Columbia, Tennessee, Fire Station Location Study

COLUMBIA, TENNESSEE

Fire Station Location Study

April 2012

Dennis Wolf, Fire Management Consultant The University of Tennessee, Institute for Public Service Municipal Technical Advisory Service

Table of Contents

Table of Contents ...... 1 List of Tables ...... 1 List of Figures ...... 1 Introduction and Scope of Work ...... 2 Background...... 2 Community Risk – General Overview ...... 5 Future Needs ...... 6 How Many Fire Stations Does Columbia Need? ...... 7 How Many Ladder Companies Does Columbia Need? ...... 11 Plan Implementation ...... 13 EMS Drive-time Zones for Each Fire Station ...... 14 Summary ...... 20 Recommendations ...... 21 Appendix A – Estimated Travel Times and Total Response Time in Minutes ...... 23 References ...... 24

List of Tables

Table 1 - Columbia Fire Department Stations and Apparatus ...... 2 Table 2 – Columbia Fire Department Apparatus and Staffing ...... 3

List of Figures

Figure 1 – Public Protection Classification (ISO Rating) in the US ...... 4 Figure 2 – Public Protection Classification (ISO Rating) in Tennessee ...... 4 Figure 3 – Bear Creek Pike Land Use Plan ...... 7 Figure 4 – Time versus Products of Combustion ...... 10 Figure 5 – Columbia Fire Stations with 1½ Mile Response Areas ...... 11 Figure 6 – 3-Story Buildings and Ladder Company Coverage ...... 12 Figure 7 – Locations of Existing and Proposed Fire Stations ...... 14 Figure 8 – Estimated EMS Travel Times for Station 1 ...... 15 Figure 9 – Estimated EMS Travel Times for Station 2 ...... 16 Figure 10 – Estimated EMS Travel Times for Station 3 ...... 17 Figure 11 – Estimated EMS Travel Times for Station 4 ...... 18 Figure 12 – Estimated EMS Travel Times for Station 5 ...... 19

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Introduction and Scope of Work

MTAS conducted this study at the request of Mr. Lee Bergeron, Fire Chief for the City of Columbia. The study’s purpose is to answer three questions:

1. Station 3 is obsolete: Where should Columbia relocate Station 3? 2. Where should Columbia place its next fire station(s)? 3. What are the EMS drive time zones for each fire station?

A written request from Chief Bergeron authorized MTAS to conduct an official study.

Background

The City of Columbia is located in, and is the county seat of, Maury County in Middle Tennessee, near the cities of Spring Hill and Mount Pleasant. Columbia is approximately 25 miles from Franklin and 45 miles from Nashville. A Council-Manager form of government governs the city. The seven-member council, which includes the mayor and vice mayor, sets policy and evaluates the management of the city. The council appoints the city manager who oversees all operational activities.

Fire protection and staffing is a local policy issue, and a community must balance local resources against acceptable risk. The City of Columbia provides fire services to 34,681 residents through a municipal fire department organized under Article XVIII of the city charter. The Columbia Fire Department is a career fire department recognized by the State of Tennessee and funded by the City of Columbia. The fire department operates five engine companies and one truck company from five fire stations, located throughout 32 square miles (Table 1). All Columbia engines have a minimum staffing level of three personnel: a lieutenant, a driver, and a firefighter, but sometimes may have four personnel (Table 2). Columbia’s Insurance Services Office (ISO) Public Protection Classification (ISO rating) is a split classification of Class 3/9. The Class 3 ISO rating places Columbia in the top 6% of communities nationwide (Figure 1) and in the top 5% in Tennessee (Figure 2) in terms of fire protection and indicates that Columbia has made excellent decisions in planning for community fire protection.

Columbia Fire Department Stations District Equipment Address Engine 1 , Truck 1 Rescue 1, 1 Shift Commander 1000 S. Garden Street 2 Truck 2 4711 Lion Parkway 3 Truck 3 1306 Nashville Highway 4 Engine 4 5040 Trotwood Avenue 5 Engine 5 2633 Nashville Highway Table 1 - Columbia Fire Department Stations and Apparatus

