Information Technology and the Fire District

• Author: Raymond S. DiRaddo
• Pages: 665-690

Chapter 13

Information Technology

and the Fire District

New York Fire District Officers’ Guide

§13:1 13-2

§13:1 INTRODUCTION

The term “Information Technology” or “IT“ covers a wide range of issues and impacts the full gambit of

responsibilities within the fire district and the Board of Fire Commissioners. This chapter touches upon some

of these issues of information technology and its impact on the fire district. Different sections of the New York

Fire District Officers‘ Guide are mentioned in this chapter to emphasize the impact that technology and IT has

on fire districts.

§13:1.1 NEW YORK STATE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY GUIDANCE PUBLICATIONS

§13:1.2 OFFICE OF THE NEW YORK STATE COMPTROLLER

The New York State Office of the State Comptroller Division of Local Government and School Accountability

publishes guides to assist local governments. These guides outline the responsibilities and duties of local

government, including the fire districts, in the information technology area. These guides are

1) Information Technology Security LOCAL GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT GUIDE March 2009, http://

osc.state.ny.us/localgov/pubs/lgmg/itsecurity.pdf;

2) Information Technology Governance LOCAL GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT GUIDE March 2012

http://osc.state.ny.us/localgov/pubs/lgmg/itgovernance.pdf; and

3) Management’s Responsibility for internal control LOCAL GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT GUIDE Octo-

ber 2010., http://osc.state.ny.us/...lgmg/managementsresponsibility.pdf

(Excerpts from these publications are mentioned in this chapter)

§13:1.2.1 SECURITY SELF-ASSESSMENT TEST

In the Information Technology Guidance publication there is a security self-assessment which every fire

district should complete to make their Board of Fire Commissioners aware of their IT responsibilities.

§13:1.2.2 AUDIT CONSIDERATIONS

Boards of Fire Commissioners should be aware that recent audits by the Office of the New York State

Comptroller have touched upon the shortcomings of some fire districts and other local governments to address

their IT responsibilities. Recent audits made recommendations to:

• Developadisasterrecoveryplanforthef‌inancialsystemanddatathatincludesverif‌icationofdataintegrity

and successful restoration

• Ensure written agreements are executed with outside service agencies that specify the services to be pro-

vided and the rights and responsibilities of each party

• Establish policies and procedures for the secure storage and transport of sensitive information residing on

computer hard drive

• Establishaninformationbreachnotif‌icationpolicyasrequiredbytechnologylaw

• Restrict the installation of all software to only technology department employees

§13:1.2.3 OFFICE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

The New York Office of Technology Services provides several practical guides which are a general overview of

issues associated with cybersecurity. These references are meant to increase IT security awareness for fire district

commissioners, secretaries, treasurers, officers, employees and members. These guides can be found at http:/its.

ny.gov/local-government.