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Standards of Cover and

Headquarters Services

Assessment

for the

May 26, 2015

2250 East Bidwell St., Ste #100 Folsom, CA 95630

(916) 458-5100 Fax: (916) 983-2090

Cosumnes CSD

Fire Department

Management Consultants Folsom (Sacramento), CA

Volume 1 of 3 –

Executive Report

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Cosumnes CSD Fire Department—Standards of Cover and Headquarters Services Assessment

Volume 1—Executive Summary

Table of Contents page i

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section Page

VOLUME 1 of 3 – Executive Summary (this volume)

1.1 Policy Choices Framework ............................................................................. 1

1.2 Citygate’s Overall Opinions on the State of the District’s Fire Services ........ 1

1.3 Challenge – Field Operations Deployment (Fire Stations) ............................. 2

1.4 Overall Deployment Evaluation ...................................................................... 3

1.5 Overall Headquarters Services Evaluation ...................................................... 4

1.6 Deployment Findings and Recommendations ................................................. 7

1.7 Headquarters and Support Services Findings and Recommendations .......... 11

1.8 Next Steps ...................................................................................................... 16

1.8.1 Short-Term Steps ............................................................................... 17

1.8.2 Long-Term Steps ............................................................................... 17

Table of Tables

Table 11, Volume 2—Dispatched to 1st Arrival Minutes/Seconds for FY 13/14 ............................2

VOLUME 2 of 3 – Standards of Cover and Headquarters Services Assessment

Technical Report (separately bound)

VOLUME 3 of 3 – Map Atlas (separately bound)

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Volume 1—Executive Summary page 1

VOLUME 1—EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Cosumnes Fire Department (the

Department), a division of the Cosumnes

Community Services District (the District)

retained Citygate Associates, LLC to

perform a Standards of Cover Assessment

for field deployment and a review of

headquarters staffing functions for the Fire

Department. This study included reviewing

the adequacy of the existing deployment

system from the current fire station

locations. This report is presented in two

volumes, including this Executive Summary (Volume 1) summarizing our findings and

recommendations, and a Technical Report (Volume 2) that includes a Standards of Coverage

(deployment) assessment and a headquarters staffing review.

1.1 POLICY CHOICES FRAMEWORK

First, as the District’s Board of Directors understands, there are no mandatory federal or state

regulations directing the level of fire service response times and outcomes. The body of

regulations on the fire service provides that if fire services are provided, they must be done so

with the safety of the firefighters and citizens in mind (see regulatory discussion in Volume 2).

Historically, the District has made significant investments in its fire services, and as a result, has

good fire and emergency medical services (EMS) response coverage in the most populated

sections of the District in the cities of Elk Grove and Galt.

1.2 CITYGATE’S OVERALL OPINIONS ON THE STATE OF THE DISTRICT’S FIRE SERVICES

In brief, Citygate finds that the challenge of providing fire services in the District is similar to

that found in many suburban communities: providing an adequate level of fire services within the

context of limited fiscal resources, competing needs, growing and aging populations, plus

uncertainty surrounding the exact timing of future development in areas of both cities that have

not yet built out. The District today is currently meeting its needs through its own fire response

resources and, on occasions, through the use of partnerships with its neighbors in the automatic

and mutual aid system. The deployment system largely meets the District’s current demands but

needs adjustment as growth occurs and both cities (and to a smaller extent, the unincorporated

areas) continue to evolve to build-out of their current General Plans. Throughout this report,

Citygate makes observations, key findings, and, where appropriate, specific action item




recommendations. Overall, there are 34 key findings and 30 specific action item

recommendations.

1.3 CHALLENGE – FIELD OPERATIONS DEPLOYMENT (FIRE STATIONS)

Fire department deployment, simply stated, is about the speed and weight of the attack. Speed

calls for first-due, all-risk intervention units (engines, ladder trucks, and/or ambulances)

strategically located across a department. These units are tasked with controlling moderate

emergencies without the incident escalating to second alarm or greater size, which unnecessarily

depletes department resources as multiple requests for service occur. Weight is about multiple-

unit response for serious emergencies such as a room and contents structure fire, a multiple-

patient incident, a vehicle accident with extrication required, or a heavy rescue incident. In these

situations, enough firefighters must be assembled within a reasonable time frame to safely

control the emergency, thereby keeping it from escalating to greater alarms.