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Station Apparatus Type Pump Aerial Maximum Minimum Capacity Ladder Daily Daily Length Staffing Staffing 1 Engine 1 Engine 1,500 n/a 4 3 1 Truck 1 Quint 1,500 100 3 3 1 Rescue 1 Rescue n/a n/a 2 2 1 Shift SUV n/a n/a 1 1 Commander 2 Truck 2 Quint 1,500 75 5 4 3 Truck 3 Quint 1,500 75 5 3 4 Engine 4 Engine 1,500 n/a 4 3 5 Engine 5 Engine 1,250 n/a 4 3 TOTAL 28 22 Reserve at Engine 1,250 n/a n/a n/a Station 4 Reserve at Engine 1,250 n/a n/a n/a Station 1 Notes: Truck 1 has 7 personnel assigned, and at least one of those personnel usually staff Rescue 1. Rescue 1 reports to the officer of Truck 1 during fires, extrications, and rescues unless they are active on an EMS call or requested as extra personnel at a another scene. If there is a fire call, Rescue 1 and Truck 1 respond as a two-piece company and the truck operates with a minimum of 5 personnel on the scene. If there is a medical call, Rescue 1 responds and the truck then responds with 3 people until Rescue 1 returns to service. Some of the time, Truck 1 will have a maximum of 4 personnel in addition to personnel on Rescue 1. There are 28 personnel assigned to each shift. Policy allows up to 4 personnel to be off on vacation, for 1 person to be off sick (if appropriate), and for 1 person to be off for training, which is a minimum staffing level of 22 personnel on-duty each day. When needed, the department uses overtime to maintain a minimum staffing level of 22 personnel on-duty. The fire department operates a regional Hazmat team and, upon response, staffs the team with on-duty personnel, which takes companies out of service for fire and EMS calls. A quint is a fire apparatus that has a fire pump, water tank, hose bed, full set of ground (extension) ladders, and an aerial ladder mounted to the truck frame. For quint apparatus, ISO will award up to full engine credit and half ladder credit depending upon the size of the aerial ladder and the tools and equipment carried. Table 2 – Columbia Fire Department Apparatus and Staffing

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Public Protection Classification in US 14,000 13,409

12,000

10,000 8,890 8,089 8,000 5,986 6,000 4,613 4,000 3,038

Number of Communities Number 2,015 1,637 2,000 585 62 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Public Protection Classification

Figure 1 – Public Protection Classification (ISO Rating) in the US

Public Protection Classification in TN

350 319 300

250 199 200 178 141 150

100 85

Number of Communities Number 49 50 38 0 5 1 6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 8B 9 10 Public Protection Classification

Figure 2 – Public Protection Classification (ISO Rating) in Tennessee

The Columbia Fire Department dispatch office receives calls for emergency fire and medical services for locations inside Columbia’s corporate limits and dispatches the appropriate emergency resources.

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Columbia Power and Water Systems provides water for public consumption and fire suppression. The water pressure and the gallons-per-minute fire flows needed for fire suppression operations are adequate to protect the properties at risk.

Community Risk – General Overview

Columbia covers 32 square miles and has a population of 34,681. The city’s urban growth boundary is large, so additional major growth is likely once the economy improves. The greatest growth has occurred in Ward One in the central northwest portion of the city, which is covered primarily by Fire Stations 1, 2 and 3. Annexation and new development provided the growth in Ward One. The second greatest growth has occurred in Ward Five, the northeast and east portion of the city extending out Nashville Highway and Bear Creek Pike, which is covered primarily by Fire Stations 1, 3 and 5.

From 2000 to 2010, Columbia’s population increased by 4.9% making Columbia the 18th largest city in Tennessee. Columbia’s population is graying, with 14.3% of the population age 65 or older, as compared to the state average of 13.4%. Statistically, older population segments tend to use EMS services more than other population segments. Approximately 80% of the Columbia Fire Department’s responses for 2011 were for emergency medical calls.

Approximately 9.5% of the housing stock is vacant. This number does not include houses in foreclosure, which means that the percentage of vacant homes and buildings is probably higher. Research by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has shown that the incidence of fires in vacant buildings increases when the economy is weak, and that the risk to neighborhoods is greater as fires in vacant buildings are more likely to spread to adjacent homes than fires in occupied homes. Nationwide, almost half of all fires in vacant buildings are arson fires.

The Duck River does affect response times to some areas, and the river creates two separate geographical zones, north (Stations 3 and 5) and south (Stations 1, 2 and 4) for the department. The department tries to maintain at least seven personnel in each zone for firefighter safety and to allow the department to comply with OSHA’s 2-in/2-out rule and NFPA Standard 1710, Section 5.2.4.1.1, to have a Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) available with the initial arriving company.

The City of Columbia has commercial occupancies distributed throughout it that include mostly retail and business uses. Retail trade (28%), health (18%), professional (10%), accommodation/food service (10%), real estate/rental/leasing (7%), wholesale trade (5%), and manufacturing (5%) are the largest industries in Columbia. Health care, retail trade, accommodation/food service, and manufacturing are the four sectors with the most number of employees. The healthcare industry continues to show growth in jobs.

