Budgeting- Who And Why?

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Budgeting can be quite a complicated task.

I've always wondered, even as a volunteer in the past, how do volunteer Chiefs and officers learn how to prepare a budget to present to their muncipality?

Is it just knowledge that's passed down? Do ex-cheifs familiar with the process help the current chief?

Are their budgeting classes offered? Is an accountant brought it?

Budgeting is important, and an efficient, well written one can do wonders for your department. Is it more than just "we'll buy this and do this"?

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In our Department the Line Officers put requests in to the Chief. Then the Chiefs will present their wish list to the Board of Fire Commissioners who in my District hold the purse strings. Pretty simple and as long as you have a Board like ours, it's pretty simple. Our Board will get us anything we request as long, and here's the key, as it can be well justified. On a side note we have been very fortunate with the Boards we've had over the recent years. They are up on the legal matters involving the District, and they are excellent about paying for training.

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The answer likely is All of the Above

Is it just knowledge that's passed down? Do ex-cheifs familiar with the process help the current chief?

I think past officers on both the line and administrative side either directly teach their successors or at least make themselves avalible for questions, on the budget.

Are their budgeting classes offered? Is an accountant brought it?

Budgeting is overed in CT's Fire Officer 2. With the advent of so many grant programs, there are grant writing seminars that cover some of these issues. Sometimes there are outside accountats brought in, but more often than not there are members with the skills needed to prepare a reasonable budget.

Budgeting is important, and an efficient, well written one can do wonders for your department. Is it more than just "we'll buy this and do this"?

It certainly should be more than this. It should be based on what we need to provide, what we are able to provide, and what we could potentially provide with better funding.