In Volume 2 of this study, Standards of Cover and Headquarters Services Assessment Technical

Report, Citygate’s analysis of prior response statistics and use of geographic mapping tools

reveals that the District has adequate fire station coverage for the existing most populated areas.

The maps provided in Volume 3 and the corresponding text explanation beginning in Volume 2

describes in detail the District’s current deployment system performance.

For effective outcomes on serious medical emergencies and to keep serious, but still-emerging,

fires small, best practices recommend that the first-due fire unit should arrive within 7 minutes of

fire dispatch alerting the fire unit, 90% of the time. In the District, the current fire station system

provides the following unit coverage, across a variety of population density/risk areas for

emergency medical and fire incident types:

Table 11, Volume 2—Dispatched to 1st Arrival Minutes/Seconds for FY 13/14

Station

Dispatched to 1st

Arrival Time

45 06:26

46 09:59

71 06:48

72 09:35

73 07:00

74 07:21

75 07:52

76 07:04




As Volume 2 of this report will detail, the dispatch and crew turnout times are good. However,

the travel times are long, resulting in total response times past a Citygate recommended and best

practices consistent goal of 7 minutes from fire dispatch receiving the 9-1-1 call. In the District,

the travel times are long, reflective of the size of some station areas and for road network design

and open space areas. Short of adding more stations or peak-hour activity units for simultaneous

incidents, for a modest number of emergencies between the 7th

and 10th

minute of total response

time, given the District’s geography, there is no way to appreciably lower the travel times.

The Department is staffed for two serious building fires at a time and multiple medical calls for

service at the same time. The regional automatic and mutual aid response system delivers greater

alarm and multiple-incident support, when needed, although with longer response times.

1.4 OVERALL DEPLOYMENT EVALUATION

The Department serves a diverse land use pattern in a geographically challenging area in the

Sacramento Valley. Permanent open spaces, freeways, and waterways bisect the communities

served. Population drives service demand and development brings population. The outer, more

lightly-populated and rural areas of the District have slower response times typical of rural areas

in similar sections of California.

While the state-mandated Fire Code requires fire sprinklers in dwellings, it will be many more

decades before enough buildings are added, replaced, or remodeled using automatic fire

sprinklers. For the foreseeable future, the District will need both first-due firefighting unit and

Effective Response Force (First Alarm) coverage in all parts of the District, consistent with

current best practices for differing population densities and risks to be protected.

The District has appropriately looked ahead and already obtained land for additional fire stations

in growth areas. As this study will show, the stations are generally well located, but fine-tuning

could be necessary as final subdivisions are given final design approvals and actually built.

If the District wants to provide the three outcomes below, the District needs the current eight fire

stations and at least three additional stations across southern Elk Grove.

Provide equitable response times to all similar risk neighborhoods

Provide for depth of response when multiple incidents occur

Provide for a concentration of response forces in the core for high risk venues.

For its current risks and desired outcomes, the Department has the correct quantity of fire

engines (pumpers) and ladder trucks, partially due to its strong automatic aid partnerships with

the neighboring fire departments. The Department has enough ambulances, except at peak hours

of the day, when the four ambulances in the core of Elk Grove have reached capacity. This study

will set out a roadmap for adding ambulance resources over time to maintain response times as




populations and incidents increase. The staffing per unit and daily total Department-wide is

appropriate and consummate with the risks in urban/suburban areas.

The first deployment step for the District in the near term is to adopt performance measures from

which to set forth service expectations and, on an annual basis, monitor Fire Department

performance as part of its annual budgeting process. Then the District should strive to fund the

addition of a seventh part-time ambulance, and over time, provide for the needed replacement or

repair of fire stations as they continue to age. New stations can be built with impact fees and

staffed when there is enough increased revenue to do so from aggregate new development.