The split Class 3/9 ISO rating is the result of annexation of land beyond the coverage area of a Columbia fire station. Class 9 applies to properties within five road miles of a

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fire station but beyond 1,000 feet of a hydrant. Many areas are far beyond five road miles of any Columbia fire station. The intersection of I-65 and Bear Creek, for example, is 7.8 miles (travel time of 13:55) from Station 3 and 9.4 miles (travel time of 16:38) from Station 1. ISO assigns Class 10, which is equivalent to having no fire protection, to properties beyond five road miles, and the only reason ISO has assigned the Class 9 rating to the areas in Columbia that are further than five miles from a Columbia fire station is because of mutual aid with neighboring fire departments. The existing residential and commercial properties and the proposed industrial park should have better fire services to attract more growth and to lower insurance premiums for businesses and residents in all areas that are further than five miles from a Columbia fire station.

The City of Columbia will continue to grow because of its central location, easy commuting distance to Nashville, convenience to area residents, and community services and attractions. Columbia is an attractive city with aesthetic design and has sufficient undeveloped land for planned residential and commercial growth. Its location next to the major transportation routes of I-65, US Highway 412, US Highway 43, and US Highway 31 make commuting convenient for those who want to work in a larger city like Nashville but live in a smaller, well-managed community. Existing fire services are not adequate for the size of the area served.

Future Needs

Strip annexation proceeding to the east along Bear Creek Pike to just past I-65 has created the need to provide fire services quite a distance from central Columbia. A planned business park for the I-65/Bear Creek Pike area (see Figure 3) will increase the need for fire and emergency services in this area. Station 5 provides services to the area north of central Columbia going north along Nashville Highway to the GM plant. This station is an island of fire services for the area due to extended response times for other Columbia Fire Department resources. Other areas, such as the Todd Carter and Early Road area, the area along Williamsport east of Perkins Lane, and the area south of South James M. Campbell and east of a line of Country Club Lane are outside of the 1½-mile response distance for an engine company.

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Figure 3 – Bear Creek Pike Land Use Plan Columbia expects to see residential and commercial development throughout its urban growth boundary, but the current economy precludes immediate growth. Therefore, the city must plan for future fire service needs to accommodate future growth.

How Many Fire Stations Does Columbia Need?

To answer the question of how many fire stations Columbia needs now, one can look at several sources for guidance. The first is the Insurance Services Office (ISO) Fire Suppression Rating Schedule. Section 560 of the schedule covers distribution of companies and states: “The built-upon area of the city should have a first-due engine company within 1½-miles and a ladder-service company within 2½-miles.”

Using an “as the crow flies” radius of 1½-miles to draw a circle does not adequately represent the geographical area that a single fire station can cover. Studies have shown that a polygon better represents the ISO required response area, and that the average size of the polygon is 4.5 square miles. Two caveats: the polygon model assumes the even distribution of resources throughout the area, which is generally not the case, and the formula does not allow for geographical barriers, such as rivers and

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railroads, but the formula is useful as a reference. Based upon a 32 square mile service area, a travel distance of 1½-miles, and assuming all engine companies are evenly distributed (which they are not) Columbia needs 7.11 fire stations right now for adequate coverage.

One can use the polygon model to determine the number of needed ladder trucks or service companies based upon ISO’s maximum travel distance of 2½-miles for a ladder or service company. The average size of a polygon for a ladder or service company is 12.3 square miles. Based upon a 32 square mile service area, a travel distance of 2½- miles, and assuming all ladder companies are evenly distributed (which they are not) Columbia needs 2.60 ladder companies right now.

The ISO standard for distribution is 1½-miles for an engine and 2½-miles for a truck company, but ISO will extend a community’s fire protection rating as far as five miles from a fire station provided there is adequate water available for fire protection. There is a caveat for basing fire protection on this five-mile distance, and that is the risks associated with extended response times. Travel time, measured as the time from when the fire department resource starts to roll until it arrives on the scene, is just one component of response time (see Appendix A). At 1½-miles, the travel time for a fire engine is approximately 3:12 (time expressed as minutes: seconds). At five miles, the travel time is approximately 9:09. The response time, which includes ring time, call answering, call processing, turnout, and travel time, is much longer. Thus, a total response time of six or seven minutes for stations based on 1½ mile distribution increases to twelve or thirteen minutes (or longer if call processing and turnout times exceed NFPA recommendations) based on five-mile distribution. As stated earlier in this report, the level of fire protection provided in a community is a local decision, but MTAS does not recommend basing community fire protection on this maximum five-mile distance.

