security in a particular area, don’t let the assessors in without signing simply “because they are assessors.” Some assessors have been known to balk at signing into a secure area, which is wrong if they’re serious - or maybe they’re testing your security practices? Security issues must be applied equally and no special exception should be made for the assessors.

Use the checklists which follow to help you prepare for your assessment. And please feel free to contact me at any time should you have questions, comments or issues you don’t know how to handle.

Developed by Bob Brongel [email protected]

FLA-TAC Assessment Checklist 10 July, 2013 (941) 915-1515

July, 2013

ASSESSMENT PLANNING PACKET

PLANNING THE ASSESSMENT

Preferred dates: ______through ______

Alternate dates: ______through ______

CEO Approval:  No  Yes

Approval from CEO obtained by: ______Date:______

Agency personnel notified:  No  Yes Notification made by:______

FL/PAC Website request for assessors: Date: ______

Possible Assessors:

______Phone or E-Mail Address:______ Accept  Decline

FLA-TAC Assessment Checklist 11 July, 2013 ______Phone or E-Mail Address:______ Accept  Decline

______Phone or E-Mail Address:______ Accept  Decline

The Team Leader is:______

PLANNING THE ASSESSMENT

ON-SITE

Preferred dates: ______through ______

Alternate dates: ______through ______

CEO approval:  No  Yes

Approval from CEO obtained by: ______Date:______

Agency personnel notified:  No  Yes

Notification made by:______

Agency personnel notified:  No  Yes

Notification made by:______

FLA-TAC Assessment Checklist 12 July, 2013 Assessors are assigned by FLA-TAC

______Phone or E-Mail Address:______Team Leader

______Phone or E-Mail Address:______Team Member

ASSESSMENT TEAM

Team Leader

Name:______Rank______Agency:______Mailing Address:______City______Zip Code:______Office Phone:______Mobile Phone:______E-mail:______Other Phone:______

 Non-Smoking room  Smoking room

 Driving agency vehicle  Driving personal vehicle (needs mileage)

Travel day(s) needed:  Yes  No Travel dates:______

Letter to CEO needed:  Yes  No Date sent:______By:______Date reply received:______

FLA-TAC Assessment Checklist 13 July, 2013 Special Needs/Notes: ______

ASSESSMENT TEAM

Team Member

FLA-TAC Assessment Checklist 14 July, 2013 Special Needs/Notes: ______

ASSESSMENT TEAM

Team Member

Name:______Rank______Agency:______Mailing Address:______City______Zip Code:______Office Phone:______Mobile Phone: ______E-mail:______Other Phone:______

Special Needs/Notes: ______

FLA-TAC Assessment Checklist 15 July, 2013 ______

ASSESSMENT TEAM

Team Member

Special Needs/Notes: ______FLA-TAC Assessment Checklist 16 July, 2013 ______

Hotel:______Address:______City______Phone:______Contact:______Title:______Contact Phone(s):______

Payment Method:  Agency Credit Card Card Type______Number______ Agency Check Number______Cost Center/Account______ Agency Purchase Order P.O, Number______

Confirmation Numbers: Team Leader:______Team Member:______Team Member:______Team Member:______

Special Requests/Miscellaneous Notes/Comments:______

FLA-TAC Assessment Checklist 17 July, 2013 ______

INFORMATION PACKETS

The following should be mailed to each assessment team member. If this is an onsite, a copy must also be sent to FLA-TAC for your agency:

 Self-assessment Report (electronic tracking chart)  Current organizational chart  Service area (jurisdiction) demographics  Policy outlining written directive system  Previous two FLA-TAC annual reports (for reaccreditation only)  Annual report distributed to the community, if published  Itinerary of the assessment and agency tour  Mock team names and dates  Hotel accommodation information (confirmation numbers)  Maps  Map to hotel from assessor’s home city.  Map from hotel to communications center.  Instructions on parking

 Previous onsite team Final Report (reaccreditation only)

 Welcome letter(s) – Not required, but a very nice touch.