1.5 OVERALL HEADQUARTERS SERVICES EVALUATION

Citygate’s review of headquarters programs revealed three over-arching issues facing the

Department:

1. Becoming a data-driven organization – The Department has significant problems

with the quality and completeness of incident response data, and that is only one

of several issues with the Department’s current Records Management System

(RMS) (Firehouse). In addition, the Department had a paramedic patient

Electronic Patient Care Report (ePCR) for a period of time and reverted back to a

paper PCR system due to significant issues with the program. The Department is

implementing ImageTrend, a web-hosted RMS that also includes an integrated

ePCR and electronic fire inspections. The challenge now is the staff time to

complete the configuration of the system and then presenting training for the new

RMS and ensuring compliance. This will be a first step in becoming a data-driven

organization.

2. Training and Development – There is a training facility and a training schedule,

but there is no comprehensive training plan or comprehensive career development

program. The training section provides a lot of training appropriate for a

department of this size. The Battalion Chief in charge of the training program

understands the critical issues on which the firefighters need to focus, but without

a comprehensive career development based training program, there is less

consistency. For example, the recruit academy for this year will be 22 weeks long,

the prior academy was 16 weeks long; the Department recently had emergency

vehicle operation training at the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District (Metro

Fire) training site for which it traded use of its tower to Metro Fire, but given the

out-of-District time and cost, now the Department is wondering if it should travel

to Metro Fire’s site again. In addition, the Department now provides technical

rescue and paramedic-based EMS, and the Department struggles to keep training




and continuing education current with mandated training requirements for both

services.

A career development plan that mapped out the basics of a career from Firefighter

through Battalion Chief would encourage employees who wished to get ahead and

pursue development. It would also provide all employees with a clear road map

for career development; senior employees could use it to mentor junior

employees; and junior employees could map out their careers from the start.

3. Organizational Design Imbalance Due to Recession-Induced Constraints – What

are the Department’s strategic priorities in a new economy? Pre-recession, over

years of explosive community growth, the District was able to fund a generous

level of fire services, especially in administrative programs, which is frankly

atypical for most suburban fire departments with eight fire stations. Many

programs were added for an all-risk response system, even if the actual risks and

probabilities of some incident types were small. The Department still has

programs at some levels that only large departments provide.

The recession caused serious personnel reductions, first in headquarters and then

in line fire station staffing. In all, 11.5 full-time headquarters positions were

eliminated. Three 24-hour shift-based Battalion Chiefs were eliminated who

covered the southern District and Galt areas. Three line firefighter positions (one

per shift) on both Rescue Engine 45 and Rescue Engine 71 were eliminated. Since

April 2013, the Department has been browning-out (closing) one engine per shift.

As a result, the affected companies are not staffed 87% of the time. The

Department is beginning to phase-out of this reduction.

The current organization chart shows an organization that is somewhat out of

balance. The Fire Chief has two direct reports, the Deputy Chief and Fire

Marshal, and in theory, co-responsibility for the entire Administration section.

The Administration section contains 4.75 positions; however, no one person is in

charge of overall administration. The reporting in this area is split between the

Fire Chief and Deputy Chief. The Administrative Battalion Chief reports to the

Deputy Chief and the Senior Management Analyst (budget and finance) reports to

the Fire Chief. Both of these two positions have large responsibilities.

Then the Assistant to the Fire Chief, while reporting to the Fire Chief, is one of

only 3.5 office support professionals in the entire headquarters unit. One of these

positions is dedicated to ambulance billing. The Assistant to the Fire Chief is also

tasked with assisting the Deputy Chief and some of his direct reports.




The Deputy Chief has ten direct reports including the three Duty Battalion Chiefs,

Special Operations, EMS, Training, Fleet Management, an Administration

Battalion Chief, and logistics. The span of control for the Deputy Chief is an issue

that both the Fire Chief and Operations Chief realize and understand is untenable

for long-term organizational effectiveness. For the Operations Chief, it is beyond

the organizational span of control norms utilized by the Incident Command

System (ICS) of 3 to 7 personnel reporting.