The second resource is the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). NFPA addresses the number of fire stations needed in an indirect way based on minimum response times. NFPA Standard 1710 Section 5.2.4.1.1 allows a 240 second (4 minute) travel time for the first arriving engine company. Using an empirical model called the piece-wise linear travel time function, based upon studies done by the Rand Institute estimating the average response speed of fire apparatus at 35 mph, one can determine that the distance a fire engine can travel in 4 minutes is approximately 1.97 miles. A polygon based on a 1.97 mile travel distance covers on average 7.3 square miles. Based upon a 32 square mile service area, a travel-time-calculated travel distance of 1.97 miles, and assuming all engine companies are evenly distributed (which they are not) Columbia needs 4.38 fire stations right now, and Columbia currently has five stations. However, the city is not evenly distributed, and strip annexation has extended the corporate limits far beyond what the existing fire stations can cover adequately.

The previous two examples are based upon time and distance to be covered. A third resource is the ISO Fire Suppression Rating Schedule’s determination of needed

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engine companies based upon the community’s basic (needed) fire flow. Section 510 of the schedule requires one engine company for a basic fire flow of 500 to 1,000 gpm, two engine companies for a basic fire flow of 1,250 to 2,500 gpm, and three engine companies for a basic fire flow of 3,000 to 3,500 gpm. Basic fire flow is determined by determining the needed fire flow for all non-sprinklered properties in the community, and then the fifth highest is considered the basic fire flow for the community. For Columbia, that is 3,500 gallons-per-minute. A strong commercial and residential sprinkler ordinance can limit significantly community risk, as ISO does not consider properties protected by automatic sprinkler systems when determining the basic fire flow, and sprinklered properties reduce the fire risk in the community. Columbia has adopted model codes that require fire sprinklers in certain types of buildings, but Columbia should consider adopting a more restrictive sprinkler ordinance for commercial properties to reduce risk to the community. For example, an ordinance requiring a sprinkler system for all commercial properties that exceed 5,000 square feet would reduce community risk and limit fire growth.

Finally, city leaders must consider the phenomenon known as flashover. As a fire grows in size, it gives off heat that heats other objects in the vicinity of the fire. At some point in the time-temperature curve, all of the objects in the fire room reach their ignition temperature and ignite. The entire room bursts into flames, and the temperature rises to a point where no person can survive, including firefighters. This is called flashover. The NFPA Fire Protection Handbook states: “During flashover, however, the temperature rises very sharply to such a level that survival of persons still in the room at that stage becomes unlikely. Thus the time interval between the start of the fire and the occurrence of flashover is a major factor in the time that is available for safe evacuation of the fire area.” The development of fire conditions to reach the point of flashover is a function of temperature rise over time. Therefore, a sufficient number of fire stations strategically located to provide quick response times can reduce the incidence of flashover, thus saving lives and property. As shown in the graph in Figure 4, flashover can occur within 9 to 11 minutes of the start of a fire. Locating fire stations to provide a total response time of six to seven minutes is advantageous, as firefighters need time after arrival to setup, lay fire hose, and gain access to the seat of the fire before they can actually begin to search for trapped occupants or extinguish the fire. This is where the five-mile distribution of fire stations proves to be inadequate.

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Figure 4 – Time versus Products of Combustion

Figure 5 shows the current coverage area for all five stations. The polygon areas represent 1½-mile travel distances, or approximately 3:12 travel times. The software program used to create the map is not capable of providing street details at this scale, but the Duck River and major roads, along with the marked location of existing fire stations, serve as landmarks for orientation. Looking at this map, it is apparent that Columbia has significant areas that fall outside of the 1½-mile coverage area of an engine company.

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Figure 5 – Columbia Fire Stations with 1½ Mile Response Areas

How Many Ladder Companies Does Columbia Need?

A community needs a ladder company when it has at least five buildings that are three stories or more than thirty-five feet in height. Columbia has many buildings that meet these criteria. Figure 6 shows the groupings of the buildings that require a ladder company and the 2½-mile coverage areas of the ladder truck and the quints. As mentioned previously, based on ISO’s requirements for distribution, according to the polygon model, Columbia needs three ladder companies, and there is one ladder company in service at Station 1. However, the department uses quint apparatus, which is a fire truck that has a pump, water tank, and carries all of the equipment required for an engine company, plus carries equipment required for a ladder company and has an aerial ladder, at Stations 2 and 3 to provide ladder coverage.

The use of quint apparatus is cost effective as the city receives up to full credit for an engine company and half credit for a ladder company (credit depends upon the size of the aerial ladder, the equipment inventory, and required pump, hose, and ladder tests).