Mailed to:

 Team Leader Date:______By:______ Team Member Date:______By:______ Team Member Date:______By:______ Team Member Date:______By:______ FLA-TAC Date:______By:______

FLA-TAC Assessment Checklist 18 July, 2013 ASSESSMENT PLANNING PACKET

FILE REVIEW & WORK SPACE

GENERAL  Room large enough to accommodate assessors

 Sufficient seating for accreditation staff (only for mock – accreditation staff is not allowed inside the room during an on-site)

 Telephone Line

 Surge protectors

 Extension cords

 Trash containers (believe it or not, this is really important)

 Thumb Drives/DVDs

 White Board or Paper Flip Chart with appropriate markers

 Office Supplies (not really used that much, but nice to have)

 Highlighters (in the color normally used for your files)  Stapler/staples  Paper clips  Pens  Pads

RESOURCE TABLE:

What is actually on this table will vary from agency to agency. Use this list as a guide and feel free to add items as necessary, or cross through those things which do not apply to your agency. Consider creating an electronic “virtual” resource table.

 Complete SOP/General Orders Manual

 Complete copy of Florida Statutes

 City Code or County Ordinance Manual

 Budget

 Videos/DVDs of specialized programs, training exercises, community awareness programs

 Disaster Plan (CEMP)

 Photo Albums

 Asset Inventory Log

 HazMat Book FILE REVIEW & WORK SPACE

Assessment Checklist 19 July, 2013 continued

 ICS/NIMS Manual

 City/County Personnel Policy Manual

 Union Contract(s)/Civil Service Booklets

 Annual Agency Audit (usually done by an outside accounting firm)

 Agency Telephone List or Contact List

 Other______

 Training Manuals

 CTO Manual

 Specialized Manuals

 ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

OPTIONAL

 Map of jurisdiction

 Portable Radio

 Computer Terminal with access to agency intranet system (don’t forget passwords)

 Coffee Pot/Cups

 Beverages/Snacks

 Plates/Silverware/Napkins

FLA-TAC Assessment Checklist 20 July, 2013 THE OH MY GOSH! WHAT DID I FORGET? CHECKLIST

These items are in no particular order. This is just a final checklist to cover all those things you don’t want to forget and which may not be mentioned elsewhere in this packet. Not everything is going to be done by every agency. For example, in some agencies keys will not be provided to the assessors. Some will not have building maintenance issues. Those things which do not apply to your situation can be crossed through and ignored.

 One final check of files to ensure proofs are up-to-date  List of possible assessor questions prepared and distributed by:______ Welcome packets/letters assigned to or prepared by:______ Person assigned to set up file review room:______ Person assigned to set up resource table:______ CD/DVD with agency profile prepared (for Team Leader. Required for on-site, but not for mock)  Agency identification prepared by:______ Facility keys obtained. Key numbers:______ Personnel designated to meet, drive or escort assessors:______ Parking spaces obtained/reserved by:______ Per diem requested by: ______Date:______ Per Diem obtained  Per Diem mailed on:______ Per diem receipts obtained/prepared by ______ Agenda Developed by: ______ Exemplary Project selected:______ Exemplary Project materials collected for Team Leader  Tour planned  All agency personnel notified of mock/onsite dates by ______ Maintenance crew notified to fix: ______

 Cleaning crew notified to ensure following areas are not overlooked: ______

THE OH MY GOSH! WHAT DID I FORGET? CHECKLIST continued

FLA-TAC Assessment Checklist 21 July, 2013  Key personnel needed for interviews: ______Date notified______Date notified______Date notified______Date notified______Date notified______Date notified______Date notified______Date notified______Date notified______Date notified______Date notified______Date notified______

 Beverages______ Snacks ______ Person assigned to coordinate ______

Other Things I Don't Want To Forget: ______

FLA-TAC Assessment Checklist 22 July, 2013