There is also, by any measure used in Citygate’s experience, an insufficient

number of Office Support Professionals at a total of 3.5, one of whom is totally

committed to ambulance billing. As a result, office support work not completed

either remains incomplete or flows to the Assistant to the Fire Chief, who has to

work extra hours frequently to keep up. During the recession-caused reductions,

one Administration Specialist was cut which leads to the workload challenges

today and going forward faced by the office support team.

The result is that many of the Department’s headquarters staff feel overwhelmed

with administrative work, a growing new development and emergency incident

volume, and yet, not a dramatic economic recovery in overall revenues. The

normal human feeling is, “if we only had the lost positions back, everything

would be fine.” The reality is that the Department has persevered, gained

efficiencies, and headquarters personnel often work outside normal working hours

to complete the administrative work. Revenues have not yet completely recovered

and may not for a long period of time. In the near future, it is not possible, nor

necessary, to add back every reduced position; however, a balance must be

achieved.

However, the economy based on housing wealth has been permanently damaged.

Recovery, if at all, will not be as rapid as the downturn. Citygate believes that

some members in the Department have yet to confront and address the new

economic realities. For the first time in years, in the current members’ careers, the

Department really has to determine service priorities and methods to triage them

in importance against realistic revenues. Some services may have to stop, be

curtailed, or performed increasingly on a shared basis with regional partners.

This study and the accompanying strategic plan will guide the Department members and District

leadership through these issues and solidify a data-driven, cost-beneficial fire and EMS services

plan for the future.

The recession-caused reduction in headquarters and line supervision positions cannot all be

restored immediately or completely, given current revenue forecasts. The Department has to

triage its remaining headquarters capacity to the programs that deliver day-to-day services first,




along with ensuring safe, effective operations for the workforce. Overall, Citygate suggests the

Department’s leadership—both command and union—adopt the theme of “Meet Mandates, Live

Within Your Revenues.”

1.6 DEPLOYMENT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Citygate’s deployment findings and recommendations are listed below. For reference purposes,

the findings and recommendation numbers refer to the sequential numbers as these are presented

in the technical report volume.

Finding #1: The District Directors have not adopted a complete and best-practices-based

deployment measure or set of specialty response measures for all-risk emergency

responses that includes the beginning time measure from the point of fire dispatch

receiving the 9-1-1 phone call, nor a goal statement tied to risks and outcome

expectations. The deployment measure should have a second measurement

statement to define multiple-unit response coverage for serious emergencies.

Making these deployment goal changes will meet the best practice

recommendations of the Commission on Fire Accreditation International.

Finding #2: The Department has a standard response dispatching plan that considers the risk

of different types of emergencies and pre-plans the response. Each type of call for

service receives the combination of engine companies, truck companies,

ambulances, specialty units, and command officers customarily needed to handle

that type of incident based on fire department experience.

Finding #3: Apparatus staffing is appropriate for the size and risks present in the District.

Finding #4: Using the current eight fire station locations, not including automatic aid stations,

the highest population density developed areas are within 4 minutes travel time of

a fire station. This does not occur in southeast Elk Grove, where an additional

station is planned.

Finding #5: A neighborhood-based fire unit within a best practice recommendation of 4 to 5

minutes travel time covers all of the District’s neighborhoods, except for small

outer-edge areas.

Finding #6: The District’s urban population density areas are within 8 minutes travel time of

an Effective Response Force assignment of 4 engines, 2 ladder trucks, 2 Battalion

Chiefs, and 1 ambulance unit.

Finding #7: The three proposed additional fire stations in southern Elk Grove would improve

first-due unit and multiple-unit coverage. Given the unknown timing of growth in




each station area, it cannot be determined at this time which station will be needed

first.

Finding #8: Eventually, the District will be too large for one ladder truck once at least two of

the three new southern Elk Grove stations are opened. The best-fit location for a

second ladder truck would be Station 78b for southern Elk Grove coverage and to

provide a closer ladder truck to Galt.