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As shown in Figure 6, Columbia has three areas that have buildings that require a ladder company. Columbia has one dedicated ladder company, Truck 1. Trucks 2 and 3 are quints, but they are also required engine companies, so ISO credits them as engine companies first and ladder companies second. Since they receive half-credit as a ladder company, the city receives credit for two, and not three, ladder trucks (Truck 1 receives full credit, Trucks 2 and 3 receive half credit each: 1 + 0.5 + 0.5 = 2), so Columbia is one truck company short per ISO requirements. The existing three story hotels on Halifax Drive and the proposed industrial park east of I-65 and Bear Creek Pike are outside the effective coverage area of any existing ladder company, so this area needs an additional truck company, which means Columbia is actually two truck companies short of meeting ISO requirements.

Areas of Columbia not covered by a ladder company must have a service company. A service company carries the same tools and equipment as a ladder company but does not carry an aerial ladder. Any area outside the ladder company response areas shown on the map in Figure 6 should have a service company, and this affects Station 5’s coverage area.

Figure 6 – 3-Story Buildings and Ladder Company Coverage

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Plan Implementation

Five stations serve Columbia currently. Because of age and physical condition, Station 3 is scheduled for demolition and replacement, and the department is considering relocating the fire station further north to provide coverage to the area between Stations 3 and 5. While this is acceptable under a five-mile maximum fire station coverage area concept, it does not provide optimal coverage and will create a gap in coverage based upon the ISO required 1½-mile coverage area. To provide the best customer service possible, to help maintain Columbia’s excellent Class 3 ISO rating, and to improve the insurance classification in the areas receiving the Class 9 ISO rating, Columbia needs to build three additional fire stations. Fire stations are expensive capital projects, and the city can add the stations in phases to budget for and manage the financial impact.

Phase one, Columbia should build and staff the first proposed station in the 1300 block of Bear Creek Pike between Nicholson Schoolhouse Road and Rock Springs Road. This location provides coverage for the existing commercial and proposed business and industrial park, as well as for residents in this area. This fire station will improve response times in this area significantly. Because of the three story buildings and proposed business and industrial park, Columbia should place a 100-foot quint in service at this station.

Phase two, Columbia should build and staff the second proposed station in the 2100 block of Nashville Highway between Harlan Road and Walnut Drive. This location provides ready access to a major road for fast north and south response times and closes the coverage gap between Fire Stations 3 and 5. A station at this location reduces the response time of the second engine company to fires and other emergencies in Station 5’s district.

Phase three, Columbia should demolish and build a new Fire Station 3 on or near the existing location. Station 3’s current location provides good coverage for the commercial and residential development in the area. Closing this station and relocating the engine company will change the response dynamics and create a gap in coverage. As an option to delay the financial impact of placing an additional engine company in service, once the second proposed station is completed, Columbia can temporarily relocate the engine and crew to the new station while the old Station 3 is demolished and a new station is constructed. When the new Station 3 is finished, Columbia should place an additional engine company and crew in service to staff the new Station 3.

Phase four, Columbia should build and staff the third proposed station in the 700 block of Bear Creek Pike between Tom Sharp Road and Rip Steele Road. This location provides coverage for the gap area along Bear Creek Pike and provides the second engine company to back up the proposed station in the 1300 block of Bear Pike Road. This station will serve existing and future development along Bear Creek Pike as well as existing and future residential developments. This fire station will improve response times significantly. Construction of this station is not anticipated until further development or annexation occurs in the Bear Creek Pike area.

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Figure 7 shows the proposed locations of the three additional fire stations and the 1½- mile ISO response zones relationship to the existing fire stations. It is easy to see from the map that the five existing fire station locations provide the best coverage possible to meet ISO’s 1½-mile travel distance with minimal overlap. The three proposed fire stations make use of the existing locations to close the coverage gaps created through annexation while maintaining the 1½ mile ISO travel distance with minimal overlap.

Figure 7 – Locations of Existing and Proposed Fire Stations

EMS Drive-time Zones for Each Fire Station

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responses account for about 80% of the fire department’s call volume, which is consistent with state and national trends. The fire department is well suited to provide prompt and efficient emergency medical services to the community. Response time is critical in certain medical emergencies, including cardiac and respiratory emergencies, strokes, and traumatic injury. The maps on the following pages show the estimated travel times from each fire station for a medical response. Factors affecting travel times include the type of street, hills, curves, and the number of turns required. The times reflected on the maps are just the travel time for the apparatus and do not include ring time, call processing, and turnout time, so the actual response time will be higher.

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Figure 8 – Estimated EMS Travel Times for Station 1