Finding #9: While Galt has long-term plans to develop more, especially in the northeast area,

the need and location for a third fire station cannot easily be determined at this

time. When final subdivision plans are approved and funded for construction, a

fire station location could be determined.

Finding #10: When the third fire station is open in Galt, the City is too far from the southern

Elk Grove ladder truck at site 78b.

Finding #11: The District’s time of day, day of week, and month of year calls for service

demands are very consistent. This means the District needs to operate a fairly

consistent 24/7/365 response system.

Finding #12: The Sacramento Regional Fire/EMS Communications Center’s dispatch

processing times are very good and meet national recommendations.

Finding #13: The District’s turnout times are consistently under 2 minutes from station to

station, which is very good. As such, no corrective action is needed.

Finding #14: The travel times in the District are long which is reflective of the size of some

station areas and other reasons. Short of adding more stations or peak-hour

activity units for simultaneous incidents, for a modest number of emergencies

between the 4th

and 7th

minute of travel, given the District’s geography, there is no

way to appreciably lower the travel times.

Finding #15: The Department is presently tracking incident response time stamps for units by

chassis IDs which does not allow determination of first-due unit total response

time measures and Effective Response Force (First Alarm) time measures.

Finding #16: Due to high daylight hour ambulance utilization and multi-unit commitment

demand, the Department is close to needing to field a part-time ambulance during

weekday business hours in Elk Grove.

Recommendation #1: Given the uncertain timing and location of new development in

southern Elk Grove, the Department has to retest the existing three




proposed station sites to determine if they are still in the best locations

as final subdivision streets are approved and better fire unit time-over-

distance analysis can be conducted.

Recommendation #2: When the District adds at least two more fire stations and becomes

too large for one ladder truck, the District should add a second ladder

truck at Station 78b for southern Elk Grove coverage and to provide a

closer ladder truck to Galt.

Recommendation #3: If the proposed growth in Galt occurs, especially in the northeast area,

a third fire station location should be planned. It is too soon to locate

the exact best fire parcel.

Recommendation #4: Once a third station in Galt is added, the District can determine if

risks and incident workloads require staffing a third engine and an

aerial ladder truck as a fourth unit in Galt, or having the third station

unit be a single crew quint (pumper/ladder truck).

Recommendation #5: The Department has to stop tracking time stamps by chassis IDs and

convert to tracking fire engine unit numbers that align with fire

station area IDs. The implementation of the ImageTrend Records

Management System will address this problem.

Recommendation #6: Due to high daylight hour ambulance utilization and multi-unit

commitment demand, the Department is close to needing to add a

part-time ambulance during weekday business hours in Elk Grove.

Recommendation #7: Adopt Updated District Board of Directors Deployment Measures

Policies: The District elected officials should adopt updated, best-

practices-based performance measures to direct fire crew planning

and to monitor the operation of the Department. The measures of time

should be designed to deliver outcomes that will save patients

medically salvageable upon arrival; and to keep small, but serious

fires from becoming greater alarm fires. With this is mind, Citygate

recommends the following measures:

7.1 Distribution of Fire Stations: To treat medical patients and

control small fires, the first-due unit should arrive within 7

minutes, 90% of the time from the receipt of the 9-1-1 call in

the regional fire dispatch center. This equates to 1 minute




dispatch time, 2 minutes company turnout time, and 4 minutes

drive time in the most populated areas.

7.2 Multiple-Unit Effective Response Force for Serious

Emergencies: To confine fires near the room of origin, to stop

wildland fires to under three acres when noticed promptly, and

to treat up to five medical patients at once, a multiple-unit

response force from the regionally agreed to response plan

consisting of a minimum of 4 engines, 2 ladder trucks, 1

ambulance, and two chief officers (one from automatic aid)

totaling 20 personnel should arrive within 11:00 minutes from

the time of 9-1-1 call receipt in fire dispatch, 90% of the time.

This equates to 1 minute dispatch time, 2 minutes company

turnout time, and 8 minutes drive time spacing for multiple

units in the most populated areas.

7.3 Hazardous Materials Response: Provide hazardous materials

response designed to protect the community from the hazards

associated with uncontrolled release of hazardous and toxic

materials. The goal of the Fire Department response is to

minimize or halt the release of a hazardous substance so it has

minimal impact on the community. It can achieve this with a

travel time in urban to suburban areas for the first company

capable of investigating a HazMat release at the operations level

within 4 minutes travel time or less than 90% of the time. After

size-up and scene evaluation is completed, a determination will

be made whether to request additional resources from the

Department’s multi-agency hazardous materials response

partnership.

7.4 Technical Rescue: Respond to technical rescue emergencies as

efficiently and effectively as possible with enough trained

personnel to facilitate a successful rescue. Achieve a travel time

for the first company in urban to suburban areas for size-up of

the rescue within 4 minutes travel time or less 90% of the time.

Assemble additional resources for technical rescue capable of

initiating a rescue within a total response time of 11 minutes,

90% of the time. Safely complete rescue/extrication to ensure

delivery of patient to a definitive care facility.




1.7 HEADQUARTERS AND SUPPORT SERVICES FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Citygate’s headquarters services findings and recommendations are listed below.

Finding #17: The Fire Chief’s and Deputy Chief’s spans of control are too big, leaving them

not just with too many direct reports, but requiring them to perform day-to-day

technical supervision instead of advance planning, labor relations, budgeting, and

intra-agency coordination.

Finding #18: The Department’s headquarters has an insufficient number of office support

professionals. Of the 3.5 personnel, one is dedicated solely to ambulance billing.

Finding #19: The Fire Prevention Bureau does not have solid data upon which to conduct a

workload analysis or to develop service priorities.

Finding #20: The Fire Prevention Bureau tries to perform everything it did pre-recession where

it could use a risk probabilities based approach, including different inspection

time cycles for some services.

Finding #21: The Fire Prevention Bureau does not have even one full-time general office

support position.

Finding #22: Other than for new development plan check fees, the Fire Prevention Bureau does

not issue operating/inspection permits to the higher risk of fire businesses, nor

collect fees for these permits. Other agencies of a similar or larger size do operate

permit and fee programs.

Finding #23: Due to the volume of paramedics and incidents, the EMS Division staff is

inadequate to meet County and State mandates.

Finding #24: The Department’s leadership structure in EMS should not depend on volunteer

Battalion Chiefs and Captains in two-year rotations. EMS is a very specialized

profession and should be managed as such.

Finding #25: The EMS Division, similar to the Fire Prevention Bureau, is operating without a

clear services master plan, set of priorities, and multi-year funding for capital

equipment.

Finding #26: The best practice of NFPA 1500 Standard on Fire Department Occupational

Safety and Health Program is a critical element in a comprehensive fire

department safety and health program. The Department has not officially adopted

this best practice.




Finding #27: The best practice of NFPA 1403 Standard on Live Fire Training Evolutions is the

result of tragic training incidents where firefighters were killed or seriously

injured. While aware of and using NFPA 1403, the Department has not officially

adopted this best practice in total.

Finding #28: Outside of the various policy and procedures statements based on the best

practices, the Department does not have a comprehensive safety and health

program plan.

Finding #29: The Department is not using its incident and employee injury records to compile

data and identify potential safety problems before they cause injuries or property

damage.

Finding #30: While many of the components of a training program that meet best practices are

in place in the Department, there is no overall training policy/program that

provides general guidance to the employees, the program manager, and the

budgeting process.

Finding #31: The Department’s training program staffing is sufficient for the Department’s

current size, with the following caveats:

1. The EMS program needs the additional recommended position in the EMS

section of this study to allow for the impact on EMS for new firefighter

training.

2. The technical rescue captain remains part of the training team.

3. The Battalion Chief continues to be a program manager, not an instructor.

4. The use of station personnel to develop expertise in a specific training area

(ladders, ropes, salvage covers, hose lays, hardware, elevators, etc.) is

continued. They teach that subject as directed by the training officer. The

permanent training captains would oversee the more advanced and intense

delivery of training such as live firefighting practice, driver operator, etc.

Finding #32: The technical rescue program has a very limited number of responses (averaging

6 per year) and the Department does not directly provide all of the required

training; interested personnel have to obtain the training on their own time.

Finding #33: The Department has a fire apparatus replacement program, partially funded with

supplemental ambulance transport revenues for the replacements when they

become needed.




Finding #34: The Department’s fleet apparatus and specialty tool preventive maintenance and

repair program is excellent and meets the Department’s needs.

Recommendation #8: To reduce the span of control on the Fire Chief and Deputy Chief, as

funds allow, an Administration Manager should be added to supervise

all general administration functions.

Recommendation #9: Add one office support position as soon as possible to be shared with

field operations and fire prevention.

Recommendation #10: Conduct an internal discussion regarding the final form, duties, and

types of mid-manager positions to improve the balance of the Fire and

Deputy Chief direct reports and overall workloads of the headquarters

team more equitably.

Recommendation #11: Set up and annually fund incremental payments to capital fleet, tool,

and building repair/replacement funds. Include IT, radios, self-

contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), and EMS electronics in

addition to fleet and stations.

Recommendation #12: Management oversight needs to stress:

12.1 Developing a data-driven decision-making culture.

12.2 Scheduling time monthly for shared leadership and decision

making, not just informational meetings.

12.3 Preparing a retirement schedule for all positions at the Fire

Captain level and above. Design a partial succession plan to

involve interested parties in organizational work above their

current job descriptions.

Recommendation #13: The Fire Prevention Bureau needs to immediately begin collecting

solid data upon which to analyze its time efforts on all of its services.

Recommendation #14: At least an additional half-time general office support (clerical)

position, shared with field operations, is needed in the Fire Prevention

Bureau in the next budget cycle.

Recommendation #15: Slightly increase the number of existing personnel trained to basic fire

investigator level to improve the after-hours rotation system that

currently only has two positions assigned.




Recommendation #16: Evaluate, design, and gain approval for an expanded operating permit

and fee system for fire prevention maintenance of code inspection

activities for existing commercial/industrial buildings.

Recommendation #17: Once effective workload measures are established, the Fire Prevention

Bureau needs to develop a prevention services master plan that should

consider, at a minimum:

17.1 Prioritizing services to risks.

17.2 Establishing an operating permit and fee program.

17.3 Placing commercial maintenance inspections on a triaged 1- to

3-year cycle.

17.4 Contracting out for major plan checks.

17.5 Training city/county building inspectors to perform residential

fire sprinkler inspections on subdivision production housing.

17.6 Performing self inspections.

17.7 Returning some inspections to the line fire crews.

17.8 Implementing a robust e-data system and a process to scan or

eliminate paper records at legal retention intervals.

17.9 Adding an Assistant Fire Marshal / Lead Inspector position as

finances and workload dictate.

Recommendation #18: The EMS Division, as soon as possible, needs another 40-hour/week

technical position for Quality Assurance and Continuous Quality

Improvement programs.

Recommendation #19: Once good workload measures are established, the Department needs

to develop an EMS services master plan that should consider at a

minimum:

19.1 Total staff needed.

19.2 Identification of a leadership plan that is not as rotational and

uses some if not all non-sworn EMS professionals.

19.3 Service and training priorities.

19.4 Emphasizing data-driven Quality Assurance and Continuous

Quality Improvement.




Recommendation #20: The Department should consider officially adopting specific relevant

portions of NFPA 1500 Standard on Fire Department Occupational

Safety and Health Program, which is a critical element in a

comprehensive fire department safety and health program.

Recommendation #21: The Department should consider officially and completely adopting

NFPA 1403 Standard on Live Fire Training Evolutions, which is the

result of tragic training incidents where firefighters were killed or

seriously injured.

Recommendation #22: The Department has to expedite the design and approval of a

comprehensive safety and health program plan with the understanding

that it is a living document and that over time it will be amended and

edited as necessary.

Recommendation #23: The wellness program appears to operate by itself separate from the

Department’s safety and health and training efforts. As part of a

comprehensive risk management program review, the Department

should examine this relationship and determine if it is working or if

the wellness program needs to be more closely coordinated with

safety and health and training.

Recommendation #24: Train employees on the value of an accident and injury prevention

program and how reporting is a key element to the understanding of

accidents and injuries and how they can be prevented in the future.

Recommendation #25: Develop a Board of Directors policy that directs the training and

safety program’s key requirements that, at a minimum, should include

a career development path as well as necessary knowledge, skills, and

abilities education and training at each level of responsibility from

firefighter through chief officer. Utilize current best practice standards

as guidance and reference. Simultaneously ensure that the program is

realistic and reasonable for both necessary funding from the District

and time commitments from the employees. NFPA 1001 Standard for

Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications, NFPA 1002 Standard for

Fire Apparatus Driver Operator Professional Qualifications, and

NFPA 1021 Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications

should form the foundation for the Department’s training and career

development program.




Recommendation #26: The Department should officially adopt NFPA 1403 Standard on Live

Fire Training Evolutions in total.

Recommendation #27: Consider working closely with the other three Sacramento County

region career departments to pool resources and policies and, over

time, develop a regional fire training program.

Recommendation #28: Training Planning and Priorities:

28.1 Review the content and needed length of the 22-week fire

academy versus new firefighter intake certifications minimums.

28.2 Design and implement an annual training calendar that revolves

around a 3-year cycle with regulated mandates occurring

annually. Track and enforce make-ups for all mandates.

28.3 Once the mandated training schedule is set, compare it to a

typical incident frequency. Consider shrinking or ending

services that cannot be kept OSHA-compliant (technical rescue

and water rescue). Contract with the City of Sacramento or

Metro Fire to perform the services the Department cannot

economically provide.

Recommendation #29: The Department should conduct an in-depth review of its higher-

probability rescue incident risks and consider whether a

comprehensive program capable of handling everything is cost-

effective for the District, given its size.

Recommendation #30: The District should strongly consider incrementally funding a capital

apparatus replacement plan, in lieu of waiting, and if cash is not

available when a unit is needed, then using debt financing at an

additional cost. The current supplemental ambulance revenues being

deposited into this reserve account will be inadequate for the

necessary purchases.

1.8 NEXT STEPS

The purpose of a Standards of Cover and Headquarters Services Assessment study is to compare

the District’s current performance against the local risks to be protected as well as to compare

against nationally recognized best practices. This analysis of performance forms the base from

which to make recommendations for changes, if any, in fire station locations, equipment types,




staffing, and headquarters programs. Citygate recommends that the District’s next steps be to

work through the issues identified in this study over the following time lines:

1.8.1 Short-Term Steps

Absorb the policy recommendations of this fire services study and adopt revised

Fire Department performance measures to drive the deployment of firefighting

and emergency medical resources.

Add the following two positions as soon as possible: another office support

position and EMS Quality Assurance position.

Designate a temporary Administration Manager and assign the duties suggested in

this report to balance the span of control load on the Fire Chief and Deputy Fire

Chief. Develop a job description and recruit for an Administration Manager.

Meet with the current and potential managers and employee representatives to

determine the final upper management organization chart design and job titles.

Prepare the Fire Prevention internal assessment and master plan for services and

fee recommendations.

Determine the funding and timing for the addition of a part-time seventh

ambulance in Elk Grove.

1.8.2 Long-Term Steps

Develop the training and EMS internal master plans.

Consider the use of non-sworn personnel in the EMS program.

Monitor the performance of the Fire Department’s deployment system using the

adopted deployment measures and the methods in this study.

Plan for the staffing, operating, and maintenance cost for the addition of three fire

stations in southern Elk Grove in the Capital Improvement budget.

Documents

Standards of Cover and Assessment for the Cosumnes CSD ... › wp-content › ... · RMS and ensuring compliance. This will be a first step in becoming a data-driven organization